Curious about how much a dream destination wedding truly costs? Who better to spill the tea than the brides themselves! From glamorous venues to unexpected hidden costs, these real brides have lived the experience and know exactly what goes into planning a picture-perfect destination celebration. So, we asked them to break it down for us – the jaw-dropping totals, the little-known expenses, and some insider tips on how they made their wedding day everything they dreamed of. Ready to find out what it really takes to say “I do” in style? Keep reading!
Image via Soumya and Khaleel
Shobha says
I always wanted a Rajasthani-style wedding! We had my destination wedding in Jaipur last year and we had around 250 odd guests with events over two days. So, it was a 2 nights-3 days event at Novotel, Jaipur with us looking at all the costs, including airfare and transportation. The total expenses came up to 1.7 cr with venue expenses, accommodation, food, entertainment, gifts, photography, outfits for me, four events (welcome lunch, mehendi, sangeet and wedding) and all the transportation. We had an amazing wedding planner who helped us get good deals.
Parthavi says
My destination wedding was a budget one. I really wanted a destination wedding but had a set budget. So, we did a staycation style wedding in Kerala – where my husband is from. We had to arrange travel from Delhi only for half the guests. We had around 175 guests in total for 2 nights. We had a pretty sustainable wedding so did not do big décor or lavish gifting or outfits. The wedding cost us 55 lakhs for all accommodation, travel, food and events.
Image via Sharanya and Vinay
Devika says
While I wanted a destination wedding, I also did not want to go all out with endless spends. So, what we did was a destination wedding at Karjat, which is a 2-hour drive away from Mumbai. So that brought my transportation cost to zero because everyone could drive down from Mumbai. We accommodated our guests at Radisson Karjat – we had about 350-400 guests for two nights. But we did not do the events at the hotel. We booked gorgeous farmhouses and wedding venues around the area to host our events, bringing down the cost. All our events and food were managed by individual vendors (big thanks to WMG for all the listings!) and so was the décor. The total expense for this 2-day affair went to 90 lakhs for venue, food, accommodation and décor.
Avnee says
Goa was my dream destination wedding location and that’s what we did. With around 300 guests over 3 days with 5 events, we had booked ITC for our main venue. Airfare and transportation were borne by guests as it was one flight away for most of our guests. The total cost was close to 1.45 cr for all the accommodation, five events with themes (all events had an open bar), food, décor, mehendi artists, welcome bags, wedding planner, photographer and makeup/hair for me. We went all out and had a blast! Do note that some hotels in Goa allow for outside liquor, which will take your costs down drastically as alcohol is cheaper in Goa.
Image via Madhura and Veer
Saarvi says
We had our wedding at Lake Como last summer and it was absolutely amazing. We had only 50 of our close friends and family come in for the wedding and two events over the course of two days and one night. A welcome dinner + sangeet party and a wedding. We took care of the airfare, visas, venue and accommodation for our guests. We ended up spending 1.25 cr for all this. Plus, around 90 lakhs for décor, photography, gifting, makeup artists, DJ and some permits. This did not include outfits, jewellery and custom fees.
Kavisa says
My destination wedding in Gurgaon cost us around 75-80 lakhs. Destination since we are from Delhi and my husband’s side was from MP. We booked Sheraton and had around 120 guests. This cost included all venue, accommodation, transport for all, décor, makeup, photography and welcome gifts.
Image via Surbhi and Anmol
Sophia says
We chose the Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua for our wedding. To ensure we save on costs, we worked with local planners to secure better deals and navigate the legal paperwork for a destination wedding in Bali. For 100 guests for 2 nights and travel, the cost was around 1.2 cr. This included all venues, accommodation, transport for all, food and décor. We also booked the property 10 months in advance which helped us get a good deal!
All images are for representative purposes only
Want to get planning on your destination wedding? Check out How Much Does A Destination Wedding In Jaipur Cost?
Also, Useful Tips For Planning A Destination Wedding On A Budget All By Yourself!
Tips & Tricks To Keep In Mind For A Staycation Destination Wedding Right Now