A destination wedding is one of the grandest, most exciting weddings any bride could ever dream of. But before you splurge on this kind of wedding and use up your entire life’s savings (we hope not!) on your dream, check out these top things to consider before choosing a destination wedding.
Destination Weddings are Expensive
‘Regular’ weddings are already expensive, to begin with, but you should expect that destination weddings would cost so much more! Whether you will be paying for your guests’ transportation and accommodations or not, expect that the price tags of weddings in popular destinations are higher.
More often than not, the resorts you are eyeing already have an expensive price tag for wedding packages, especially if you plan on renting the whole place for an exclusive event. After all, you don’t want so many tourists photobombing your big day.
Remember, the more exotic and exclusive the location, the bigger your expenses.
Can Your Guests Afford to Go?
The main dilemma that couples go through when planning a destination wedding is whether they should pay for their guests’ transportation, accommodation, and other incidental expenses. After all, they are probably going to take a leave of absence from their jobs to attend your wedding, traveling a long way, and need to spend at least a couple of hours (preferably overnight!) just to witness your big day.
This could mean they have to take a leave they could have spent someplace else. You are essentially asking everyone to take a vacation to a place of your choice, on a date you wanted. If you dream of a destination wedding, make sure that you either pay up for your guests’ expenses or know for sure they afford to do it on their own and would love to be there on your big day.
Or else, you might end up with the grandest wedding in the most exotic destination in the world, with the entire resort exclusively booked for a party of 100 or more, but no guest in sight.
Expect Fewer Gifts or None at All
Whether you are paying for their expenses or not, your guests still sacrificed much of their time for your wedding – and that might mean many of them think they don’t have to give you a gift at all. While that might not matter to many, there are couples who still expect that all guests will bring gifts to their wedding.
Remember, their time is more precious than the gifts they give, especially if they had to take a precious day or two from work (with or without pay) just to attend the big event.
Expect Dramas, Tantrums, etc.
In the Philippines, it seems that everyone expects to be invited to someone’s wedding, even if they’re not related at all and even just know each other on Facebook!
Of course, your wedding guest list is your choice, but considering the limited number of people you can invite to a destination wedding (especially one where you pay for the guests’ accommodations and travel expenses), expect that there would be dramas and tantrums from people who think they are important in your life and should be in included in your big day.
But at the end of the day, the choice of having a destination wedding is still really up to you. But whether you have the money to spend on one, just make sure to consider all your options and explore all what-ifs or you’ll end up with a nightmarish wedding with lots of angry guests or no guests at all.
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