With the average cost of a wedding topping $20,000, couples - particularly those who are making their second trip down the aisle - are looking for exciting alternatives to the typical church and reception soiree. For that reason, destination weddings are becoming increasingly popular. Today, the bride may wear a simple princess gown and the groom decked out in linen pants and an open-necked shirt - and both may be wearing sandals.

Ceremonies are taking place on Cancun beaches, in forests, and on cruise ships. Couples are leaving behind the carnival atmosphere and celebrity grandeur of the large wedding and are embracing simpler, more intimate settings for their ceremonies.

With a destination wedding, the couple selects the locale where they'd like to both hold their ceremony and their honeymoon. Cruise ships, Caribbean getaways, and Hawaiian resorts top the list of desirable destinations. Once they decide on a location, the couple typically draws up a small guest list - sometimes including as few as a half dozen family members and other times incorporating fifty or more guests.

Working with a travel agent, they book reservations at the resort or on the cruise of their choosing. When they're able, the couple often picks up the tab for both guest transportation and lodging; other times, the guests are responsible for their own transportation, but are provided with lodging for at least three nights.

Increasingly, resorts at beaches and other locales have wedding coordinators who can help the couple plan all aspects of their ceremony - even when the couple lives thousands of miles away. These services range from coordinating flowers and other decorations to the bachelor party and the reception. They can even help facilitate obtaining a marriage license for the couple.

The advantages to a destination wedding are numerous. First, because weddings held at beaches and other locales are less formal, the pressure to host the "perfect" wedding is absent. Less stress on the bride and groom mean they can actually enjoy themselves. Second, because destination weddings typically have smaller guest lists, the couple can enjoy the company of the people to whom they are closest, and don't have to worry about dozens of virtual strangers in attendance. Third, because the wedding and honeymoon are in the same location, the couple can enjoy their ceremony and reception, knowing that they can simply relax and enjoy themselves afterwards.

With the help of a great travel agency and a wedding coordinator at the destination, getting married can be like a day at the beach - in your sandals!