Destination Weddings – Cheaper or Not?

I get asked all the time, “What’s the story with destination weddings? Is it true that they cost less than a traditional wedding?” If only there was a quick answer to that question.

Here’s the short of it: You could easily plan a wedding for $12,000 at a local venue with a conservative guest list or you can blow $6,000 on a once in a lifetime trip to Bali, complete with your ceremony, dinner for you and your sweetie on a private sunset cruise. You may find yourself partial to a private wedding in your backyard with only 15 of your closest confidants or you might want to host a grand ceremony, complete with a red carpet, in the middle of Times Square, New York City. Sometimes destination weddings may save you money, sometimes they’ll cost more to realize. Like everything else in life, it’s all in the details you choose to splurge on.

No matter what you decide remember that the more elaborate your plans become, the higher potential for stress. Inviting two sets of parents and your best friends will normally be a lot less time consuming than a destination wedding with 60 of your best friends.

Deciding upfront what guest expenses, if any you’ll cover will also determine the cost effectiveness of your destination wedding. Airfare, transfers and hotel accommodations will bring the price of your wedding up quite quickly.

My advice for those still trying to decide the best option for them-

âÂ?¢ Make two realistic budgets (with projected guest lists), 1 for at home; the other for away – To have the wedding you’d like, how much do you have to spend? Is this realistic?

âÂ?¢ Decide early on in the budget planning what guest expenses, if any you’ll cover. Trust me; it’s better to handle this early in the game!

âÂ?¢ Will you be devastated if some of your closest relatives or friends can’t make it? The hard truth is that a lot people you were sure would come, simply can’t. Not everyone will be able to take time off, pay for airfare, arrange sitters, etc. For some couples this can ruin the plans, for others it’s a well needed trim to the guest list.

At home, across the state or even abroad, there a million different things that will affect how much your wedding will cost. A well thought out plan is always your best bet, no matter where you decide to get married!