Every year, many couples choose Italy as their romantic destination to tie the knot. Who can blame them? There are several different attractive reasons to do so: the great weather, the internationally acclaimed and imitated cuisine, the amazing picturesque venues out of a film, and, surprisingly, to save money. Shocked? By choosing a destination wedding you automatically will cut the size the guest list, whether you want to or not. The fact is that not everyone will be able to afford this short holiday, so the 150+ guests you invited will certainly go down to 70 or 40 guests. Don’t despair – this lowers all sorts of costs per person, especially catering and accommodation if the couple is planning on covering the latter.
Weddings in Italy do not have to drain your wallets, nor is choosing a destination wedding a way of cutting down on costs. You can have your Italian dream wedding and save money, too, with these few tips:
Venue 2 for 1
Hire a venue where you can both lodge the guests and double as the reception location. This way you will accommodate everyone and your wallets without paying extra rental and transport fees. Take it even further by holding your ceremony and the reception in the same location, or even in a church, for example, that is walking distance from the town hall or other reception area. There are several venues in Italy where you can have a civil ceremony or a Catholic ceremony (in the private church), the wedding reception and the accommodation for the whole wedding group.
Flexi-Wedding
Be flexible with the date. If you are open to having your ceremony and reception during the week instead of the peak weekends, you can save some cash for the honeymoon. You will save money on not only the location(s), but the catering, and most other services. Just think of the difference between travelling in high and low seasons. If you choose a date that is within the holiday low season, you will get really special deals from hotels, villas, restaurants, etc. Have your heart set on an outdoor wedding? Don’t fret. The weather in Italy, especially in the south, is spectacular also in October or April, and you can have a beautiful celebration, but while spending less money than you would in July or August.
RSVP ASAP
In order for you and your guests to save on airfare, you should book your flights in advance. The cheapest flights can be through several different airlines that will have their special low-cost rates several months ahead of time. Be sure to ask your guests to respond at least four months in advance, otherwise prepare for all the cheap flight tickets to be gone!
Befriend the locals
If you choose local vendors, such as local photographers or florists, you will save on quality. The florists know which flowers will be in bloom in the area, and which flowers would be best alternatives for your budget. Photographers know the environments and how to best use the natural lights and will not hesitate to capture your special moments with excellent quality photographs. Plus, they won’t charge you any travel fees.
Buy Italian
If you’re in Italy, choose Italian flowers over imports. These local Italian flowers will be cheaper than the ones imported from Holland or from exotic countries. If you are going for a country chic or rustic wedding, pots of herbs or lavender bunches are a cute and cheap alternative to flowers. If you have larger tables to seat more guests, you will need fewer centrepieces per table.
Eat Italian
Italy is known for many arts, and food is certainly one of them. Ask a local shop for an Italian wedding cake, instead of the UK or American multi-tier cake. The Italian millefoglie is delicious and is good value. If you are keen on a multi-tier cake, you can go for an alternative stand with cupcakes or tiramisu in small glasses. Classic, chic, and tasty.
Elope!
If you have a very low budget, choose a romantic town in Italy for an elopement (there are plenty to choose from!). You can have your wedding and honeymoon in one of the most romantic countries in the world, without any hassle. If it’s just the two of you, there is no need to worry about a venue, caterer, favours, and awkward in-laws.
For more information, check out getmarriedinitaly.net.
Feature image by getmarriedinitaly.net.
