HELP! Destination Wedding and on a Budget- TIPS PLEASE!

jerzeeosu

Hi Fellow Knots- 

Please share ANY and EVERY tip that you have or used to keep the costs down while doing a Destination Wedding! We are planning for a 2015 wedding in DR. We are going with the Majestic Elegance. Any advice is  appreciated. 

Thanks! 

gothic_fairy60

One of the important things to note is that a Destination wedding puts the cost on the guests, and because of that there are a lot of people who are not fond of them. I don't know where you are talking about when you said DR (Dominican Republic?). Are you having a destination wedding because of your budget or is it really your desire to get married there?

A destination wedding is not necessarily cheaper than a home wedding depending on what you are aiming for. A nice non-meal time wedding with a cake and punch reception can be lovely.

If your desire is to get married in DR, then expect a smaller guest list. Maybe plan a much smaller wedding, only inviting immediate family. In most weddings, the best way to cut cost is to cut the guest list.

lyndausvi

the best budget tip is a small guest list. Money that couples spend at local weddings often goes to transportation, accommodations and other expenses. Making what is left to spend on the guests a lot less.

wandajune6

For destination-specific questions, I recommend checking the local board.

In more general terms, the easiest way to keep costs down is to restrict your guest list. Beyond that, I'd imagine that the same suggestions we make to local brides would apply- look for used dresses, cut out the unnecessary "stuff" like programs and favors, smaller wedding party, etc.

[Deleted User]

When planning a DW make sure to plan for marriage license fees and know all the details required. One friend wanted to do a DW somewhere in the DR area & then found out that they would have to be there so many days in advance (adding to overnight costs) because they would have to get a physical & bloodwork done before they could get their marriage license. She didn't feel comfortable with having a doctor she wasn't familiar with giving her a physical so they changed the destination Vegas. Another friend of mine did get married in the carribean, they didn't have to do a physical, but the cost of getting the license was changed on them repeatedly. Unlike in the USA where most counties post on the internet what the prices for a marriage license are, where she got married they just kept jacking up the cost & there was no way to prove that they were lying & scamming her for extra money or if she had just been given bad info. They had to come up with $150.00 cash at the last minute else not get their license. I'm sure that there have been tons of brides who have have destination wedding and not had any issues, but I'm just sharing the two that I know.

CMGragain

If budget is a primary consideration, you shouldn't be planning a destination wedding at all.  WHY are you doing this?

mrs4everhart

The best advice I can give is price compare the heck out of different wedding packages offered by the resorts you're most interested in.

All of them are going to offer things that are just different enough to make them "unique" from the rest, but factor in what's important to you and go from there.

Don't get caught up in the "free wedding if" ploys. It puts way too much pressure on your guests bc generally the wedding is free if X number of rooms are booked by X date. No one needs that headache.

Consider bringing things from home. The best examples I have of this is: our resort wants to charge extra for colored linens, chair bows, paper lanterns, etc. I was able to get all of our stuff online through tons of research for far less than what the resort wants to charge. So I bought a $15 suitcase from goodwill and the fee to check the bag is still cheaper than using the resort's. I used promo codes and coupons where I could. Even free shipping helps. Every little bit, right?

Definitely check the requirements in your location if you plan to follow the legal requirements in that locale. As PP's have mentioned, depending on the laws, you may have to be in country a certain amount of time prior to your wedding. You may or may not have to have a certain number of witnesses with you for the same amount of time prior. That adds up quick!

Lastly, don't assume just because a resort might be all-inclusive that dinner/drinks will be included for your wedding. They very well may not be.

There's some great deals out there. But you probably have hours if research ahead of you.

Good luck!

ShesSoCold

I agree with PPs that the best way to keep costs down (at all weddings, not just DWs) is to keep the guest list small. 

I also want to add that while it's not required, I think that destination weddings need to be a bit nicer and that the hosts should "go all out". I enjoy a lovely 2:00 pm cake and punch reception in my home area, but I would side eye the couple a little if I spent hundreds of dollars and vacation time to go to a simple, quick DW at a non-meal time. 

I planned a DW (cancelled at the last minute) and food was my biggest priority. I couldn't see asking people to travel across the country for spaghetti and beer only. I wanted to make it memorable and enjoyable for everyone who was taking their time and money to come out. If beer and spaghetti were what I could afford at the wedding we did have at home, I would have gladly gone with that. 

Just a thought.

aggiespartan

We are from different places and all of our friends are scattered all across the county, so we are planning our wedding in Las Vegas.  We are keeping the costs down by doing the ceremony in-suite, officiated by a close friend.  We will give him a gift, but no fees/tips for that.  We are also doing an in-suite cocktail hour, so we can buy the alcohol ourselves, instead of going through a vendor.  Organizing everything ourselves let's us pick and choose vendors for things like cake and photography, so I believe we are saving some there. 

jerzeeosu

CMGragain said:

If budget is a primary consideration, you shouldn't be planning a destination wedding at all.  WHY are you doing this?

Well, we are doing it because we needed a vacation and wanted to get out of Chicago. A destination seems fun and less of a MENTAL hassle for me - the bride.  I am not really sure why you would comment if there was no positivity that you had to offer. Just because I am on a budget ( which in my terms may be different than yours ) does not mean that I can not have a wedding. Maybe you misunderstood, I did not say that I was POOR or could NOT AFFORD it . I said I wanted to keep the costs down as low as possible. 

jerzeeosu

Thank you to everyone else who offered positive and reasonable insight. Appreciate the advice. 

ohannabelle

If you need a vacation and want to get out of Chicago, plan your honeymoon in the Dominican Republic. That's what honeymoons are for.

Or elope, and get married there alone.

Otherwise, you're just passing huge unnecessary expenses on to your guests. 

As great as you probably are, most people have a fairly limited amount of vacation time, and most people have budgets, and it's just not reasonable to expect people to sacrifice that time and hundreds of dollars to see you get married. 

I don't feel that's a considerate or well mannered request. I'll give up a day and buy a present and drive quite a distance to a wedding and not care about the expense, but damned if I care enough to arrange time off and pay hundreds for the privilege. A DW says you don't care that much about your guests.

CMGragain

jerzeeosu said:

CMGragain said:

If budget is a primary consideration, you shouldn't be planning a destination wedding at all.  WHY are you doing this?

Well, we are doing it because we needed a vacation and wanted to get out of Chicago. A destination seems fun and less of a MENTAL hassle for me - the bride.  I am not really sure why you would comment if there was no positivity that you had to offer. Just because I am on a budget ( which in my terms may be different than yours ) does not mean that I can not have a wedding. Maybe you misunderstood, I did not say that I was POOR or could NOT AFFORD it . I said I wanted to keep the costs down as low as possible. 

Oh, yes.  Your wedding is all about YOU, isn't it?  Never mind the inconvenience and expense you are causing your guests.
Destination weddings make sense for very small weddings.  If you are from Chicago, then have your wedding in Chicago so friends and family can easily attend.  You can always have an exotic honeymoon.

southernbelle0915

To keep costs as low as possible, I would plan a honeymoon in DR, but have a small wedding locally. Just keep your guest list really small and have the wedding at a non-meal time. If you do that, you can get away with a nice wedding for super cheap. And all the money you save can be spent in DR.

I think you'd spend a lot more getting married in DR than if you do what I described above.

Esther Morales

I'm always afraid of DW's that are not part of the US.  I am having one and either choosing Miami or Puerto Rico where both English and Spanish languages are used and there will be no issues on foreign licenses and other tricky fees when going "out of the country."  If you have a very reliable point person in DR and can get everything done with them in person beforehand, then go ahead.  If you speak Spanish or have a friend --that would help also.  Be careful.

bridesontherun

You may also want to reply on the Destination wedding board for how to save on one if you for sure decided that's the way you're going. I'm planning a destination wedding, and it still a mental hassle land mine. I am self limiting the guests, because I am looking for less responsibility/cost/worry. Personally I would elope if it wouldn't hurt our father's feelings. It is difficult sharing the news of our engagement, and letting dear friends know they are not invited to the wedding. Ugh...

It also means more difficult decisions trying to make an attempt to celebrate with everyone at home. Perhaps on the Destination boards someone can chime in that has had both a full home town wedding and a destination wedding that could truly compare the two.

I booked a rental house for our stay that could accommodate all the invited friends and family. The home owner allowed us to use the house/yard as the venue as all the guests coming to the wedding were staying there and the only outside person would be the officiant. So instead of us paying hundreds or thousands on a venue and a hotel room just for us, the cost savings allowed us to take care of our invited guests. Because of the smaller party size our reception will be at a restaurant, one of our favorites. So it's perfect for us and our small event, but still allows for celebration and even better bonding of our families, since we are all staying together for a few days.

Good Luck!

weddingcactus

I think keeping the guest list small will be the best way to keep your costs down. It will minimize the costs due to per-person expenses like food, beverage, etc. But even more than that, a small venue will likely cost much less than a large venue. 

As mentioned already, having a destination wedding puts a sizable burden on your guests. I am having a destination wedding for different reasons, but I also accept that there are a few serious consequences of my choice. 

• Guests end up paying a lot of money to attend your wedding. 
• Many guests will be unable to attend due to finances or time. Prepare yourself for many guests and even some VIP guests dropping out. 
• You may want/need to host multiple events (meals, outings, activities) where you pay in order to make sure your guests feel welcomed and not like they are forking out a lot of money just so you can go on vacation. 
• Planning a destination wedding is not necessarily easier because your access to vendors and venues are limited. You may not be able to do tastings or meet your important vendors in person. You may not have the option to see your venue first hand. 
• Feelings will be hurt when you tell family and friends that you're having a very small destination wedding and not inviting everyone. Even if practically speaking they might not have attended anyway, prepare yourself for some hurt or angry people.