Maybe it was something in the air that night. The tropical breeze. The moonlit ocean. Or maybe it was just plain old romance. But as my boyfriend knelt before me on one of the world's most beautiful beaches, I knew that I wanted to get married in Hawaii.

When I was younger, I wanted to celebrate my marriage to Dean Cain and/or George Clooney with a horse-drawn carriage, aisle-length veil and chocolate fountain.

But once I found my own personal Prince Charming, I traded the glass slipper for J. Crew flip-flops and an enchanted forest for palm trees.

Since getting engaged on Maui in May 2004, I have been in wedding mode. Much to the amusement of my fiancé (a sports reporter who has no interest in weddings), I have been looking at beachy bridesmaid dresses and palm-tree cake toppers for more than a year — and our wedding isn't even until next June.

But I'm not alone. Destination weddings have become increasingly popular with couples looking to mix fun in the sun — or a snow-capped rendezvous — with the rite of becoming husband and wife.

From just the bride, groom and an officiant on a secluded beach, to 200 friends and family members hitting the slopes, destination weddings have wide appeal.

Planning a destination wedding

1. Plan early. Planning from afar is a complex process. By doing early research, you'll have a better idea of what you want. In addition, vendors often book quickly, especially during a destination's high season.

2. Research the marriage-license process. Look at the state or country's government Web site for rules and regulations. Also, check out local marriage laws — in Mexico, for example, you aren't legally married until you visit a judge, so you may end up having two weddings: one civil, one religious.

3. Give guests advance notice. Couples are increasingly sending out save-the-date cards 6 to 12 months in advance so guests have ample time to make plans.

4. If you are able to, visit your locale on a scouting trip. If you can't, ask for photos or promotional materials so you can familiarize yourself with your destination.

5. Set up a wedding Web site or send newsletters to your guests. This will keep them apprised of events, such as luaus and welcome dinners, as well as give them information about hotels, airlines and local activities they can do on their own

6. Look for wedding-related deals. Several airlines, including Hawaiian, US Airways and American, offer wedding programs. Guests will save money and the bride and groom may earn a first-class upgrade. Some hotels offer a discount if a group of rooms is reserved for a wedding.

7. Take advantage of resources with an emphasis on destination weddings. Wedding Web sites such as The Knot offer destination wedding message boards, articles and tips. You'll be able to swap ideas with other brides.

8. Set realistic expectations. Be flexible and remember that the small stuff doesn't matter. After all, you're marrying the person of your dreams!

— Jennifer Jackson, Seattle Times desk editor

In fact, according to Condé Nast's Bridal Group Infobank and Modern Bride magazine, 10 percent of the 2 million Americans who tie the knot each year have destination weddings — a 200 percent increase in the past decade.

Some couples relish the opportunity to have a wedding that truly reflects their personalities — hang gliding, anyone? — and break away from the traditional church wedding and country-club reception. And when many of the guests have to travel anyway, why not turn the wedding into a weeklong party with mai tais for everyone?

For Rachael Park of Edmonds, getting married in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, was a practical decision.

"Our family is spread out across the country and they'd all have to travel somewhere," she said. "We also want our families to have a chance to really get to know each other."

That's also a reason my fiancé and I decided to get married on Maui. Although most of our guests live on the West Coast, others are coming from as far away as Texas and North Carolina. Many have never been to Hawaii, so we decided to give them the opportunity for a vacation they would be talking about long after the cake is cut.

Location is key when planning a destination wedding. From Hawaii and the Bahamas to Africa and Scotland, couples are celebrating their love around the globe.

My fiancé and I chose Maui not only because we got engaged there, but also because we liked the idea of an intimate beach wedding at sunset — and in a location that pretty much decorates itself. All we'll need are some flowers.

Sarah Antosh, who was married Sept. 27, 2004, on Maui, had a similar feeling.

"The best thing about having a destination wedding was not only being on vacation with all of our friends and family, but we also had beautiful backgrounds for our pictures," the Cannon Falls, Minn., bride said.

Sand and surf backdrop

"Location, location, location," said New York bride Nicole Yates, of the best thing about her April 9 wedding in Key West, Fla. "Being right next to the ocean and having our reception in the sand ... that made our wedding special."

Simplicity is another reason couples cite when deciding on a destination wedding — the ceremony and reception can be as lavish or as simple as desired, the guest list can be pared down to close friends and family and tuxedos often are traded for tropical shirts and sarongs. In short, it's easier to do things your way.

Shannon Sommer of Seattle, who will be married Sept. 25 on Kauai, Hawaii, says destination weddings offer the chance to do just that. "My fiancé and I don't really like a lot of attention focused on us so we knew we didn't want a huge wedding," she said. "It just made sense — it would be great to have a small, intimate wedding with the people closest to us, in a really fun and beautiful place."

To help you plan a destination wedding

The Knot: www.theknot.com

White Orchid Weddings, Maui, Hawaii: 800-240-9336 or www.whiteorchidwedding.net

Hawaiian Island Wedding Planners: 805-279-8474 or www.hawaiianweddings.net

Destination Weddings & Honeymoons magazine: www.destinationwh.com

For a searchable directory of potential wedding locations: 800-933-3434 or www.weddinglocation.com

That's exactly what Melissa Pierce of Seattle did.

She and her husband were married last Tuesday on Maui.

"We chose to have a destination wedding because of the stress that having a big family wedding can bring. By inviting just our immediate family, the costs decreased dramatically.

"I've also wanted my parents to take a vacation for years, but they never have. I guess this was my way to force them to relax and enjoy themselves."

And the guests aren't the only ones relaxing.

Thanks to Web sites such as The Knot, which has message boards and articles specializing in destination weddings, I have been able to do most of my planning from home. Suggestions and reviews from other Maui brides have made my life a lot simpler — I've used these resources to book everything from the caterer to the priest.

Jody Allard of Sammamish, who will be married Aug. 14 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, said planning her wedding has been easy.

"When both people are working, having a destination wedding is much easier to plan. They keep you sane!"

No easy task

The hardest thing about planning a destination wedding is being removed from some of the hands-on planning. While you can't predict whether it's going to rain on your wedding day, in most cases you won't know what the cake will taste like until you eat it at your reception. If you elect not to hire a coordinator, you're on your own for much of the planning, and will have to rely on your vendors' word, other brides and your own preferences — especially if you've never visited your destination.

"I had to place a great deal of trust in my vendors to make some decisions that I was not there to make," said Kaycee Bennett Sherin of Pullman. She was married June 24 on Oahu, Hawaii. "It was hard for me to give up that control."

On the other hand, not having to plod through countless cake-tastings and meetings with musicians has its advantages.

"Planning a destination wedding has been a lot easier then planning a home wedding," said Sareh Potts of Mill Creek, who will be married Oct. 1 on Maui. "I don't have the time or the endless amount of interviews, so I am making decisions a lot faster."

If you're not a do-it-yourself bride, wedding coordinators can help right down to the last detail. They also can be a good resource because they are familiar with the area.

"One thing we decided on is that if we're going to do it [host weddings], we're going to do it the right way," said Mark Simon, director of marketing for the Four Seasons Resort on Maui. He says the resort holds only one wedding a day. "That adds a special twist to it — we're not a bridal factory. We want everyone to feel good about the resort being focused on their event that day. We commit to that."

Nailing down the number

There are other challenges. One is finalizing a guest list. Although couples often ask guests to reserve the date well in advance, a final guest list may not be ready until a month or two before the wedding, at best, and that can make it difficult to schedule vendors when the guest count keeps fluctuating.

Some brides have invited more than 200 guests and ended up with only 25. It's hard to ask people to spend thousands of dollars and take time off work, but you will find that many people do want to be there on your special day. Just don't assume that everyone you invite will be at a wedding outside the continental U.S. — or outside the country. Even a beloved grandparent or favorite cousin may have prior engagements or health problems that prevent them from traveling.

Planning a destination wedding is a wonderful and unique experience for many couples. It is an experience that allows abundant creativity and the freedom to explore ideas that may be considered out of the box for a hometown wedding.

As for me, I'll probably be perfecting every detail until the moment comes to walk down the aisle. And then I'll slip into my white dress and flip-flops, walk onto the beach and start my life with my new husband as the Hawaiian sun sets behind us.

After all, as my invitations say, "O Ke Aloha Ka 'Iu."

Love is paradise.

Jennifer Jackson is a desk editor in The Seattle Times News Department: 206-464-2179 or jajackson@seattletimes.com