12 Gorgeous & Totally Unique Wedding Destinations in 2020

Unique Wedding Destinations – Washington – The Foxes Photography 3

Brides and wedding planners gather round: if you’re in the throes of venue hunting, you know how time-consuming and complicated it can be! If only there was an easy way to filter venues by location, style, budget, capacity…but wait, there is!

Enter Wedding Spot, an online site — one of the first of its kind — that lets you search, price, compare, and contact wedding locations. It’s truly a one-stop-shop for wedding planning — no more tracking countless email threads with venues.

We tested Wedding Spot’s tool ourselves, and of their 13,000+ venues to choose from, we found ten unique U.S. destinations & our favorite venues for the one-of-a-kind wedding of your dreams. Maybe you want to treat your guests to a getaway they haven’t been to before? This is your list…

Photo via Hacienda Doña Andrea de Santa Fe

New Mexico

If you’re dreaming of a Southwest wedding under a desert sky but you’re tired of the same old scenes from Joshua Tree, Sedona, and Phoenix, look no further than New Mexico.

Imagine yourself exchanging vows on a terracotta balcony, perched above rolling desert mountains as papel picado banners sway in the breeze above. We’re obsessed with every detail at Hacienda Dona Andrea de Santa Fe.

Photo by Alicia Lucia of Hacienda Doña Andrea de Santa Fe

Photo via Sage Lodge

Montana

Every Northwesterner knows that there is so much more to Montana than cowboys and cattle ranches. The dramatic mountaintops and clear glacial lakes of Big Sky Country offer a stunning and more cost-effective alternative to your typical Aspen or Vail, Colorado weddings.

Nestled right in the middle of it all, Sage Lodge would be the perfect spot for a rustic-chic kinda bride.

Photo by Orange Photographie at Sage Lodge

Photo by Angelica Marie Photography via Zingerman's Cornman Farms

Michigan

Michigan is having a moment, and we’re here for it. With so many unique venues to choose from, like this castle on Lake Michigan, this farm in cider country, or this dreamy conservatory, this Midwest gem is turning heads.

And you won’t have to search far for award-winning, talented vendors. Many of our favorite photographers are Michigan born and bred, like Amanda VanVels.

Photo by Corinne Graves of Outland Creative

Alaska

Alaska may sound like a trek, but oh, is it worth it. If the views alone aren’t enough to convince you, maybe a stay in a yurt at Orca Island Cabins will do the trick. The Gathering Place offers another incredible spot to say “I do” in front of sweeping views.

Hit up our favorite Alaska photographer Corrine Graves, photographer and owner of Outland Creative, to capture the magic.

Unique Wedding Destinations – Alaska – Corinne Graves 1

Photo by Corinne Graves of Outland Creative

Elegant New England Farm Wedding | Kir Tuben 40

Photo by Kir Tuben Photography via Bridal Musings

Elegant New England Farm Wedding | Kir Tuben 41

Photo by Kir Tuben Photography via Bridal Musings

Rhode Island

Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod, the Hamptons…so “been there, done that.” It’s time for Rhode Island to have its moment to shine. It may be the smallest state in the country, but it packs a big punch of that Atlantic coastal magic. Rhode Island has dozens of gorgeous spots for beachside nuptials, but breezy and elegant Newport Beach House is a stand-out place to exchange vows with your toes in the sand.

Looking for a quaint countryside spot? Mount Hope Farm (featured on Bridal Musings!) gives us plenty of New England charm and not to mention the cutest little goats!

Photo by Jessa Schifilliti at Newport Beach House

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Photo by The Foxes Photography

Washington State

I may be biased, but there’s nowhere like Washington state for a summer wedding, where the days stretch long and the weather is (usually) perfect. The upper-left has a dizzying amount of outdoor offerings, from islands to coastlines to lakes to mountains.

If it were us, we’d take a ferry to the world-famous San Juan Islands and stay in these cozy cabins. We’re also eyeing recently renovated Paradise Village near iconic Mount Rainier — it’s the perfect medley of rustic and luxurious and can hold a whopping 450 guests!

Unique Wedding Destinations – Washington – Wandering Backpack

Photo by Wandering Backpack at Paradise Village

Photo by Philip Thomas at The Creek Haus

Texas Hill Country

Three words: Texas Hill Country. Not convinced? How about a whole roasted pig cookout with live twangy guitar, majestic rolling hills, while also just a short drive from the amazing barbecues, artists, and vendors in Austin? Yeah, we thought so. The Creek Haus looks like SUCH a good time.

Photo by Alyssa Nikole at The Creek Haus

Unique Wedding Destinations – Westport CA – Switzer Farm – Brandon Bibbons 1

Photo by Brandon Bibbons of Switzer Farm

Northern California Coast

California’s Northern Coast offers stunning alternatives to the ever-popular weddings of the Bay Area and So Cal. Just look at the breath-taking coastal scenes like the ones at Switzer Farm and Agate Cove Inn. *Swoon*

Photo by Brandon Bibbons of Switzer Farm

Photo via Snapdragon Inn

Vermont

Vermont may just be one of the best-kept secrets of the wedding world. Not only is it much less crowded and far cheaper than New Yorker hot spot Hudson Valley, but it boasts loads of Airbnbs and breweries and plenty of mountains, farms, and pastures for a scenic outdoor wedding. Step back in time at Snapdragon Inn, a stunning 19th-century estate nestled beside a serene pond.

PS: If you find yourself in Burlington, you must visit one of our favorite bridal boutiques, Everthine!

Colorful Vermont Lodge Wedding (With Sparkler Magic!) | Molly Lichten Photography 24

Photo by Molly Lichten Photography via Bridal Musings

Owls Hoot Barn Wedding – Unique Wedding Destinations – Bridal Musings

Photo via Owl's Hoot Barn

Hudson Valley, New York

But if you don’t feel like making the trek to Vermont, two and a half hours up the Hudson River from NYC is the picturesque grounds of Owl’s Hoot Barn. City folk can live out their barn wedding dreams in this over-the-top beautiful 1800s Dutch barn ready for dining, dancing & outdoorsy getaways.

Owls Hoot Barn Wedding – Unique Wedding Destinations – Bridal Musings 3

Photo via Owl's Hoot Barn

Photo via Southern Oaks Plantation

New Orleans

We’d be hard-pressed to think of a cooler wedding destination than New Orleans — there’s really nowhere else like it. Between the incredible food, culture and music, planning an unforgettable wedding weekend in NOLA is as easy as King Cake.

We think the colonial-inspired, Spanish moss-laden grounds of the Southern Oaks Plantation would be a gorgeous spot to say your “I do’s.” And with a 400 guest capacity, you’ll have plenty of room to laissez les bons temps rouler.

Photo by link text of Southern Oaks Plantation

Photo by Mason & Megan at Flying Caballos Ranch

San Luis Obispo, California

Possibly Socal’s best-kept secret, San Luis Obispo has plenty to offer surfers, outdoorsmen, foodies & wine lovers alike. San Luis Obispo, commonly known as SLO, sits fifteen minutes from beaches in one direction, and fifteen to Paso Robles wine country in the other. The college town is a quiet, pristine agricultural paradise. With a chic downtown boasting world-class dining & hosting the state’s biggest farmer’s market, the town is literally for ‘all types’.

It would seem we could happily choose just about any venue in SLO, but Flying Caballos Ranch has our top pick with its 100-year-old barn & views of the Central Coast’s gorgeous green rolling hills.