Craft a magical wedding at these budget-friendly destinations

NOW that the uber-wealthy set has left Venice after witnessing the gaudy nuptials of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez, you'd think that it can’t be outdone when it comes to deciding where to host your wedding reception.

- TERRY VAN DER WALT

Well, think again, because there are loads of beautiful destinations you could choose from to say “I do” without breaking the bank or being subjected to ridicule as the Bezos couple were during the high-profile wedding, where spoof mannequins of the bridal couple popped up across the lagoon city.

So if you’re dreaming of somewhere unforgettable to tie the knot, a new study has helped refine your choices down to the most sought-after wedding destinations for 2025.

With the global wedding services market valued at a staggering $899.6 billion (about R15bn) and projected to reach $1.13 trillion by 2030, it’s no wonder couples are going all out for their big day.

Wedding destinations experts Destify analysed global search interest and social media buzz across TikTok and Instagram to crown the hottest wedding locations of the year.

Positano, Italy

Taking top position this year is Positano in Italy, scoring a popularity score of 93.5/100. The charming town has the second-highest number of Instagram hashtags out of all other destinations (72.410), coming only after the Atacama Desert, Chile.

Positano also holds the second spot when it comes to the number of TikTok hashtags (35.455), this time coming after Cartagena, Colombia. It’s a strong all-rounder — visually iconic, widely searched and a social media favourite. The town's romantic appeal of pastel cliffs and colourful balconies clearly never goes out of style.