Destination weddings can be absolutely magical, but planning them can be all sorts of hard work. With guests spending money on flights and accommodation in order to celebrate with you, you feel a certain amount of extra pressure to deliver something spectacular. But of course, this all comes at a rate.
If this sounds all too familiar, then read on because here are our top 5 tips to help you make your destination wedding a complete success without breaking the bank.
Skip The Photographers
In an Instagram-obsessed society, everyone is a pretty decent photographer these days. So why not save some money on a professional photographer by asking friends to upload all their photos from the day to a particular hashtag on social media? That way, your photos will not only be personal and real, but they will also be plentiful and completely free!
Of course, if you want a few of those quintessential wedding photos, you can always arrange for one of your friends to take them for you before the evening’s celebrations get too messy.
Use Local Decorations
Embrace the local culture and natural beauty by using local decor. Whether it’s picking wildflowers and plants as centrepieces (think olive branches in Italy) or adopting local traditions (like lanterns in Asia or a bamboo arch in Hawaii), using local products for decor will make life a lot easier. This will not only save money but it will also add a bit of character to the wedding which will make it unique and memorable for you and your guests.
Remember that sometimes less is more when it comes to decor. This goes for the budget as well as class and grace. Save money and hassle by making the decor simple and elegant.
Stay In One Place
Save money on cars and transport for you and your guests by having all your celebrations in one place. This doesn’t have to mean having every part of your wedding in the same room, but rather on the same grounds or complex.
Local Caterers
Much like the idea of embracing local decor and traditions, you should also embrace the local cuisine. This will not only be cheaper but it’s also more likely to be of higher quality. And as an added bonus, it’s also a great way to impress your guests.
Luckily, in most popular destination wedding areas, there will be companies that specialize in catering for these kinds of events. So for example, if you’re planning a wedding in Phuket, search for a company that specializes in wedding catering services in Phuket. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how many companies you’ll find that are well-versed in the particular requirements of destination weddings.
Prioritize
This rule applies for any kind of wedding on a budget, destination or otherwise. Before you commit to booking anything, take a step back and really think about what it is you want. Make a list of what is absolutely essential and what is just desirable. This will help make sure that you spend your budget wisely and that you don’t waste money on the things that are not as important to you.
So for example, if you absolutely must have a designer wedding dress, then you should consider cutting back on other parts of the wedding in order to accommodate for that. Likewise, if your priority is to make sure that your guests have a wonderful time then you could spend less on a dress, scrap the photographers and use local decor so you can spend more money on catering, the venue, and a free bar.
Conclusion
When it comes to budgeting your wedding, there really is no one-size-fits-all, because everyone has different priorities. Take your time to assess exactly what yours are before you book a single thing. This will save you a lot of hassle further down the line.