Destination weddings are all about creating unforgettable memories in stunning locations, whether it’s getting married in a Tuscan vineyard, beachside in the Caribbean, or within a European castle.

The chance to say “I do” in a breathtaking location surrounded by loved ones is a dream for many couples, a dream that sadly often comes with a hefty price tag. From travel and accommodation costs to venue hire and guest meals, a destination wedding budget can spiral out of control quickly.

Thankfully, with a bit of planning and savvy money-saving tips, you may actually be able to turn that destination wedding dream into a reality. Let’s see how you make your destination wedding affordable without compromising on quality.

Tips for Saving Money on Your Destination Wedding

Choosing a Wedding Destination & Venue

When it comes to destination weddings, there are endless possibilities. Simply scrolling through your Netflix account will reveal many iconic movies with a wedding theme, many of which can offer inspiration for choosing a wedding destination such as My Big Fat Greek Wedding or Mama Mia!. There’s even a movie actually titled Destination Wedding.

Saving money on a destination wedding begins with choosing an economical travel location and venue. While there are some popular wedding destinations that are perpetually expensive, many other desirable locations can still be reasonable options if you choose a wedding date that falls during their off-peak season. Flights and accommodation will likely be cheaper, and resorts and venues may offer discounts on weddings during less popular times.

Consider choosing a lesser-known or up-and-coming travel destination instead of a popular wedding hotspot like Hawaii. These less-hyped wedding destination locations may offer lower prices for venues and services due to less demand and can provide a more unique and memorable experience for you and your guests.

You can also opt for a weekday wedding which will often prove cheaper than weekend ones. This of course is dependent upon you and your guests being flexible with schedules, but destination weddings often mean taking several days to a week or more off for international getaways and this makes it easier to plan a cheaper weekday wedding.

Choose a location where the currency exchange rate works in your favor as this will allow your wedding budget to stretch further, whether it’s paying for hotels, venues, food, or local vendors. Booking flights, accommodations, and venues early can be another way to secure lower rates and early bird discounts. Planning ahead can also give you more time to save and budget for a destination wedding.

Some locations will have fewer travel restrictions or visa requirements than others which further reduces travel costs relating to visa fees or mandatory vaccinations. Likewise, choosing a country where the legal requirements such as marriage licenses are straightforward and inexpensive will also save on costs.

Use Local Vendors

 

Hiring local vendors can reduce travel and shipping costs associated with bringing vendors from your home country. Local vendors also tend to know the area better and can provide cost-effective options.

You may even find that there are plentiful options for vendors in your chosen travel destination, such as a more highly-skilled photographer that knows how to create creative documentary-style wedding photography, which may actually be cheaper than those in your own hometown.

Hiring a wedding planner who is familiar with the destination can help you navigate local regulations, find the most economical vendors, and negotiate deals. Their insider knowledge can save you money and prevent costly mistakes.

Instead of shipping items to your destination, consider buying or renting locally. This can help you avoid expensive shipping fees and the potential hassle of dealing with customs restrictions.

You can also ask friends and family to contribute their services free of charge if they happen to be good at photography, makeup, hair, cake baking, or know how to DJ. This can help reduce costs for professional services and adds a personal touch to your wedding.

Limit the Guest List

Keeping your guest list small not only reduces costs for catering and venue size but also creates a more intimate atmosphere. Consider inviting only close family and friends to keep expenses more manageable.

If you’re planning to cover or subsidize your guests’ accommodation costs, it gives even greater reason to limit numbers since a smaller guest list will significantly reduce this expense.

Catering is often one of the largest expenses for any wedding. With a smaller guest list, you’ll spend less on food, beverages, and service staff. You can also opt for more intimate and personalized dining experiences, which can be more cost-effective than large-scale catering.

If you’re providing transportation like airport transfers or shuttles between accommodations and the venue, fewer guests will mean fewer vehicles or transfers are needed, which can significantly reduce costs even further.

Lastly, fewer guests also means you need to hire fewer items for the wedding whether its chairs, tables, linens, centerpieces, and other rentals or purchases. It also reduces the number of invitations you need to purchase and send out, as well as wedding favors you may want to hand out to guests and your wedding party.

Combine Your Wedding and Honeymoon

Why not save money by choosing a destination that can also serves as your honeymoon location. There’s no need to spend extra on a separate holiday when you’re already on one. This smart and cost-effective strategy for saving money on a destination wedding avoids having to pay for additional flights, taxis, and other travel related costs.

Many resorts and hotels offer discounts or packages that combine wedding and honeymoon stays as well. Or by staying an extended period of time, it may qualify you for long-stay discounts which will reduce your total accommodation costs

Planning both the wedding and honeymoon in the same place also simplifies logistics. This not only reduces planning stress but also cuts down on the costs associated with coordinating multiple locations.

Staying in one location allows you to plan more affordable local activities and excursions, as you can take advantage of local deals or discounts that the venue or local vendors might offer. Group rates for activities may also apply if some guests stay on for the honeymoon.

By eliminating the need to travel to a second location for the honeymoon, you can also reduce the amount of time you’re away from home since you will have less travel time between two different destinations. This means you can get back to work more quickly to start paying off that memorable destination wedding.  

Look for Package Deals

Many resorts and venues offer all-inclusive wedding packages that bundle together the venue, catering, decorations, and sometimes even the photographer and entertainment. These packages can often be more affordable than booking each service separately.

Some destinations may also have strong ties with certain airlines or travel agencies, and can therefore offer special group travel discounts or packages. These can help reduce the cost of flights and accommodation for you and your guests.

Venues often have partnerships with local vendors, such as florists, photographers, and musicians. If you use the venue’s preferred vendors, they may offer a discount on the overall cost. Bundling services through the venue can save on vendor fees and sometimes reduce the complexity of coordinating multiple vendors, leading to both financial and logistical benefits.

Many resorts offer a complimentary room or suite for the bride and groom if a certain number of rooms are booked by their guests. Others may offer a free stay for you on your one-year anniversary, an incentive that will provide a future financial savings benefit.

Send Digital Invitations

Physically mailing out fancy wedding invites may be fun and no doubt look beautiful, but opting for digital wedding invitations is a far more cost-effective and eco-friendly way to invite guests to a destination wedding.

This eco-friendly option saves costs on printing and postage while also allowing for easier tracking of RSVPs and changes to guest information. Use a digital invitation service like Paperless Post, Evite, or Canva, which offers customizable templates and user-friendly interfaces.

You can easily create beautiful, professional-looking invitations with these websites without needing to pay higher fees to a professional graphic designer or wedding company. Digital invitations can also prove more engaging despite their reduced cost, as you can include interactive elements such as videos, music, or animated graphics. You can even include a video message from you and your soon to be husband or wife which will add a special personal touch.

Leverage social media and email to distribute invitations quickly and directly. You can create a private event on Facebook or send invites through an email list, ensuring everyone receives the invitation without worrying about lost mail.

Skip the Traditional Wedding Dress

Consider alternatives to a traditional wedding dress, which can be expensive and hard to transport. Skipping the traditional wedding dress for a destination wedding is a great way to save money, and it opens up a variety of alternative choices that may actually be more suitable for your chosen location and theme.

Traditional wedding gowns often require multiple fittings and alterations to achieve the perfect fit, which can quickly add up in costs. Non-traditional dresses will likely require fewer if any alterations, saving on tailoring expenses.

Transporting a traditional wedding dress, especially if it’s elaborate or has a long train, can be challenging and expensive to haul on a flight. Many airlines actually charge extra fees for carrying large or delicate garments.

Traditional wedding dress also continue to rack up fees even after the wedding is over, since elaborate dresses often require professional cleaning and preservation, which can get costly. A simpler, non-traditional dress may not require special care or could even be something you can actually wear again for other fancy or formal events.

Alternative choices for a destination wedding dress include shorter dresses or tea-length gowns which are great choices for casual or outdoor weddings such as those taking place on the beach, at parks, or in botanic gardens.

Boho-style dresses, often made from lace, cotton, or lightweight fabrics, offer a relaxed, romantic look perfect for outdoor or rustic destination weddings. A maxi dress, often in a solid white or pastel color will provide an elegant yet laid-back style that’s suitable for beach weddings and other casual settings.

Other costs saving options include purchasing a pre-owned dress or a vintage gown from a thrift store, consignment shop, or online marketplace. If you don’t like the idea of wearing an older dress, you may be able to simply rent a newer fancier wedding dress simply for the day from a local bridal boutique.

Renting allows you to wear a designer or high-quality dress for a fraction of the price of purchasing one, and you won’t have to worry about transporting your dress to a destination wedding or need to pay to preserve and store a dress after your wedding.