Setting Your Destination Wedding Budget
Now Alison is sharing tips on budgeting for a destination wedding. Now that these types of weddings are becoming so popular, it seems like a really important topic!
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In any wedding workbook, you’ll find a budget page where you plan for all the standard wedding expenses (like your dress, your flowers and all that food you’ll be serving to your guests). But what if you’re having a destination wedding? Below are some costs that are specific to destination weddings that aren’t usually mentioned in standard wedding budgets:
Site visit. You’ll want to visit your destination at least once to check out venues and meet with potential vendors.
Wedding travel. Includes airfare, accommodations, car rental, and meals and entertainment.
Flying in vendors or officiant. If you hire someone who doesn’t live in your destination, you’ll be expected to pay their airfare, accommodations, local travel expenses, and per diem.
Group activities. You’ll probably be hosting other events over the weekend, such as a welcome party, rehearsal dinner, and/or departure brunch.
Subsidizing expenses. You might choose to help out with other people’s travel expenses or offer to pay for their bridesmaids’ dresses.
Shipping. Leave a little room in the budget for sending programs, signage, linens, or other items to your destination.
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Great tips, Alison! Okay, now for the serious eye candy. Remember the Palm Springs rehearsal that we featured earlier today? Here is how the equally gorgeous wedding turned out…
So, so pretty. To get a look like this on a budget…here are a few tips:
-Choose a venue that speaks for itself. This gorgeous location didn’t need much in terms of decor.
-Keep the guest list small. By having a small, destination style wedding, you can splurge a bit more on the details.
-Use lighting smartly. Rent or buy large lanterns that house huge candles. Three or four tucked into a corner will do wonders for ambiance. Some destinations only require candles to be magnificent!
-Serve limited choices…one signature cocktail and one champagne. Offer a simple, but sophisticated menu and don’t be afraid to choose the chicken! Spice it up with some great flavorings that are unique to the area.
-Create vignettes…scour ebay for containers (like the wooden ones above) and fill with an array of inexpensive floral buds and greenery. Place them on tables covered with fabric that you’ve purchased yourself. Even better, ask your venue to lend you any tables that they can spare.
Thank you soooo much to Alison for this awesome day of guest posts. Check out both Alison’s site and her blog for tons of great tips and serious eye candy! And, if you are planning a destination wedding, make sure you keep your eyes peeled for Alison’s upcoming book!
The group of large lanterns is a wonderful idea. And I have to say that the simple wooden basket with flowers is so... cute.
Great advice. There are so many things to think about when you are planning long distance. Love the pictures!
Great tips! What a beautiful courtyard, poolside wedding. I just go back from a destination wedding and it definitely was not cheap to be a guest - flying out there, flying back, staying at the hotel. But it was beautiful and definitely worth it.
I really enjoyed your pictures and I think you gave out some great advice.
Oh my gosh... how beautiful! But I have a more specific question: who designed her dress?? It's exactly what I'm looking for!
yes yes! who designed that dress?
The dress was my favorite designer, Monique Lhuillier....you can never go wrong! I have to say there is also this really amazing designer in SF called Amy Kuschel you should all check out, very affordable dresses and beautiful. http://www.amykuschel.com/ and and for the even more budget conscious I am really liking J-Crew lately for both bridesmaids dresses and wedding gowns. Glad you all enjoyed! Book actually comes out in April 2009 now....I just got the dummy copy yesterday and its sooooo beautiful. Great planning tips and really pretty to look at:) My dearest friend Thayer Allyson Gowdy (wwwlittlewhitedress.com) provided all the images of weddings we did together,it's really special. alison
That venue! Was it a private estate in palm springs? It's beautiful!
Courtney - the venue is Korakia. http://www.korakia.com/ i LOVE LOVE LOVE that hotel. it is really amazing and charming and stylish and rustic and sophisticated.