The Hidden Costs of a Destination Wedding

One of the most common misconceptions about destination weddings is that they save the couple a ton of money. I’m not saying this is entirely untrue, but I will say the true costs of a destination wedding can surprise couples once they’ve started planning and budgeting for one. This is because destination weddings generally have the stereotype of being a cheaper option than a traditional wedding.

If your main goal is to keep your wedding as affordable as possible a destination wedding is still a great option. Even if you planned on having a destination wedding regardless of your budget, there are plenty of ways to keep it financially feasible. 

Unfortunately though, if you don’t know a lot about destination weddings, some things may catch you off guard financially. That can leave you feeling discouraged and overwhelmed. 

So, we’re going to discuss all of the hidden costs of a destination wedding so nothing will catch you by surprise when planning your big day. We’ll go over the four most common hidden costs of a destination wedding and ways to stick to your budget if you find yourself getting off track.

If it’s easier to listen to this post in podcast form, check out our episode here:

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Add-ons

First, and arguably the most impactful of the hidden costs of a destination wedding, are wedding package add-ons. A lot of the times when you’re trying to figure out the true cost of a destination wedding brides will look at the wedding package listed on the resort’s website. Although this is a great place to start, it can be very misleading. 

What the package does tell you is what exactly is included in it. You’ll get a good sense for what most all-inclusive resorts include in their wedding packages, but here’s a brief overview.

Usually, all-inclusive resorts have three tiers of wedding packages. They typically range from free or complimentary with a certain number of nights booked, a middle of the road tier, and a top tier that includes more “luxury” amenities. 

Some resorts have up to 5 packages, and some have more of an a la carte option. For the sake of simplicity, I’ll discuss what’s typically included in a wedding package using the common three tier model. 

The free or complimentary package:

• Onsite wedding coordinator through the resort
• Bridal bouquet
• Groom’s boutonniere
• Wedding cake
• Minister or judge services for a symbolic ceremony
• Sparkling wine for wedding toast
• Preparation of the couple’s wedding day attire
• Late checkout
• Special turndown service the night of your wedding
• Basic ceremony and dinner setup (white table and chairs with linens)

Middle tier package:

• Additional bouquets and/or boutonnieres 
• Hair and makeup for one member of the wedding couple
• Cocktail hour for up to a certain number of guests (typically 20-25)
• Private dinner for certain number of guests
• Additional decor items like centerpieces or chair covers 
• Free anniversary nights with certain number of return nights booked 
• Certain number of photos from the photographer

Top tier package:

• Additional decor items (covers, aisle runner, centerpieces)
• Additional photos 
• Spa treatment for the couple
• Live music during cocktail hour or reception
• Additional guests included for the dinner or cocktail hour
• Room upgrades 

Now, just reviewing those out loud or seeing them on the site might get you thinking, “Okay, so what could I possibly need that’s not included there?” And that’s where they get you. 

I personally thought we had pretty much everything we needed in our top tier package. Until the resort sent us a 5 page list of added items and services we could tack on. All of them were optional, of course, but I’m not going to lie, I didn’t even realize what wasn’t included until I saw that list. 

So now I’ll break this down by category just to give you a sense of what was on their add-on list that’s not included in your wedding package.

Ceremony:

• Multiple added charges for a legal marriage (services, blood test, translation, and transportation)
• Set up fee for any decor above the package level (think chair covers, florals, petals, etc.)
• Bridesmaid’s bouquets 
• Groomsmen’s boutonnieres 

Decor:

• Additional centerpieces for more than one table
• Floral arrangements
• Linens, table overlays, and colored napkins
• Giant signs 

Music:

• Speakers and sound equipment
• DJ
• Instrumentalists 
• Dance floor

Reception:

• Fireworks
• Sparklers 
• Tiki torches
• Party favors like mini tequila bottles and maracas 

Now, you may hear all those add-ons and not be interested in any of them. In which case the cost of your wedding package can be pretty accurate for what you’ll end up paying. As long as you don’t go above the number of guests that are included in that package, which is our next big hidden cost we’re going to go over. 

Guest limits on your wedding package

Notice when I went over what was included in your wedding package most of the time the resort only covers a certain number of guests. On average, this number is around 20 or 25 guests. Which means you’ll be paying a fee for any number of guests over that amount to cover their food, drinks if you’re having a cocktail hour or toast, and wedding cake or dessert. 

Our wedding was through Now Jade and the package included up to 25 guests. We ended up having 50 people in total. So the package started out at $3,500 and just adding the guests we had for food and drinks added another $2,500 to our cost. They charged $95.00 per adult and $47.50 for children. 

This is one of the huge hidden costs of a destination wedding that a lot of brides don’t consider or even know about when starting to budget and plan for their destination wedding. If you already know you’ll be having a very small and intimate wedding this may not affect you. For those brides that know they’re having 50+ people come to their wedding this is an expense that can double your package cost in the end. 

So, what do you do? If you haven’t chosen a resort yet, make sure to take a look at their packages (or discuss with your travel agent) how many guests would be included. If it covers a lot less than you’re expecting will come then you may have to cut back in other ways. 

Another option is to cut back on who you’re inviting if you haven’t already sent your invitations. If you’re trying to stay to a strict budget you may have to limit the amount of people you invite. Have a conversation with your fiance about your guest list and really try to narrow down the most important people. If you are still having a hard time cutting people then you may just need to adjust your budget to accommodate that extra cost if it’s more important to you that they attend your wedding.

Added fees associated with add-ons

So now that we’ve covered the add-ons and limited guests included in your package the next hidden cost is added fees associated with your package or add-on services.  

One of the biggest for us was taxes. Unfortunately, the wedding package listed on the resort’s website didn’t have taxes included so right off the bat our package went from $3,500 to $4,100 just by adding taxes. Taxes will then also be added to any additional add-ons you end up choosing. 

Now, if you choose to select any of those add-ons they might also come with added fees.

In the end here’s what we personally selected for our add-ons:

• Sound system (this was one thing I didn’t realize wasn’t included in the package.) I assumed because we were having a reception that music would be played and that’s part of the wedding experience. We ended up playing our own music off of a downloaded Spotify playlist, but still had to pay for the sound system to play it off of.
• Cold fireworks
• Bar set up 
• Light package (both of these were considered mandatory because we had our reception on the beach, they could have been avoided if we chose an indoor reception location.)
• 2 additional boutonnieres 

Overall, we kept things pretty minimal. But, with these add-ons came some fees as well. So we got charged for a setup fee for the sound system, bar setup and light package. In the end it didn’t cost us all that much more, but keep this in mind if you plan on having more add-ons than we did. Especially if they’re related to decor or having staff set up.

Things you didn’t consider in your budget

Okay, now we’ve gone over everything associated with your wedding package that can catch you by surprise. Next, we’re going to discuss some general destination wedding expenses that you may not have considered in your budget that may come up as one of the hidden costs of a destination wedding. 

Photographer

If you noticed when we were going over what’s included in your package you may have noticed that the photography services associated with the resort and package only include a certain number of photos. Usually, this ranges from 35-75 prints, which to some couples isn’t nearly enough. 

This is why a photographer can be an added expense you may not have considered at first. If you choose to hire an outside vendor for your photography you’re adding a couple thousand dollars. 

If you need further guidance on hiring an outside photographer or not, check out our post, “Should You Use the Resort’s Photographer or Hire an Outside Vendor?“

Spa treatments

Next is not as significant, but can still catch you by surprise in the weeks leading up to your wedding. If you plan on getting your haircut and/or colored, any tanning, waxing, nail treatments, or any other spa treatments can add up to a few hundred dollars in the end. Think about this early on and make sure to leave room for it in your budget. 

Flowers

As mentioned earlier, most wedding packages only include a bouquet and boutonniere for the bride and groom. If you want bridesmaids to have bouquets or any floral arrangements for centerpieces or decor that would be an added expense. 

Gifts 

If you plan on gifting anything to your fiance, parents, grandparents, maid of honor, or any other special attendants these gifts can add up quickly. A lot of the times they’re personalized or custom made and end up costing a little more than you may have considered. 

Need gift ideas for your loved ones? Check out these ideas:

• Gift Ideas for Your Husband
• Gift Ideas for Your Bridesmaids
• Gift Ideas for Your Father/Father-in-Law
• Gift Ideas for Your Mother/Mother-in-Law

Welcome bags 

Welcome bags have become a popular trend to provide for your guests for a destination wedding. It’s a nice gesture to say thank you for making the trip and a lot of times replaces the party favors you normally see. Again, in the end the cost of these might surprise you. Individually, each item is really cheap, but adding up 50 bags of toiletries, the bags themselves, cards or notes included in them, and the luggage space needed to bring them can be surprisingly expensive. 

Tipping 

Tipping is sometimes overlooked in the budget for a destination wedding. It’s not a substantial amount in the end, but can add a little more than you were anticipating. Just make sure to leave a little room for that. If you aren’t sure how much to set aside for tipping service or what’s expected, check out our post, “Tipping Guide for Your Destination Wedding.”

In the end, a destination wedding can still save you and your fiance a lot of money. As long as you’re as informed as possible about the hidden costs of a destination wedding and aren’t caught off guard by hidden fees and charges. I hope that’s exactly what we’ve provided for you to give you the best plan of attack on budgeting for your destination wedding.

Thank you again for tuning in and letting me be a small part in your destination wedding journey.