H Visit The Location Before The Actual Event
The best thing to do when you plan a destination wedding is to go and visit the place at least one time before the big day. Once youre there, scout and book your favorite venue, including spaces for the ceremony and reception. You should also look for a good place to organize the rehearsal dinner.
A second visit could also come in handy if you want to be in control of all the details, including the menu. Hence, you could schedule a menu and cake tasting during the second trip and even plan a trial makeup and hairstyle session. The first trip should occur months before the event, whereas the second visit can happen 5-7 days before the actual wedding day.
F Hire A Wedding Planner If You Can Afford One
If your budget allows it, you should hire a professional wedding planner. By all means, do that if you can because it will save you a lot of time and effort. Instead of wasting a lot of time talking to vendors on the phone or in person, you will have a specialized person who can handle all of those tedious tasks.
If you cannot afford a wedding planner, you should at least consider hiring an experienced on-site wedding coordinator.
~ Go With Smart Decor
The decor is one of the major expense at weddings, but what if we tell you that minimal decor is the latest rage in Indian weddings right now. Opt for minimal decor or go with resourceful decor elements like fairy lights, colorful drapes, playful signages and other things that are easily doable.
See Also:- Top Wedding Decorators in Mumbai
Also Check: How To Use A Wedding Hashtag
When It Comes To Gifts
Instead of physical gifts, consider asking for contributions to your honeyfund, aka a monetary gift towards your honeymoon. There are many websites out there that allow you to set up this option.
If your honeymoon is going to be in conjunction with the destination wedding, that will help you cover costs for the whole trip!
When thinking about what to expect in terms of gifts, also consider the expenses your guests will have in order to attend your wedding. If you dont feel that your guests should give anything further, perhaps let them know that their presence is your present and that gifts are not expected.
Of course, its your special day so, you can always mention that gifts are welcome, but ask that they are sent to your home address, rather than given to you at the wedding .
Tips To Save On Food And Beverages
Photo Courtesy: Studio ANK
- Choose local food and drinks rather than importing it from somewhere else.
- Go easy on the menu. No one can taste 50 dishes in one go. So be wise with your food choices.
- Choose grand lunch or brunch events rather than dinner ones as they turn out to be cheaper.
- Offer beer, wine and a signature cocktail and mocktail instead of a full on bar.
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Know What Youre Willing To Spend
One of the key budget-saving tips for planning a destination wedding is knowing where to draw the line on cost. Without a firm dollar amount in mind, it can be easy to overspend.
Tiffany Zorotrian, an agent with Chantel Ray Real Estate in Virginia Beach, Virginia, found herself planning a destination wedding on short notice. She and her fiancé originally planned on an outdoor wedding in April but had to move up the date because of a military deployment. Virginias winter weather wasnt accommodating to an outdoor event, so they opted for a destination wedding in Key West, Florida, instead. Their budget was $10,000.
When trying to plan a destination wedding on a budget, they had to decide which costs they were willing to assume.
One thing you need to consider is whether or not youre going to support travel costs for close family members who want to be there, but may not have the financial means to make the trip themselves, Zorotrian says. We did that, but to accommodate those costs, we needed to save money in other areas. They negotiated deals for their hotel stay for themselves and five family members and brought in their own food and beverages for the wedding festivities.
The average spend on a domestic destination wedding, including the couples travel costs, is $28,372.
The Knot
Use Your Group As Leverage
Theres a reason major resorts and airlines are all competing for your business. Just onedestination wedding will bring them a big group of 15-150 people. Its big money for them with minimal effort. And you have to leverage the heck out of that. Ask for group discounts and get as many perks as you can for bringing them all that business.
When I got married in Cancun, I got a 10% group discount from the airline, a 30% resort group discount for all my guests, a free welcome reception, a free upgrade to the honeymoon suite with an ocean view, three free nights, and countless other freebies.
Dont be afraid to ask because it can save you a lot of money the worse they can say is no but chances are theyll give you some sort of incentive.
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Fortune Select Forest Hill Shimla
Set in the Solan Valley, this wedding venue is a short drive from the Himalayan Express Highway . This incredibly serene venue is located amid a forest and on a hill, providing a disconnect from the madness of chaos of city life.
Here you can experience lush greenery in the lap of nature, as well as the luxuries of a 5-star Hotel. It has 48 rooms. With a team of benevolent, dedicated and ever-smiling staff, they are ready to cater flawless service, multiple high-end amenities and a wide choice of fun activities for your guests. In-house catering service offers both vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisine to relish.
Cost of a Destination Wedding for 150 guests for 2 days in Fortune Select, Shimla: INR 24.12 lakhs
Inclusions Accommodation & Food
Desert Tulip Hotel & Resort Jaisalmer
Did you dream of a desert wedding? Desert Tulip Hotel & Resort in Jaisalmer is one of the best venues for all kinds of wedding ceremonies. It is known for its grand decor and ambience. Be it an intimate wedding ceremony or a wedding with a huge gathering, this wedding venue can accommodate it all.
It has 64 rooms and 4 wedding venues. When it comes to the perfect wedding venues this resort has excellent facilities, great service and marvellous quality. Experience a royal desert wedding in the palace of Jaisalmer.
Cost of a destination wedding for 150 guests for 2 days: INR 23.40 lakhs
Inclusions Accommodation & Food
Also Check: Average Cost Of Wedding Welcome Bags
Hunt For The Best Travel Packages
In case you are traveling a long destination, find out of the fares are about to drop or rise. Make sure to do it before you book the tickets. You can find special travel discounts and packages for destination weddings.
It is an ideal plan to find a resort that offers fantastic wedding packages. Most often, a large group of people act as a positive bet for any hotel or resort package. You can benefit from this situation and ask for group discounts to bring all those you want.
Do I Need To Help Guests Book Travel
You don’t need to book anyone’s travel, but it’s a nice gesture to make the process easier. Enlisting a travel agent can help lighten the load by taking over group reservations, inputting everyone’s travel info, and scoring the best deals. They may also be able to snag upgrades and luxury treatments. Start a Facebook group or group chat so everyone can share flight deals or make plans to travel together. Providing a wedding itinerary will keep everyone on schedule and fully informed.
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Book Your Reception At A Restaurant As Opposed To A Reception Hall
The cost per guest was difficult to estimate when researching destination vs. traditional weddings, but one thing is for sure: the reception can add a lot to the overall cost.
Although many of our couples will pay for an after-ceremony celebration meal, most keep it to a nice lunch or dinner. It was a hard cost to estimate because there are many options.
Some couples do go for an all-out celebration with DJ, open bar, and buffet, but for the most part, simple is the theme of the day.
Instead of a large, expensive reception, find a local restaurant with charm for your celebration.
Tikis Grill is a popular, affordable reception venue for many of our couples. Its Polynesian-Hawaiian theme, well-priced menu, fun atmosphere, private rooms, and great location in Waikiki make it a fun choice for couples looking to stay within a budget and get right back to enjoying vacation.
Some couples choose a Hawaiian luau, a special experience on an unforgettable day.
In Hawaii, it’s not uncommon for couples to celebrate their wedding day by attending a luau.
Regardless of where you have your destination wedding, there are likely many restaurants that fit the mood of the location.
How To Plan A Wedding On A Budget
13 Minute Read | October 07, 2021
Congratulations, youre engaged! Youre probably flying high with visions of wedded bliss in your head, but heres a statistic thats sure to bring you back to earth: According to The Knot, the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. is $19,000. That’s a pretty steep wedding budgetand it doesnt even count the honeymoon expense!
After reading that you may be ready to elope! Compared to footing the bill for a lavish wedding, taking a simple trip to the courthouse is obviously more economical. But dreamers, dont despair. You can still have a traditional wedding ceremony and reception without going overboard. You just need a budget!
Figuring out your wedding budget can be confusing if youve never planned a large event. Its difficult to nail down a dollar amount if youre unsure how much bang you can get for your buck. Sometimes the wedding a couple wants doesnt align with what they can afford, and thats when the trouble begins.
Your wedding is one of the best days of your life, so you may feel pressure to plan an elaborate celebration. But theres no need to go into debt. You can have a wonderful, memorable weddingno matter what your budget is!
If you dont want to sink boatloads of money into one day, I have some practical tips to plan a wedding on a budget youll still love!
Read Also: Venue Comparison Spreadsheet
Should I Use Credit To Pay
Personally, Im a big believer in travel reward credit cards if you are in a position to pay off the balance every month.
Because a destination wedding charges will be classified as a travel purchase, most cards give you 5x the points to the dollar which can help you rack up a lot of points, especially if you sign up for a new card and earn the bonus.
If you plan ahead and put most of the wedding expenses on the cards, youll most likely earn enough points to pay for you and your partners flights, or your honeymoon accommodation! So this is something to think about!
Read More:
Use A Minimal Wedding Dcor
The main purposes of a destination wedding are to go to a place that has a different culture, climate and locales. You want a place where your spouse and guests will have an opportunity to step away from usual things and enjoy new surroundings.
Therefore, in such a scenario, there is no need to splurge money on décor. When you choose a wedding venue that has spectacular views and stunning sceneries, you can minimize your costs on decorations.
Organizing a destination wedding may make you a little bit warn out. But, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to create memories that will last for a long time to come. So, make it enjoyable for you and your guests.
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Ready To Start Planning Your Celebration
Sticking to your destination wedding budget may seem like a challenge, but it doesnt have to be. There are plenty of ways to plan a destination wedding on a budget to alleviate stress and prevent overspending. Between careful planning and utilizing the services of a Certified Destination Wedding Specialist, you can bring your dream wedding to life.
*This is based on DestinationWeddings.com customer base only and is inclusive of airfare, accommodations and the wedding package.
Give Your Guests Lodging Options
Making a destination wedding affordable means easing the pressure on your guests wallets as well as your own. Help your friends and family by locating housing options, one of the pricier parts of travel.
When youre booking accommodations, make sure you have accommodations at every price point, Spector says. Many couples are now often providing links or houses to people on Airbnb or elsewhere to keep costs down.
In addition to identifying affordable vacation rental options, call hotels in the area to see if they’re willing to offer a discounted group rate.
If youre dreaming of a destination wedding and working on a budget, Spector says youll have to be flexible. You dont have to be wed to all of these ideas, but you can make your Pinterest dream come true at a price point that works for you.
About the author:Courtney Jespersen is NerdWallets consumer savings expert. Her work has been featured by USA Today and The New York Times.Read more
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Carefully Choose Your Destination And Timing
Selecting a destination is an important part of determining your destination wedding budget. The timing of your wedding matters the most. Rates increase annually, so it may be a good idea to book a year or two in advance to take advantage of the current rates. Being aware of high and low season rates is also quite important. During the high season, costs can increase by up to 50%. Low season rates are definitely preferable but the weather may affect your wedding depending on the destination. Consider shoulder seasons when the weather is still pleasant but there are fewer crowds and favorable prices. When choosing a destination you should also keep currency exchange rates in mind. Certain destinations will work in your favor whereas, other destinations could be unfavorable.
Book Asap And Book In Bulk
Photo Courtesy: Kards – Creative Wedding Invitations 4.2
Last minute destination weddings will not come cheap. Book everything- venue, hotels, airline, train tickets- everything as early and in bulk as possible, so that you can get good deals and save a lot of money in the process. As soon as you have a date and finalise on a location, we’d suggest book the best venue you can afford!
Recommended Reading: Have A Beautiful Wedding For Under $5000
