There is something about a wedding that just does something to your soul. The moment you walk into a space knowing that two people chose love out loud, in front of everyone they hold dear, something in your heart just opens up. I am that person at weddings. I am wiping tears before the bride even makes it to the altar, squeezing my husband’s hand during the vows because I am instantly transported back to our own September day and all the magic it carried. So when Marriott International released its Spring 2026 destination wedding trend report, I was not just professionally interested. I was personally invested.

Marriott is redefining what it means to celebrate love abroad, moving well beyond traditional ballrooms and preset menus to deliver deeply personalized experiences that reflect who couples actually are, where they come from, and what they believe. As a newlywed who knows firsthand how much intention goes into crafting a day that feels like you, this matters more than people realize.

For couples who want their wedding weekend to feel as restorative as it is joyful, JW Marriott Mexico City Polanco and The Westin Cozumel are leading a wellness-forward approach that weaves spa access, mindful nutrition, and restorative sleep into the full wedding experience. I love this trend because a wedding should not leave you depleted. It should fill you. That balance between joy and peace is something only intentional planning can produce.

What Marriott has understood, and what so many in the industry are still catching up to, is that a wedding is no longer a single day. It is a whole world a couple builds and invites their people into. From Aruba’s white-sand ceremonies for up to 500 guests to Puerto Vallarta’s iconic private pier and Los Cabos’ award-winning Jasha Spa offerings, the experience extends well beyond the ceremony into a full celebration of meaning and memory.

I got married in September, and I can tell you with certainty that the details your guests remember are the ones where they felt seen. Where the food tasted like home. Where the setting made them forget, just for an afternoon, that the world outside existed. That is the standard Marriott is holding itself to, and if a destination wedding is something you and your person are dreaming about, this report reads like it was written just for you.

God has a way of making beautiful things even more beautiful when the people inside them are loved well. Here is to every couple who chooses to celebrate that love with everything they have, sun on their faces, ocean in the background, and a team behind them making sure every single detail is exactly right.

 “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16