Destination weddings are an increasingly popular option for Canadian couples, and it’s hard to blame them. Who wouldn’t be excited to combine a winter getaway with their wedding?
But some of the wedding and honeymoon destinations most popular with Canadians are not a great value right now due to the low dollar, and things aren’t looking like they’ll improve much over 2016.
That doesn’t mean you have to write off your dream of a destination wedding or elopement, though. Destinations like Cuba are still a good value — both overall and for Canadians in particular. And many all-inclusive deals can still be found, because tour operators often sign deals months in advance and therefore haven’t yet built the weaker Canadian dollar into prices.
And in general, there are ways to make any destination more budget friendly. Travel in the off-season, for example — Travelzoo says 73 per cent of Canadians are using this strategy to cut costs.
One note of caution: the Zika virus is causing serious caution in many southern parts of the hemisphere, including Brazil, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, because of mounting evidence tying the virus to a rise in cases of microencephaly in infants in affected countries.
The Canadian government has advised women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy to consider postponing trips to affected countries. If you’re pregnant, hoping to become pregnant, or planning a honeymoon conception, you may want to take this into account.
With that in mind, here are 12 spots where Canadians can still find good deals for destination weddings or elopements of all different kinds.