What kind of destination wedding is for you? Do you seek the ultimate do-not-disturb destination far from the civilized world or a week-long reunion with family and friends at an activity-rich resort or on a cruise? Here are some ideas and options to fire up your imagination.

FIRST THINGS FIRST
What are your priorities? Do you want a wedding that's easy to plan and gentle on the wallet or something inspired by your wildest daydreams, an exotic fantasy experience? Obviously the second will be more difficult to plan and pricier, but the pictures and stories alone will be your payback. If you're inviting lots of guests, activities and expense are important considerations: A trip to Disney World or an economical all-inclusive resort or cruise best fits the bill for a range of ages.

UNIQUE & EXOTIC
"The most important consideration when choosing your dream destination wedding is what level of luxury you're looking for," says Lisa Tabb, co-author of Beyond Vegas: 25 Exotic Wedding and Elopement Destinations Around the World (Contemporary Books). "Do you want something familiar, the western standard of luxury, or something totally, culturally different?" What makes her an expert? Lisa and her husband eloped to 10 different countries (and researched another 15) to write their book.

UNIQUE & CLOSE TO HOME
Want to do something original to mark the occasion but not travel halfway around the world? Pick up a copy of Off the Beaten Aisle: America's Quirky Spots to Tie the Knot (Citadel Press), by Lisa Primerano, which includes more than 40 ideas for private or public, dry - and wet! - weddings. For example, adventurous soulmates can tie the knot while scuba diving, on a roller coaster, or in a plane right before skydiving (talk about taking the plunge). Wallflowers may prefer to take their vows privately in a hot-air balloon, on a glacier, or in a cavern!

If you only truly feel alive when you're outside and moving - and the only mother you wouldn't mind inviting is Mother Nature - consider an adventure-trip wedding. "Adventure weddings are for people who are not particularly interested in resorts," says David W. Shaw, author of The Cheapskate's Guide to Weddings and Honeymoons: Doing it Right Without Spending a Fortune (Citadel Press). "Couples can combine their love of the outdoors with their celebration." Not only are these trips economical (rates are all-inclusive) but they're fun to share with like-minded adult guests.

FAIRY-TALE WEDDINGS
For those whose fantasy wedding isn't exotic, outrageous, or outdoorsy, but draws its magic straight from a beloved storybook tale, dream on: There are royal palaces, castles, and carriages here and abroad to transform you into a real-life princess.

Europe has the lion's share of royal retreats for obvious reasons, and several wedding planners specialize in arranging medieval-set marriages. Family-owned Scottish Wedding Consultants has experience with a daydreamer's array of castles, palaces, abbey ruins, and country estates. They can take care of everything, including a bagpiper, tartan kilt, and glass coach, carriage, or silver Rolls Royce for your grand entrance. Browse the palace, castle, garden, and villa venues Weddings in Italy works with and you will melt. Extra goodies they can arrange include gondola rides in Venice and a smart-looking crew of Armigeri (Florentine guards). Check www.castles-of-britain.com for a list of castles licensed for civil ceremonies in Britain, and www.castles.org for castle hotels that host weddings in Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden.

What America lacks in authentic centuries-old castles, we make up for with plucky extravagance. Aspiring Cinderellas had better have a rich prince: Receptions at the Magic Kingdom (Cinderella's castle) at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, start at $35,000. You could opt for something simpler (Intimate Wedding packages for two to eight people start at about $3,300) and add an entrance in Cinderella's famous white horse-drawn glass coach for $2,200. (Or just scrap the whole Cinderella theme and rent Mickey and Minnie Mouse - $450 each for 30 minutes - to cavort nearby.)

Paupers who want to be princes and princesses should set their sights on more low-key American "castles." The website Castles of the United States lists a number of locations that you can search for by state. Consider also a stately Victorian (built in the 1870s to 1890s) grand dame such as the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island in Michigan; Hotel del Coronado in Coronado, California; or Banff Springs Hotel near Calgary, Canada.

INTIMATE & EASY
Want to wash your hands of family, fanfare, and planning hassle? Look for a stateside resort or B&B that offers a wedding package (a sign that the staff has experience handling wedding logistics - ask to be sure - and local vendor contacts). Arrive a few days early to explore the grounds and choose a site that stirs you. For ultimate privacy, get married in your suite, on your balcony overlooking the ocean or, if you're honeymooning in the Poconos, while soaking in a champagne-glass whirlpool bath at a Caesars resort (we recommend the four-level Cleopatra suite),

ECONOMICAL, EASY & GUEST-FRIENDLY
If you're inviting friends and family (encompassing a range of ages, from kids to grandparents), by far the easiest fun-for-everyone destination wedding spot is an all-inclusive resort. The Caribbean all-inclusive biggies fall into three categories: couples-only (ten Sandals and two Couples properties), adults-only (Swept Away and eight SuperClubs, including three Grand Lidos, three Breezes, and two Hedonism properties), and kid-friendly (Sandals' Beaches).

These locations are relatively close to home, so airfare is not outrageous (be sure to ask about group discounts, as well), and room rates include all meals, drinks, and activities (even day care and classes for the kids). Best of all? Each has a full-time wedding coordinator on staff and offers complimentary weddings with a minimum night stay (five nights at Sandals; three at SuperClubs, Swept Away, and Couples).

Beyond the ceremony basics, "WeddingMoon" packages at Sandals include a candlelit dinner for two and a free 20-piece set of Royal Doulton china. Swept Away, Couples, and six of the SuperClubs have a wedding gazebo (although you can get married almost anywhere on the grounds). The three Grand Lidos also offer complimentary manicures and pedicures. (Note: Grand Lido Sans Souci in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, has the most striking gazebo - perched high on a rocky outcrop overlooking the sea - and includes four additional half-hour spa services.)

SHIP-SHAPE CEREMONIES
Love the romance of the open sea? Activity-rich cruises are also great for guests and have the added advantage of many different ports of call to experience. Many lines offer wedding packages; some offer special touches. For instance, the wedding package offered by American Hawaii Cruises, (800) 513-5022, provides live Hawaiian music; leis made of flowers, shells, ivory, or feathers; and a fragrant fresh-flower lei po'o (headpiece) for the bride.

If smaller ships float your boat, you can tie the nautical knot at SuperClubs' Grand Lido Negril, home of the Princess Grace's honeymoon yacht, the 147-foot M/Y Zein. Want something less tropical, more New England coast? The Sagamore, a resort on a private island in Lake George, New York, and surrounded by the Adirondack Mountains, offers a brunch wedding package aboard the Morgan, a 75-foot replica of a 19th-century touring vessel.

In conclusion? If you can dream it, you can do it (except get married nude in a Catholic church). Sweet dreams!