Guatemala is one of the most beautiful countries I have ever seen and one of my absolute favorites for weddings,” says Lisa Light. It is only a two and a half-hour direct flight from the United States, yet a well kept secret. When most people think about Guatemala, they think of indigenous people wearing colorful textiles, but it is a gem of a wedding destination. Couples can choose venues with views of stunning Lake Atitlan or dramatic mountains, volcanoes, and some of the best preserved Mayan ruins on the face of the earth. As a matter of fact, the largest pyramid in the world, El Mirador, is in northern Guatemala, a 2-day hike through the jungle. Lisa Light dreams of planning a wedding there if anyone is adventurous enough. Guatemala also offers lovely boutique hotels, romantic coffee plantations, luxurious golf courses and best of all...the city of Antigua, once the capital city of Central America and a UNESCO site. Antigua’s cobblestone streets wind through an unusually large collection of magnificent colonial buildings and 17th century churches, convents, and monasteries that can be rented very reasonably for wedding celebrations for as many as 1000.
