Money Matters
You've just read that destination weddings usually take place over a week or more. Then there's the cost of the ceremony itself, and the honeymoon. Destination weddings are usually quite a bit more expensive than elopements (depending on the length of the trip and the formality of the ceremony and reception), and can actually be every bit as expensive as regular in-town affairs — but that doesn't mean they have to be. There is a destination wedding out there for every budget.
Big Bucks
Working with a bottomless bank account? There's no limit to what you can do, where you can go, or who you can bring along. You might be interested in cruising the Greek Isles, or perhaps you'd like to rent a European castle. Your destination wedding will be a once-in-a-lifetime event with unique floral arrangements, the best local cuisine, extraordinary musicians, and, no doubt, some interesting entrances (in a helicopter, perhaps), exits (by speedboat, maybe), and entertainment (ethnic dancers, circus performers, and fireworks at midnight).
Consider the possibilities of being able to host your wedding anywhere in the world! You can fly off to Thailand and get married on a beach, or you can invite everyone to Egypt for a ceremony in the shadows of the Great Pyramids. You might rent out a ski resort in the Canadian Rockies for a week of winter fun before your wedding, or charter a yacht on the French Riviera.
Unless you are ultra-organized and have loads of time to do your own research, you'll be better off not planning this type of destination wedding on your own! Find a travel agent who specializes in destination weddings and let her do what the wedding-themed resorts do for their clients: narrow down the options significantly.
Small Budget
What if you can't quite afford the yacht or the dancers? Does that mean that eloping is the better idea after all? Only if eloping is what you have your heart set on. You can plan a very interesting destination wedding in Las Vegas for right around a thousand dollars. You might not stay a week in the nicest resort, and you might not have anyone twirling plates at the reception, but…so what? You'll bring a couple of friends along for the fun, and you'll come home married. You can also plan a small wedding in Maui (yes, Maui!) for about the same amount of money. In fact, no matter where you're headed, you can find a way to plan a wedding with a relatively small amount of money.
What's the secret to planning a destination wedding on the cheap? You have to be willing to give up
E~Alert
Overspending on any type of wedding — whether it's an elopement, a destination ceremony, or a traditional, in-town event — is never a good idea! Draw up a budget before you start planning and stick to it! Also think of clever ways to save a buck here and there. If you have a short guest list, perhaps you can make your own invitations. Do you have a seamstress in the family? Ask her to alter your gown.
Generally speaking, if you want to keep your budget in the low- to mid-thousands, you should plan on having a fairly small wedding. The great news about this, though, is that small doesn't equate to boring or dull. Several thousand dollars can go a long, long way, particularly at some of the resorts in the Caribbean. Many of the popular destination wedding resorts offer a free ceremony if you book your honeymoon there also, or several nights of free lodging if you book the ceremony. So decide where you want to be
