Booking your wedding at a site that wheels and deals in weddings means that you will be presented with some sort of wedding package. Keep in mind that packages vary wildly from place to place. For example, some include lodging for the bride and groom and some don't. Some include a free wedding if you book a certain number of nights at the site. Some are only able to accommodate ten or twelve guests, while others can handle as many as you can think of.

The pricing of packages, as you can imagine, also runs the gamut from ultra-cheap to mega-expensive. You can book a wedding in Las Vegas that includes the officiant, flowers, photos, limo ride, music, cake, and champagne, all for several hundred dollars. On the other hand, you can book a full-size wedding at a resort for tens of thousands of dollars. What's the difference?

Well, obviously, there's going to be a significant difference in the length and formality of the service; the quantity and quality of the pictures; the type of floral arrangements provided; the type of music that's played; and so on. Plus, you aren't getting a full reception with the Vegas deal, which means that your reception will consist of you, the groom, and perhaps three or four witnesses or guests. Your costs are minimal, even though all the basics are pretty much taken care of.

Is there one package that's right for every couple? No. What sounds like heaven to one couple might sound like a living hell for another. It all comes down to the type of wedding you prefer. That's the great thing about destination weddings: They've become a sub-industry of the wedding business, which means there are resorts and packages to suit every couple, just about anywhere they'd like to take their vows.

The best advice about packages is to take things slowly. Give yourself plenty of time to do your research and compare locations and prices.

“All right,” you're thinking, “this is all fine and well, but what do couples typically pay for destination weddings?” Well, it's impossible to nail down even an average figure, because destination weddings encompass so many different types of ceremonies, receptions, and locations. A wedding that's held just an hour or two from the bride's hometown is considered a destination wedding — but so is one held halfway across the world. The wedding held closer to home could even (theoretically) end up being more expensive than the one held in a far-off location.

Cost boils down to these elements:

• The site itself. Some sites just charge more for ceremonies.

• The season. Off-season weddings are often less expensive but come with a risk of inclement weather.

• The number of guests. More people eating prime rib at your reception equals a bigger bill for you.

• The number of “extras.” These add-ons include such things as a huge photo package, the biggest cake in the world, arriving by helicopter, and the type of food served at the reception.

Admittedly, this is nonspecific information. But this is actually good news for couples who are afraid that a destination wedding is going to cost them big (too big). Lose the extras and cut the guest list and you may find that you're able to afford a wedding in your dream location!