Biggest Destination Wedding Regrets

Published on July 6, 2026 at 7:32 PM

...And How to Avoid Them

Destination weddings are a fantastic way to celebrate a wedding, but after hosting and seeing many celebrations, we noticed that couples often regret the same few things.

Planning Too Many Events

Multi-day wedding weekends look beautiful online. And we tend to think "This is what everybody does". 

But reality can feel different.

Your guests may be travelling across continents, crossing time zones and arriving in Portuguese summer temperatures. Add excitement, nerves and wedding planning on top  and suddenly everyone is exhausted. Including you!

Our advice? Keep it simple.

Host a relaxed welcome evening: drinks, music, snacks and good conversations.

Skip scheduled speeches and avoid turning every day into a full event.

Leave space to arrive, breathe and enjoy. 

Not Staying Long Enough

The classic destination wedding timeline:

Arrive. Wedding. Fly home.

Standard? Often 2 nights.

Reality?

Everyone arrives tired already. 

Then suddenly the wedding day is over  and the next morning is all under "Goodbye Portugal". 

If possible, add a third night. Everything feels calmer.

You and your guests can sleep in, enjoy a relaxed brunch, explore cafés and little shops and actually experience a bit of Portugal.

And trust us:  it also makes the after-wedding blues feel much softer.

Are you planning a wedding in Portugal and are looking for a venue?