Destination Weddings
on a Budget

Steps for Planning Destination Weddings on a Budget.

No matter what country you plan to get married in, you can still have your dream wedding abroad and achieve it on a budget.



While having your wedding abroad can be cheaper than having your wedding at home, often due to a favourable exchange rate and having fewer guests to cater for, there are a number of ways that you can save even more money and have your destination weddings on a budget.

I recently asked the Wedding Planners who feature on my site, if they had any practical suggestions about how to save money when planning a destination wedding.

Daniela from Italy Italian Weddings came back with some brilliant thoughts and insight.

Although some of the examples given below are specific to Italy, the advice given by Daniela can be applied to any destination. So no matter where you are getting married, I highly recommend you continue reading as this valuable advice is sure to give you some great tips for having your destination weddings on a budget.



How to Plan Destination Weddings on a Budget

Daniela has outlined some practical and highly effective steps to help you plan your destination weddings on a budget.

• Try to use a Wedding Planner that specialises in the region where you plan to get married.

• A local Wedding Planner should have a more intimate understanding of a particular area and will have built up a wider directory of excellent contacts.

• Local Wedding Planners will usually have access to better quotations from service vendors (photographers, florists etc) and wedding reception venues.

• Wedding Planners will have carefully selected vendors, negotiated prices and tested them before offering their services to couples.

• In Italy, if you do select your own service vendors, you will be restricted to dealing with those who speak and write in English (not always common in Italy and many other popular destination wedding locations). As a result you may be missing the chance to contact vendors who offer better quality for cheaper prices but are not able to correspond in English.

In peak wedding seasons, prices are definitely higher as companies know they can afford to charge a premium. However, in the off-peak season when business is slower, must companies are willing to drop their prices to attract clients.

In Italy for example, October, in most locations is not peak season yet a majority of the country is blessed with spectacular warm and sunny weather. Choosing to get married in October in Italy can save you a lot of money!

Getting married in an area that is “off the tourist track” can save you a lot of money.

Save the more well known destinations for your honeymoon and choose a location nearby that is undiscovered by mass-tourism. More than likely these places will be the next top “tourist hot spots”.

You could save up to 15 – 20% just by doing this.

For example, in Italy, the art cities (Rome, Florence, Venice) and the more touristy towns and locations (such as Taormina in Sicily, Sorrento, Positano and Ravello on the Amalfi Coast, San Gimignano, Siena, Castellina in Chianti in Tuscany, and the Northern Lakes) tend to be more expensive.

However, close to all these locations you can find beautiful locations where weddings can be organised in a much more relaxed atmosphere and at much cheaper prices.

An Italian Example for
Planning Destination Weddings on a Budget

From the Castelli Romani District there are jaw-dropping views over the Eternal City and also over the Tyrrhenian Sea.

It is also home to one of the finest golf courses in the Latium region.

Here Reception Venues, accommodation and other additional services (transfers, flowers, etc.) are much cheaper than in Rome … but Rome can still be easily reached within twenty minutes.

• Civil ceremony performed in Frascati Wedding Hall

• Civil officiant to perform the ceremony in Italian
• Booking of the wedding hall

• Interpreter for wedding hall ceremony as required by law

• Onsite Wedding Coordinator for assistance on the day of your Wedding

• Nulla Osta assistance and British Consular fees INCLUDED

• Wedding Hall rental fees INCLUDED

• Bouquet and Boutonniere for the Bride and Groom with roses or seasonal flowers (colors of your choice)

• Hair and Make-Up for the Bride including trials the day before at the hair salon and final service at the hotel

• Overall coordination and consultation for the ceremony

• All legal paperwork consultation and assistance

• Lodging all paperwork with local authorities

• Unlimited email or phone correspondence to plan your event

• Wedding program with schedule of the event and services and useful phone numbers before departure

• Marriage Certificate issuing fees, plus international, translated version following the wedding – 2 copies

• Declaration (also called “Promise of Marriage” ) with interpreter (requested by law) at the Wedding Hall’s office one or two working day before your Wedding Ceremony

• Coordination fees, 20% Italian VAT tax included

To hire a comparable historic Villa in the heart of Rome, the average rental price starts at between 5,000 to 6,000 Euros + VAT and wedding menus start at Euro 120 per person including beverages.

Average price in peak season for a 3 star hotel: from Euro 70 to 110 per night for a double room including breakfast.




Planning your Destination Weddings on a Budget


The above example shows that fantastic destination weddings on a budget are a very real possibility. Whether you are thinking about getting married in Italy or in another destination but are trying to keep your costs down, if you follow the advice given by Daniela then you are sure to be able to have your dream destination wedding without breaking the bank.



If you would like to learn more about planning destination weddings on a budget in Italy, I highly recommend contacting Daniela from Italy Italian Weddings for further information.




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