Top International Destinations for Luxury Elopements
One of the biggest benefits of an elopement is that you can reallocate wedding funds towards a more personal, luxury experience – and a dazzling destination is a great place to start. We researched the top destinations for weddings in the world, and narrowed down those locations that are easiest to elope to legally; in other words, you won't have to have a civil ceremony in the states before or after you arrive to make your marriage legally binding. These are the top international destinations for a luxury elopement based on ease of marrying there and the beauty of the locales themselves.
Grand Cayman, BVI
This splendid island in the Caribbean is not only home to a bevy of luxury resorts, but also has extremely wedding-friendly policies in place for non-citizens. No blood tests or waiting period is required, and you won't find a more beautiful British Overseas Territory in which to marry and honeymoon. See the full list of legal requirements and documents for Grand Cayman.) (Photo courtesy of Cayman Islands Department of Tourism)
Riviera Maya, Mexico
Not only is the Mexican Riviera a stunning mix of beautiful beaches and amazing high-send resorts worthy of a luxury elopement, it also has some of the most relaxed requirements for Americans to marry there. A minimum of paperwork is required and couples also have the option of their ceremony being conducted in English, which is not true of most other areas of the country. See the full list of legal requirements and documents for Riviera Maya.
Coral Coast, Fiji.
This 50-mile stretch of beachfront hotels and exquisite white-sand beaches is located on the paradisical island of Viti Levy, which is also home to the capital of Fiji, making the trip to the Registrar General's Office to obtain and later file your marriage license a convenient one. You can also get a special license if you prefer not to be subjected to the three-day waiting period, but why would you want to rush things when you're in paradise? See the full list of legal requirements and documents for Fiji.
Florence, Italy
One of the most breathtakingly beautiful cities in the world, Florence also has the distinction of allowing non-citizens to marry in venues other than the Town Hall. It does take some significant advance planning for non-citizens to elope to anywhere in Italy, but certainly not enough to outweigh the benefits of eloping to such a a dazzling (and photogenic!) destination. See the full list of legal requirements and documents for Florence. (Photo by Marilyn Oliveira)
