Desti101: Everything You Need to Know About Creating a Destination Wedding Budget - From a Desti

Desti101:

Everything You Need to Know About Creating a Destination Wedding Budget
- From a Desti

     Having a destination wedding is different than any other wedding when it comes to figuring out your wedding budget.

Why?
I’m glad you asked…

     It is true that ALL weddings cost money and you will not know exactly how much anything will cost until you get into the nitty-gritty of wedding planning. But, the reality for Destis planning their destination weddings quickly sinks in when the distance, culture differences and logistics start to matter.  
The silver lining in it all is that the one thing you CAN control is how much money you are going to spend on your destination wedding.
All you have to do is keep a few things in mind when planning your destination wedding budget.

To all of my Bridefriends, I present to you:

The WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, HOW and WHY of destination wedding budgeting!
 

💕Slideshow note for Mobile Users: no words on your pics? 
Text can be seen when in landscape mode, so flip us over and enjoy!

WHO

Who is paying for your destination wedding?

Will you as a couple be paying on your own? Or will there be family contributions? This will vary greatly based on your situation so try to get as much clarity as possible. If family has pledged to contribute, make sure that the expectations are clear in at least these ways:

1. Is the amount they pledged to contribute realistic in your eyes?

2. Is there a clear contribution plan in place?

DestiTip:

Destination weddings can bring out extra strong opinions from your loved ones and if they are contributing, they may feel entitled to some decision making influence in any aspect of planning your destination wedding.

WHAT

What can you afford to pay for your destination wedding?

No matter the number, you can make a destination wedding happen...you just need to establish your lane and stick to it! If you haven’t already, analyze your income and expenses to figure out where money can be saved and put toward the wedding on a monthly basis.

DestiTip:
When calculating this number, you will need to add padding. All weddings require padding, but for a Desti there can be additional taxes that you’ve never heard of, tips and currency exchange rates that can creep in and the little things definitely add up.

WHEN

When is your destination wedding?

If your wedding date doesn’t matter much, you have more flexibility in the total amount of money that can be saved for your destination wedding. But, if you have a golden date that it is important for you to stick to, your savings will be pretty much set based on the amount that you calculated could be saved on a monthly basis between now and that date.

DestiTip:
Be aware that your destination wedding budget can be greatly impacted by your WHEN. Holidays, high season or “wedding season” dates will command a higher price tag for resorts and flights. The same can be said for the actual day upon which your wedding falls - weekends are usually more expensive.

WHERE

Where are you thinking about having your destination wedding?

Some couples start off knowing exactly where they want to have their destination wedding -- and then there’s the rest of us. Knowing exactly where you’re going to have your destination wedding is not mandatory at this point, but having an idea of the region is a good idea to start creating your destination wedding budget. For example, having a destination wedding in Bora Bora will command a much larger budget than a destination wedding in say, Jamaica or Mexico.

DestiTip:

Use flight prices when comparing prices for different locales. A good rule of thumb is this: If it is much more expensive for you to get there, it is likely that you will pay more for your destination wedding overall (assuming the same number of guests are in attendance).

Of course, nothing is set in stone, and there are many ways to save money on your destination wedding, but for the exercise of creating your destination wedding budget - it is a good idea to start looking at different locales if you haven’t already.

HOW

How will you be paying for your destination wedding?

Cash, credit cards, loans or all of the above? Whatever the answer, just make sure that it is something that you BOTH can live happily ever after with. Yes, this is a once in a lifetime event but you have the rest of your lives to enjoy and you don’t want to turn your dream destination wedding into a ball and chain that you drag along with you for all eternity.

DestiTip:
Many DestiPros will request that the final payment is made in cash which can cause you to travel with a lot of dough. Destis don’t need any additional stress, so find out which of your payments can be made before you get to your destination. After making sure that you can trust your DestiPro, make as many payments in full beforehand to travel with less cash on hand.

(Episode 2 of the Bridefriends' Guide to Destination Weddings Podcast has a great cautionary tale about a Desti finding this out the hard way with her photographer for her destination wedding in Mexico.)

WHY

Why are you saving this money for your destination wedding?

Your WHY is the glue that keeps everything together and the oil that keeps everything moving smoothly. It will probably start with something like, “You’re planning the destination wedding of your dreams and marrying your favorite person in the world.” As you travel along your destination wedding budgeting journey, have fun celebrating the milestones along the way.

DestiTip:
I've kept an online daily journal at www.blackdestinationbride.com which serves as a great reminder and motivation to save moolah and I highly recommend it! Of course, setting up a blog may be overkill for some, but even a personal journal will do the job and keep you in Desti celebration-mode through your journey!

     As you can see, the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE HOW and WHY of destination wedding planning budgeting is pretty simple but awfully important!

     Remember that it’s your DestiLand and there are no wrong answers, but you MUST find these answers
if you want to know your destination wedding planning budget.

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As a Recap:

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WHO is paying for your destination wedding?

💕Photo courtesy of Queztal Photo - See this Tulum, Mexico Desti Wedding's gallery here

WHAT can you afford to pay for your destination wedding?

💕Photo courtesy of David de Biasí - See this Malaga, Spain Desti Wedding's gallery here

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WHEN is your destination wedding?

💕Photo courtesy of Shenko Photo - See this Playa del Carmen, Mexico Desti Wedding's gallery here

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WHERE are you keeping the money you save for your destination wedding?

💕Photo courtesy of Petronella Photography's feature on Mountain Bride - See this Styled Desti Boho inspiration wedding shoot gallery and video here

View fullsize

HOW will you be paying for your destination wedding?

💕Photo courtesy of Heli Weddings NZ - See this New Zealand Desti Wedding's gallery here

View fullsize

WHY are you saving this money for you destination wedding?

💕Photo courtesy of Stanlo Photography - See this Bahamas Desti Wedding's gallery here

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Don’t cheat yourself! Treat yourself...DestiStyle!

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Every week we tackle a new Desti topic and we also interview past Desti Couples and DestiPros from around the world to get a peek “behind the veil” of destination wedding planning!
Listen at any time for FREE, REAL and USABLE destination wedding planning advice to see how it’s really done!

Find THE Bridefriends' Guide to Destination Wedding Planning Podcaston:

Until next time…

Have the time of your life while planning the best days of your life!

Love,
BlackDesti
💕🛫 👰🏾💍💕