Planning a wedding away from home has gained traction in recent years. It is a breath of fresh air and a unique proposition to whisk your guest away to a refreshing location. The concept of destination nuptials further romanticises the idea of weddings, but it does not have to break the bank. It can still hold the level of sophistication and elegance whilst within the confines of a budget.
With ingenuity, careful planning, and the art of managing remotely, your dream destination wedding can be a reality. Here is a guide on executing destination weddings on a budget.
Discuss budget in detail
The amount of money to be spent will dictate the entirety of the wedding celebration. Discuss the budget thoroughly with your partner, friends, and family and decide on a working expenditure. Create a detailed list of expenses from catering down to the minute details of luxury wedding stationery. Sort these expenses out from highest to lowest spending amount further arrange in terms of priority. Remove unnecessary items from the list and agree on them with your fiance and family.
Set the location early on
The essential element in a destination wedding is the location. Cut down on travel costs by steering away from tourist spots like the Caribbean, Italy, or Phuket, Thailand. Be creative and conduct due diligence on locations that are not premium. These locations also offer the same level of grandeur and experience.
Consider as well locations that are geographically near you. It can significantly cut transportation and accommodation costs. Seasonality is also at play when booking destinations.
Plan ahead
Booking at the last minute can incur unnecessary costs. Instead, plan and book everything in advance to avail of discounts. Usually, vendors extend early bird discounts and cheaper rates.
As much as possible, make everything DIY from accessories to party favours. Creating through DIY can reduce costs more than you’ll ever know.
Prioritise the essentials
Mindful spending has always been a financial habit that works. Prioritise aspects of the wedding that is important to both of you. Do everything tastefully, so wedding details do not look frugal and short-changed. Consider investing in a wedding planner, it may appear expensive, but these experts have a network under their wing to reduce the costs of destination weddings.
Timing is everything
Consider an off-peak wedding date and off-season. Veer away from festivities because travel and accommodation expenses are usually jacked-up at this time.
Be on the lookout for travel deals and packages
Scour the internet for all-inclusive resort wedding packages; these bundles come at an affordable price, especially for large groups. Watch out also for discounts on travel fares. Moreover, airline companies conduct travel sales during anniversaries and holidays.
It is a daunting task to execute the destination wedding of your dreams. But, whether it is a European museum, the Himalayas, the Maldives, or one of the pristine beaches in the Philippines with resourcefulness, strategic planning, and ingenuity, destination weddings are worth every buck. It is a once in a lifetime and milestone event that can fill up your and your guests’ memory banks.
