A beach wedding on the shores of a Konkani beach in Goa or a picturesque ceremony amid the Thar desert, these are some of the best destination weddings in India. And as COVID-19 subsides, destination weddings are back in vogue. You no longer need to get married in the neighbourhood hall or at home.
However, as fun as destination weddings sound, they cost a massive amount of money. Wedding budgets can spiral out of control as there are additional expenses for accommodation and transportation. But here are some ways to save money while planning your dream destination wedding.
Opt for an offbeat location
Beautiful properties are readily available all across India. So, the first task at hand is to choose the type of venue you want to have for a destination wedding. But keep in mind that popular wedding destinations are highly expensive and these places have grown more expensive with the onset of COVID-19.
Choosing an offbeat destination instead of one that is fairly famous for weddings such as a royal palace in Jaipur, you can opt for a less touristy location like Rishikesh, Pushkar in Rajasthan, and Shillong in Meghalaya. They are as picturesque and would save on your costs by approximately 30 to 40%. One can also look for a place which is near your hometown to save on travel costs.
Little things can go a long way in saving money
There are a lot of things except the venue that you need to keep in account while planning your destination wedding. You have to think about the transportation for all guests from both sides of the family, the accommodation, and even the cost of catering, makeup artists and photographers.
You can cut down on some of these additional expenses by being prudent about the little things– you can be eco-friendly by replacing traditional invitations with e-invites. This will not only save paper but trim your budget for invitation-making. Choosing a DIY decor for smaller wedding functions like the cocktail party, Mehendi and Haldi can help you save a lot of money. And instead of having multiple wedding vendors, go for a hotel or resort that has in-house wedding packages which come with wedding planners, caterers, photographers and more.
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Book services early
Other than booking tickets early for the destination, you should also book the vendors early. Ticket prices rise as dates come closer, especially during the wedding season. Aside from booking services early, you can also opt for local services such as a local priest, photographer and even wedding planner, to save on the costs of transportation and accommodation.
Get married during the off-season
Weddings are held on auspicious days across the year, but as we are modernising, so are these dates gradually shifting to take money and convenience into consideration. Moreover, weddings held on auspicious dates which are usually during the winter season will cost the individuals more money due to the huge demand for venues, décor and other services on that day.
The same wedding can be executed at half the price if one overlooks the auspiciousness or season. Suppose you have a summer or monsoon wedding in Goa, instead of one during the winter months, you will not only save on hotel prices, but caterers will offer you discounted rates as well. And with the power of negotiation, you can reduce the prices even more.
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Keep the guest list short
The more guests you invite, the more the cost goes up. Moreover, you have to take care of both the bride’s and groom’s family. Ideally, keep the guest list short if you are concerned about costs. Hotels and resorts at destination weddings include per-guest costs for each day.
Like various celebrities, you can keep the destination wedding exclusive for your close family and friends, and hold a reception later where you can invite a wider range of guests. This way you can save on per-head costs which will reduce your overall cost.