Every year, there are 2.4 million weddings in the U.S., with 25% of them being destination weddings.

But during the pandemic era -- when couples worry about themselves and their guests catching COVID-19 and stress over all the associated risks and precautions required -- is it worth it to travel to say, "I Do"?

"Couples are certainly still debating on traveling internationally for their weddings," says elopement photographer Kelly Shoul of In Love and Adventure Elopement Photography. "With everything so up in the air, it's hard for couples to make decisions about traveling to another country. They feel like they don't want to do all this planning and book accommodations and look forward to a great trip if it's unsure to happen."

Shoul, who's based in Colorado, has worked with many couples over the last year and a half who've had to change what their destination wedding looks like; many couples who were planning on a traditional wedding ended up having a domestic destination wedding.

*Travel Debate

"COVID-19 has presented many challenges to our business and wedding couples alike," says wedding event planner Erwin Louisy, president of Barefoot Holidays in St. Lucia. "Planning a wedding remotely is hard enough. Planning a wedding remotely during COVID is even harder."

He says couples are willing to travel as long as they feel confident they'll be safe and the stay will be hassle-free. His company has implemented strict protocols to ensure the safety of their employees and guests. For example, their wedding and events team members are fully vaccinated.

"The combination of the vaccine being more accessible to different ages across the U.S. in addition to updated guidelines on gatherings from the CDC allows people to feel more comfortable to get back to group celebrations," says Daniela Trava Albarran, general manager of Grand Residences Riviera Cancun.

The venue is prepared to conduct rapid antigen or PCR testing for weddings and events and is mindful of CDC travel reentry requirements. They customize the experience to best fit their guests' comforts and needs.

*Pros and Cons

There are many benefits of a destination wedding. They're lots of fun and more intimate since fewer people will travel for the nuptials. That typically means the guests are close family and friends.

Whether you get hitched on a beach, in the mountains, in the snow or in a city, you and your guests will experience an amazing location and landscape. The destination doubles as a honeymoon, too. The photos will likely be epic since destination venues are typically stunning.

Still, there are disadvantages. Getting married on location can be stressful, especially since it's tough to plan the wedding from a distance. You are not easily able to visit the venue or meet vendors during the planning process.

Destination weddings can be expensive and require a lot of time and travel, including airfare, accommodations, meals and extras. Often older guests, such as grandparents, might miss the wedding if they're unable to travel.

These days, the biggest drawback of a destination wedding is dealing with the unknown.

"With COVID, there is this new approach to travel," says Shoul. "You really have to ask yourself if it's worth it. Is it worth the unknown of having to reschedule? Is it worth putting yourself at risk and family members at risk of exposure to the virus?"

*Choosing a Destination

Honeyfund, a honeymoon registry and wedding fund service, surveyed over 600 couples who are wedding planning and found top honeymoon spots include St. Lucia, Jamaica, Hawaii and Italy, followed by the Bahamas, Barbados and Mexico.

Recent data from HomeToGo shows searches for the most popular wedding and honeymoon destinations have increased 23% compared with 2019. They also found Americans are planning trips to top wedding and honeymoon destinations further in advance than pre-pandemic. They now book dream vacation rentals 121 days ahead of their romantic getaways, versus 74 days in 2019.

Caroline Burns, travel expert and head of public relations for HomeToGo, the world's largest vacation rental marketplace, says hosting a wedding or escaping on a honeymoon getaway in a luxurious rental can be affordable, private and romantic.

"One of the long-lasting effects of the pandemic is that vacation rentals have become much more mainstream as travelers opt for homes where they can have both more space and privacy, and in particular, they choose rural, remote destinations for their getaways, away from the crowds," she says.

Many couples are planning their destination weddings, and venues are ready to meet that need.

"We are expecting a high booking volume of destination weddings at Grand Residences Riviera Cancun," says Albarran. "From postponed-since-2020 to beginning-to-plan-months-in-advance now to all of the new engagements that will occur over the next few months, 2022 will be the year of weddings."