Tips for Planning a Budget Friendly Destination Wedding
We have had the pleasure of assisting many couples with their Destination Wedding requests and celebrating their special day. Its not always easy knowing where to draw the line, but we are here to give you any advice to make the planning as stress free as possible. Many resorts also provide options with a Complimentary package for between 10-30 people. Additonal guests would be at an fee but most packages are customizable to try to work with your budget but also create your perfect day. Destination Weddings on average are less expensive than a wedding in Canada so you are already on the road to saving! We can discuss various factors that would possibly change pricing such as Semi private functions and upgraded locations such as Sky Terraces or Wedding Chapels. Often, the package offered by the resorts work out excellent value for money and include a lot of our couples wish list items.
Photo: Bride & Groom holding hands in a heart shape
When picking your Destination for your Destination Wedding. We are here to make recommendations on various resorts that match your vision and also make recommendations based on guest pricing and the packag options available. You may not know, but when booking a Group wedding theres often extra perks such as $500 Future Travel Credit, Free Group Seating plus complimentary passengers which are calculated based on the number of guests paid in full. This bonus is a great addition to use towards your wedding package expenses.
If your dreams of a perfect wedding involve
exchanging vows in a tropical rainforest or during a beachfront ceremony, then
a destination wedding might be the perfect solution! Even though planning a
local wedding may save you money, it's still possible to plan a destination
wedding without breaking your budget. It’s also possible a destination wedding
is a great way to save your budget as well.
Photo: Bride Getting ready on her Wedding Day with Destination Wedding Assistant
1: Don't be afraid to draw a line
Knowing how much you're willing to spend ahead of time is an excellent way to keep you on budget. That means setting a firm dollar amount and drawing a line that you don't cross. Determining the costs you're willing to cover means deciding if you're going to support your close family's travel costs. Suppose you decide to do this; you must figure out other parts of the wedding to save money.
2: The smaller, the better
It's simple for couples to get carried away when they start writing a guest list. However, the key to staying on budget when planning a destination wedding is keeping guest lists short. Think about the people with whom you want to share the most important day of your life, and build your guest list from there. It's a gamble to include everyone you know on your guest list, so choose your guests wisely. For example, if everyone you invite shows up, that can quickly inflate your budget. On average, we hear from most of our guests that not everyone has accepted the invite.
Photo: Destination Wedding Travel Advisor researching options for their clients.
3: Research when and where your destination should occur
Prices fluctuate throughout the season, so timing is everything when trying to stay on budget. Choose low-key destinations that are outside of their peak season. Look at the weather conditions during these seasons to determine which destination is ideal. For example, not everyone wants to travel to the Caribbean during hurricane season! For South Destinations we often find best pricing around November and the end of April to early June. These months often miss the main hurricane months but offer great pricing. Mexico and the Dominican Republic often have very affordable options and some properties offer fantastic credits too that you can use towards your wedding.
Photo: Bride and groom kissing beside a LOVE sign at night on their wedding day
4: Look for cash-back and rewards opportunities
Overlooking the way you pay for your destination wedding could leave money on the table. Consider opening a rewards credit card that allows you to earn points for each of your purchases. If you're concerned about credit card debt, look at a reward checking account whereby you can earn cash-back each time you use it to pay for your wedding's expenses. It's also easier to plan a budget for your destination wedding if you start in advance by saving up as much as possible for your big day. If you can add the Wedding Ceremony expenses to your card you can also pay it off with your complimentary credits once they are provided.
As you can see from this list, you can create and maintain a budget when planning your destination wedding.
If you are not quite sure where to start planning, we'd love to help you. We work with many different budgets and styles of Travel.