The most inspiring travel experience I've had this year was a wedding
A Portugal wedding that doubled as a masterclass in hospitality, travel-inspired design, and the power of creating space for joy
I think we can all agree that planning a wedding of any size is a full-time job, regardless of the location. Now imagine doing it from across an ocean, in a country where English isn’t the first language, with a guest list spanning two continents—and somehow still making it feel seamless, culturally grounded, and deeply intentional.
And yet, that’s exactly what Bridget Kyeremateng and Lukas Paul pulled off in northern Portugal. The result? A 140-person, two-day celebration that blended global traditions, world-class hospitality, and thoughtful travel planning into something unforgettable.
I was lucky enough to attend, and even luckier to catch up with Bridget afterward to unpack how it all came together: why Portugal made sense, how they navigated the pressure of a destination wedding, and the meaningful details that made the weekend feel like so much more than just an event.
The Details
Location: Braga, Portugal
Dates: September 25–26
Guest count: ~140
Events: Welcome party & Ghanaian knocking ceremony (Thursday); Wedding ceremony & reception (Friday)
Portrait of a Multicultural Marriage
Bridget and Lukas are a Brooklyn-based couple shaped by global roots—Bridget was born in Italy, raised in California, and is of Ghanaian descent; Lukas is Lithuanian-born and bred. They met in New York and share a deep love of rhythm (she’s a DJ, he’s a drummer), culture, and building community. After six years together, they planned a destination wedding that felt like a true reflection of who they are.
The Accidental Destination That Felt Meant to Be
Given their international backgrounds, a destination wedding made perfect sense. The couple always knew they’d get married somewhere in Europe, both to honor their birthplaces and make travel easier for a considerable number of family and friends who live there. But Portugal becoming the specific destination was actually somewhat random.
“Lukas came across a video about American expats in Lisbon,” Bridget told me. “I thought it was fascinating how there was a growing expat community in Portugal.” She started her venue search there on a whim, and once they saw what it would cost compared to other popular destinations, she said it was “a done deal.”
When in Portugal, Do as the Portuguese Do
Fun fact: Portuguese weddings are famously long—10 to 15 hours is the norm—and Bridget and Lukas embraced that wholeheartedly. Their Friday celebration lasted 12 hours and included a three-hour appetizer buffet, a seated dinner, dancing, and a cake-cutting spectacle that marked the shift to party mode.
In many parts of Portugal, the cake is presented with fanfare rather than simply being sliced and served. Following suit, Bridget and Lukas pulled out all the stops: they popped champagne on a floating platform while a 50-foot wall of sparklers glittered behind them. Extremely casual. No notes.
Destination Weddings Need a Travel Help Desk
Despite having two wedding planners (one from the venue, one external), the hardest part of the whole thing wasn’t the distance or the details—it was the guests.
Bridget told me only about 25% of the questions she and Lukas received pertained to the wedding itself. The rest were all related to travel, whether they had already been answered on their wedding website’s FAQ page or not. Questions like, Which airline should I fly? Which airport should I fly into? How do I get from the airport to the hotel? What’s there to do nearby?
No one tells you that planning a wedding abroad also means planning 100 mini vacations. Someone get Bridget her TripAdvisor badge!
Turning a Wedding Into a Cultural Immersion
From the start, Bridget and Lukas knew they didn’t just want a wedding; they wanted a shared cultural experience. Many of their guests had never been to Portugal before, and they wanted everyone to feel inspired to explore.
“A lot of us aren’t taking vacations,” Bridget said. “So it was a beautiful experience to see all my friends there at once. It allowed people to experience a new culture, and that was very important to us.”
Guests flew in from all over—Paris, Lithuania, Vancouver—and the couple built in intentional moments to foster connection, like a Bingo game to help people meet beyond the assigned dinner seating.
A Celebration Shaped By Heritage
Bridget and Lukas were intentional about weaving their backgrounds into the weekend. One of the most memorable details was their emcee, David—a UK-based Ghanaian talent Bridget found on Instagram—who hosted the Ghanaian knocking ceremony and carried the energy through the 12-hour wedding day.
“You need someone creating an atmosphere. Otherwise, you’re just floating in space,” Bridget told me. “He made everything more colorful and engaging.”
Emcees are common at African celebrations, and bringing one in helped root the wedding in Bridget’s heritage. Lukas honored his Lithuanian background with traditional woven ties for him and his groomsmen—an understated, personal touch that nodded to home.
A Masterclass in Guest Experience
When your wedding day lasts twelve hours, there’s plenty of time for things to go wrong—especially when it comes to food and flow. I’ll admit, I was curious how Bridget and Lukas would keep the energy going (and hunger at bay). But what unfolded was a masterclass in generous, guest-first hosting.
We were welcomed with a round of refreshing drinks and given time to explore the venue’s stunning grounds before the ceremony. Then came a three-hour cocktail reception that felt more like a food festival: oysters and caviar, steak seared in front of you…I genuinely thought this was our dinner, and I would’ve been thrilled with that.
But of course, that was just the beginning. Dinner brought a plated, multi-course meal. And then came the cake-cutting, and somehow, still more food. A full dessert table appeared beside the dance floor: cheeses and tarts I was far too full to try all of, but couldn’t stop admiring.
You wanted for nothing at this wedding. And isn’t that the highest expression of hospitality?
The meaning behind the miles
As a guest, attending felt like stepping into a world built entirely around culture and intentionality. The food never stopped, the energy never dipped, and somehow—nearly 12 hours later!—the bride still had the stamina to DJ her own afterparty. It was electric and over-the-top and all wildly well-executed.
But more than anything, it was a reminder that travel isn’t just about going places. It’s about showing up, fully, for the people and moments that matter.
Bridget told me something near the end of our conversation that’s stuck with me ever since: “If it feels overwhelming, it’s because it matters. It will be worth it. It will be okay.”
In the end, Bridget and Lukas succeeded in their goal: they created a destination experience that honored their roots, embraced their people, and invited everyone to explore somewhere new. It’s a model for what celebration can look like when it’s intentional and expansive.
And if you ask me? That’s worth crossing an ocean for.
For more from Bridget, follow her on Instagram and TikTok for DJ sets, plant care tips, and viral storytelling moments. You won’t regret it.
Photo credit: @kernkamps / @juliopaladinophotography
Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.
This looked so epic!! Feeling inspired by this (and reminded of things I still need to do!) as I prep for my destination wedding in November
So fun!