Is a destination WEDDING COSTLY?
The short answer is no, and here’s why...
“If I had a dollar every time I’ve been asked, ‘is it expensive’, I’d be rich!,” says Wedding Travel Specialist Anita Gatley (weddingtravel.co.nz). We asked Anita to explain how to best arrange a destination wedding.
“For those that have organised a wedding locally, prices are readily available and there really aren’t too many variables. But a destination wedding is a bit different. It’s not just a simple case of Google searching specific costs. As destination weddings are booked several months (or years) in advance, it is impossible to give a totally accurate price, because there are things such as currency fluctuations and room rates to consider. However, if you book with a Wedding Travel Specialist – someone who has relationships with key resorts and suppliers and books their services all the time – then you have more chance of getting a fairly accurate cost and even negotiated rates locked in especially for you and your group!
When booking with a Wedding Travel Specialist you may be asked for a planning fee. The reason for this is that a huge amount of work goes into preparing a quote for a wedding. Once you’ve decided on the destination, you’ll likely be given a few options. This may contain several room categories – remember, if you have a medium/large wedding, say 50-150 people, not everyone is going to be able to have the lead-in standard room!
Your Wedding Travel Specialist can get you the best deals available and will often make suggestions that you hadn’t even thought of, such as different transfer options or ways to save money by staying in different room types. They aren’t prepared to make recommendations unless they are confident of the standard. Your specialist is happy to quote and recommend options but remember you are relying on their experience and knowledge and you must be prepared to pay for that privilege. This is what sets them apart and will give you the confidence that if anything does go wrong they have your back.”