Best Bridal Budget Hacks: Destination Wedding Edition

7 Simple Ways To Spend Less on Your Destination Wedding

You have a vision for your wedding day including lush florals, beautiful decor, a stunning venue, and the picture-perfect dress, surrounded by your most loved family and friends. There’s just one issue — your wallet isn’t loving the total cost that’s starting to come together.

Here are 7 ways you can easily trim your total without compromising on your wish list when planning your destination wedding:

 
Hack #1: Look Into External Vendors! 

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When I was planning my wedding, I knew I wanted to use pineapples as part of our centerpieces. Guess how much the venue quoted us per pineapple? $30 PER FRUIT! No chance we were paying that amount, so instead we contacted an external vendor who charged us $3 per; a tenth of the cost of the original quote. This is just one of many examples where vendors outside of the resort or venue can end up being a fraction of the cost for the same result. 

That being said, one very important thing to remember is to check reviews for any vendor you’re interested in using, regardless of when or where your wedding is. After all, this is your big day and it’s only going to happen once, so make sure the team you have supporting your vision is trustworthy and has experience providing high-quality service or goods. 

Hack #2: Book Your Wedding During the Off-Season

Thinking of planning a destination wedding in a warm, tropical paradise around the holiday season? You might want to think again if you’re trying to keep costs low for your and your guests. With so many elements to consider including travel costs to the vendors you choose, avoiding peak months is an easy way to keep prices reasonable without sacrificing the wedding details and decor of your dreams. 

January, February, and March are commonly known as “down times” when it comes to a typical wedding, however, things aren’t quite that straightforward with regards to a destination wedding. The Caribbean, for example, has their low season during the summer months when it’s normally already warm in North America. At the end of the day, my advice is to check with a travel agent or an event planner near your desired location for their expertise on peak seasons and when things are generally quieter. 

Hack #3: Make It Legal BEFORE You Travel

Did you know that getting legally married in Mexico requires you to have X-rays and bloodwork completed in Mexico? Not only does this add another item to the already long list of to-do’s for your wedding, but it also costs a pretty penny to have medical tests performed abroad! Depending on your selected destination, you may also be required to have additional paperwork completed and get foreign marriage permits; none of which are cheap! By getting legally married at home and opting for a symbolic ceremony at your tropical destination, you can easily save time and money.

Hack #4: Keep Your Guest List as Tight-Knit as Possible

This one holds true for locally hosted weddings and destination weddings! Every person that you add to your guestlist ultimately increases the overall total price of your event. More people means more mouths to feed during your reception and welcome party (if the latter is something you anticipate adding to the wedding festivities). The average wedding meal ranges from $25 to $40 US per person, so although it may not seem like a massive expense initially, it can very quickly add up and make your total cost skyrocket. The fewer people you invite also means you’ll need to rent fewer chairs, table linens, and plate settings, purchase fewer wedding favors, and use a smaller wedding venue instead of renting out a whole resort… The list goes on and on! Keeping attendees limited to your most treasured loved ones is a surefire way to keep your wedding price at bay. 

Hack #5: Group Bookings Are Your Best Friend

Don’t want to narrow down your guest list? Not to worry! If you’re working with a travel agent or a specific resort already, ask them about their group booking options. If you’re planning the whole event on your own, DIY style, a quick Google search on group bookings will provide you with countless resources on the topic. More often than not you can get discounts on airfare, rooms, meals, excursions, and other accommodations for you and your guests. 

Hack #6: Start Wedding Dress Shopping Early

Scope out those sales and start hunting for your gown as early as possible! The more time you allow yourself to pick your wedding attire, the better chance you have of scoring the dress of your dreams without it costing you a quarter or more of your entire wedding budget. There are plenty of trunk shows and sample sales where you can get a great deal on stunning garments. The key is allowing yourself enough time to plan for those events as they pop up, without putting yourself in a time crunch to get alterations and customizations taken care of. If you’re planning on having a 2-year engagement period, for example, start researching events near you right away instead of waiting until you’re down to the wire to start your garment search.

Another huge bonus to shopping early, that’s not cost-related, is giving yourself and the vendor or designer ample time to get the garment constructed and delivered in case of any hold-ups. I’ve known brides who have ordered gowns just a few months before their wedding and due to unexpected delays, especially with the ongoing supply-chain issues caused by the COVID pandemic, their outfits didn’t end up arriving on time. Don’t let this happen to you and plan ahead!

Hack #7: Use Locally Grown Foliage

I’ve seen many brides with the most gorgeous floral arrangements who have either picked wildflowers themselves (ethically, of course) or sourced vendors to help put together stunning collections of locally-grown flowers and greenery. There’s no need to break the bank on dozens of roses when there’s so much natural beauty to take advantage of!

Looking for more ways to save on your big day? Keep reading here for additional advice on cutting costs without sacrificing the things you want for your wedding!