Brian and Cecilia love traveling together, and when the two got engaged, Stockholm, Sweden was the perfect location for a destination wedding. Cecilia and her entire family are Swedish and having a wedding abroad was an easy decision.

“Choosing to have our wedding abroad was a great reason for Brian’s family and a lot of our friends to fly over and get know this special city,” says Cecilia. With Brian’s family eager to discover Stockholm and the majority of Cecilia’s family already calling the city home, all of the guests were looking forward to celebrating in such a beautiful place. Because Stockholm has tons to see and do, fantastic food and located on the water, it was a great setting for Cecilia and Brian’s intimate wedding.

Having a smaller, destination wedding helped Cecilia and Brian reduce the number of guests in attendance. Before leaving for Stockholm, the bride and groom to be had a send-off party at home in the United States to celebrate their upcoming nuptials with loved ones. 

Planning their special day was an excellent experience. The use of their wedding website, as well as the help of friends and family, ensured that the day went off without a hitch. “My sister and maid of honor made all of our signs and place cards, which were amazing!” says Cecilia.

Travel logistics for the guests were easy to manage, with some of the guests already calling Sweden home. For those who were traveling, their wedding website was a big help. Brian and Cecilia offered their hotel recommendations, communication tips once in Stockholm, arrival information and a friendly reminder to ensure everyone’s passports were up to date.

Exchanging ideas between vendors was easy, thanks to the use of email and social media sites. “I shared my Pinterest board with the florist which made my vision easier to share,” says Cecilia.

Not only would having a wedding at home cost the same as a destination wedding for Cecilia and Brian, but it would have lost some sentimental value. When asked how a domestic versus destination wedding would have been different, Cecilia says it wouldn’t have been as special. “It was amazing to share Stockholm with our friends and family.”

Cecilia and Brian advise for couples planning their own destination weddings, “Don’t worry about too many details – the actual event only lasts for a few hours so try and enjoy the planning process and just have fun with it!”

Vendors: Photographer: Stephanie A. Smith, Ceremony Site: Stadshuset, Reception Site: On a Steamboat, Florist: Melanders Blommor Stockholm, Stationery: Wedding Paper Divas, Cake: Tossebageriet, Gown Designer: Manuel Mota from Musette.