To think I can plan a destination wedding for under 15K? Advice/ tips needed.

[tigerlilt]

Looking to get married in summer 2028, currently my top choices are greek islands, mallorca but would be open to other suggestions! As long as it’s warm, pretty and feels like a holiday i’m in! Set on a destination wedding as prices in the UK are EXTORTIONATE, want a higher guarantee of sun and it means we don’t have to invite anyone we don’t want to!
Would probably be about 50 guests and we have a budget of £15,000.

Am I delusional or is it possible to plan a beautiful wedding abroad for this price? I’m thinking we could save money by starting at around 4pm and therefore only having to serve food once?! DP only request is that there is an open bar for a portion of the night.

So I ask, has anyone had a wedding abroad and if so, what did it cost? where was it? any tips or tricks?! and any suggestions for specific destinations such as planners/ photographers/ music ect?!

I’ve seen packages such as Ionian weddings but i’m just not sure this is the most cost effective way of doing it!

Any advice welcome, thankyou.

I would agree with this. I have also been to destination weddings and due to the appreciation that guests have paid and travelled to be there it is usually not just the one day event. It is usually a dinner/bbq/pizzas the night before and day 2 with food and drinks also. I don’t think it’s doable on your budget especially as the open bar for 50 people would take a large chunk of it. I do agree that 4pm is a normal time for a wedding in a sunny destination though, any early and your guests al would be melting

Contrary to MN belief, some people enjoy a destination wedding. A chance to have a holiday and catch up with family & close friends. As MN likes to say, it’s an invitation not a summons. My friend went to a destination wedding and it was also late afternoon. I remember as she video called to see her dog around lunchtime and she was still on the beach. It’s pretty standard overseas, not cheap. Maybe join some wedding forums where people aren’t just mean for the sake of it like MN. Also many on here struggle to keep one friendship so find the concept of 50 people coming to a destination wedding unbelievable, but some people like to join their family & friends to celebrate happy times. Sure beats only seeing family and old friends at funerals, which is what I seem to do these days. Wishing you a happy wedding.

It’s not cheaper! I married last year, had 46 guests total cost £6500 including church, drinks reception and cake for 100, 3 course sit down meal for 46, live band and evening food for 30 extra guests, free bar throughout. My dress, his suit (bought) 4 x adults bridesmaids dresses. The trick is to find a venue that isn’t marketed as a wedding venue, mine didn’t have a wedding licence (didn’t need one, we married in church), I negotiated £59 a night at local ibis. Had warm sunshine despite in being October. Honestly you need to add on all the extra people will pay to compare the budget

I love them!

Funerals?

I enjoyed a destination wedding pre kids. I think we went to 4, all close family and friends. We didn't mind paying for flights and accommodation but it would help if there were some options for different budgets e.g. spain flight and not in the middle of no where. I think there was a bbq meal provided the evening before each wedding and the open bar and meal on the day. Later start time deffo the norm but loved that as we'd spend the morning by the pool. My advice would be that the make up and hair person included might not be to your taste. Some European styles are quite different to typical Brit bride. Same for the DJ. Definitely worth looking at reviews from UK couples.

Set on a destination wedding as prices in the UK are EXTORTIONATE,

Yes, so you want to get married abroad to pass on those costs to your guests 😂.

Expecting them to have to pay to travel abroad, yet only pay for one meal and free drinks for part of the evening is just so tight!

If you want to get married in the heat, just go and get married abroad-the two of you.

I love destination weddings, I had one and have attended several.

Contrary to others, I prefer not to be over scheduled with wedding activities such as dinner the night before and breakfast the following day, as I tend to consider it a family holiday with one day dedicated to celebrating a friend / family members wedding. All the extra events are unnecessary and mean that guests cant schedule day trips etc.

I think your budget is pretty healthy, dont dilute what you can provide on your wedding day just to add a load of unexpected extras on other days. Spend your budget on one great day and then let people do what they want the rest of the time.

My close friends got married in Corfu a few years ago. They organised it themselves by email and paid for the following: barbecue/ party on night we arrived at the place many of us were staying (small gorgeous self-catered complex), all food on day of wedding, which was at the same complex (legal marriage was in UK), cabs and boat to restaurant (gorgeous taverna on tiny idyllic beach) and obviously the enormous hours long meal (metamorphasised from lunch to dinner), and transport home in minibuses from wedding party. They also subsidised accommodation costs a bit. It was in June before the school holidays and was absolutely brilliant and very special. We went for a week and treated it as a wedding with beach holiday. It’s somewhere I would go anyway. If they had done it in school holidays costs would have been sky high, but 15 years ago and in term time it was affordable.

Look, I’m trying to be helpful here.

You’ve started a thread (not a ‘feed’) on Mumsnet’s AIBU board. AIBU stands for ‘Am I Being Unreasonable?’. It’s a well known bear pit of a place.

Personally I’d post again on the Weddings board. I think that’s the topic that would fit in with the discussion vibe you’re after.

I hope your maternity leave goes well and good luck

And all drinks on those days (first night and wedding). Then on other days we just treated it like a holiday, doing some things together or going off as friends, couples, families etc. It was brilliant.

Destination weddings .

Oh, right.

As one PP touched on, you have to decide if you want a full legal wedding or just. Asymbolic ceremony. The former will have varying requirements depending on where it is often including a residence requirement. A quick Google says 7 or 8 days in Greece which you mentioned

Yep same. The 2 destination weddings I have been to had all meals and drinks included for day before wedding, day of wedding and day after. 1 also had accommodation included for all guests and airport transfers so we only had to pay for flights.

Can’t believe the awful replies on here to this question. Baffling.

Anyway, when my partner and I considering getting married about (5 years ago though now) we looked at Cyprus and the whole thing being on the beach. The ceremony and then a BBQ on the beach by a catering company that provided seating, tables, etc. I can’t remember the price but it was significantly cheaper than other options and I absolutely loved the idea but appreciate it may be a bit casual for some.

Posting in AIBU was probably a mistake.

I would have this moved to weddings or holidays, as you are going to get more hate about the destination wedding rather than responses to your question.

Christ on a bike people here are so negative. One of my close relatives had a wedding on Zante - she invited 135 thinking most wouldn't come, and all 135 came. Granted, not many had school age children. We had a whale of a time. Costings came in at less than 10k but this was 10 years ago so not relevant.
Good luck OP, sure you'll find something!

Also, somewhere like Slovenia, Albania or Montenegro might be nice and different.

I had a destination wedding/event that lasted around 2 weeks and 30 friends from all over the world came, not including family. So this is not true at all. I would much rather go to the Greek islands or Spain for a wedding than the UK, plus, like OP said, guaranteed sun and nice weather. I'm sure plenty would go.

I’ve only been to one wedding abroad (Italy) and the entire weekend was paid for. Friday evening to Sunday lunchtime - all meals, all alcohol and accommodation. We just paid for flights.

You’d not be getting an ESTA if you wanted a Disneyland fix anytime soon.

Has he been born yet?

We did a DIY destination wedding as limited to school holidays and that left limited options.
Plumped for area in France we knew well and had very cheap flights ( Nice airport). Family and friends live all the country so would have to travel.
Booked a large Airbnb with pool, jacuzzi and rooms for bridesmaids and me (£3k) Fri - Tuesday. Groom and his friends rented another. Paid for parents hotel and everyone else got there own.
Hen night Friday which was anyone who wanted to come.
Sat Wedding at 4 out by the pool with pre drink champers from Carrfour. Meal at posh restaurant in town £70 a head with unlimited wine - 5 course buffet.
Next day we paid for taxis to a local tourist spot (Eze) and admission to the garden.
Monday it was family day by the pool.
It was seen as a holiday by most with lots booking a week . Some just flew in and out if they had work.
The only faffy bits were favours people could take home( pens with the date and flip flops). Venue was outstandingly beautiful- it’s own vineyard and views so needed nothing.

Shocked this happens in real life. No one I know ever done this and if they had it be a polite thank you for invite and congratulations from us. We don't have the leave or money for this sort of thing