Jaisalmer fort or a Goa beach, here are 5 money hacks for a destination wedding

A golden sunset in the Thar desert amidst tents and camels, the spiritual embrace of the Ganga at Rishikesh, the picturesque beauty of Mussoorie, queen of the hills… These are not just holiday destinations anymore. Wedding season is here, and as we Covid-19 ebbs, those tying the knot want to make that special moment extra special.

Destination weddings are back in vogue. The neighbourhood community hall is no longer enough. Young couples want to exchange wedding vows at serene locales and take their families and friends along for the experience of a lifetime.

To be sure, it’s a costly affair. And you need to plan it well in advance. Wedding budgets can spiral out of control if you plan at the last minute, especially if you want to take an entourage along.  "There are multiple additional costs involved in destination weddings, including accommodation, travel to the destination, etc." says Anam Zubair, Head of Marketing, WeddingWire India, a wedding planning service.

But there are ways to keep your wedding costs in check.

Choose an offbeat destination

There is no shortage of gorgeous properties across India to choose from. The first thing to decide is the type of venue for a destination wedding. A hotel in the hills, a resort by the beach or city nuptials in a five star, says Shikha Sreekanth, Communication and PR, WedMeGood, a wedding planning website that lists wedding-focused vendors, with prices of various services.

Popular wedding destinations are highly expensive. “Destination weddings have now become 50 percent more expensive than before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic,” says Vikaas Gutgutia, MD & Founder, FNP Weddings & Events and FNP Venues.

He recommends offbeat locations. For instance, instead of, say, a royal palace in Jodhpur, he suggests options such as Mussoorie, Rishikesh, Kerala, Nagaland, Khimsar in Rajasthan, Shillong in Meghalaya.

The estimated cost range for a destination wedding of up to 150 guests at a palace in Jaipur is Rs 50-70 lakh whereas a wedding at an offbeat location i.e., a hotel in Rishikesh, will cost Rs 40-50 lakh (refer to table).

“Taking costs into consideration, one should look for locations in proximity to their hometowns for ease of transportation,” says Sreekanth. Make sure that your destination is accessible easily via air, road and railway.

Tips to trim the budget

It’s not just the venue costs that you need to account for when planning a destination wedding. “Think about transportation for guests and families of both, the bride and groom, and the stay and transportation costs of photographers, makeup artists and other vendors,” says Sreekanth.

Replace traditional invitations with e-invites. Choose a minimal, yet gorgeous décor. “We recommend do-it-yourself decor for smaller functions such as Mehendi and Haldi,” says Sreekanth. And instead of multiple wedding vendors, she suggests venues that have in-house catering, decor and other services to save on booking them separately.

Book services early

Aside from booking your vendors early, you could also choose local services. Like a local photographer or catering services. This will save on the costs of transportation, accommodation and logistics.

Be prepared for unexpected costs. “You must take into consideration copyright costs, equipment hiring costs, gratuities for pundits, etc,” says Sreekanth. In addition, there are hidden costs at venues such as overtime fees, hiring of non-panel vendors, taxes, etc. which should be accounted for, as well.

Choose an off-season date to get married

Typically, weddings are held on certain auspicious days across the year but this is gradually shifting because of both convenience and costs. “A wedding held on an auspicious date will cost people almost two times more because there is a huge demand for venues, décor and other services (on that day),” says Gutgutia.

The same wedding can be executed at half the cost if one chooses to overlook ‘auspicious’ dates, he adds. Hotels and caterers, too, will inevitably offer discounted rates. There is a scope for better negotiation and you can reduce the total cost.

Keep the guest list trim

This is the trickiest part. Your costs go up as the number of guests go up. And you have to take care of two families here; the bride’s and the groom’s.

So, keep the guest list minimal if you’re concerned about costs. Venues at destination weddings account for per-member costs for each day. You could always keep the guest list at the destination wedding minimal and have a reception for a wider list of family, friends and colleagues after you get back home.

“The number of people on your guest list will decide the per-head cost and therefore the overall cost that you will have to spend on food and beverages, accommodation expenses, travel costs and so on,” says Zubair. So, keep the wedding an intimate affair. The guest list should include only family and close friends if you want a pocket-friendly destination wedding.

Ask for discounts and freebies

When you're making bulk room and venue bookings at a resort or hotel, ask for a discount or freebies. “You'll be surprised at how accommodating a lot of them can be, and they might throw in freebies like a free mini bar or laundry,” says Sreekanth.