Destination Weddings: Hawaii
I received an email from a Cheap Ways to Tie the Knot reader named Esteban last night. His girlfriend bought him the book as they plan on getting engaged and having a wedding in Hawaii. “We are thinking of having our wedding in Kona, Hawaii because her parents currently have a condo and live part of the year there,” he wrote. “She also has some sentimental reasons for wanting it there. I want it to be wherever she'll be happy, and Hawaii is pretty awesome. It would be outdoors, with the ocean behind us. We are going to be on a budget and we still need to research but $5,000 would be ideal. I currently live in Dallas, TX, and my girlfriend is moving here in some months. She is in Hawaii right now and is trying to find out as much information as possible.”
He asked what advice I could post on the site about “cheap ways to get married somewhere that's far away and still be on a budget.” One of his main concerns was the cost for friends and family members to get there.
In addition to my advice in this post, please post your ideas for Esteban and others to check out!
Pros:
• Destination weddings cost, on average, about 40 percent less than the traditional wedding. The reason this is so is because the guest list is drastically reduced (just closest friends and family come) and the bride and groom don’t usually cover travel expenses (airfare, hotel, etc.) for their guests.
• Additionally, if the destination wedding is planned at a resort, usually the package will include all the details—saving time and headaches for the couple.
• And on top of that, usually the couple honeymoons at the same place the wedding is, saving on additional travel costs.
Cons:
• Only a handful attend the wedding.
• It can be a financial burden for friends and family.
• You have less control over the planning details.
The couple must weigh what’s more important to them. For Esteban, it sounds like a big “pro” in his situation is that her parents have a condo (offsetting hotel costs). The location and style of reception they choose will make or break the $5,000 budget. This also depends on if one can "stage" their own wedding on a public beach, or if they have to go through a resort or agency.
However, the biggest question mark as he brought up, is the travel expenses for their guests. This is a valid concern since Hawaii is a top honeymoon destination. One way to offset the cost is to have the wedding in a shoulder or off-season (mid-April to mid-June and Sept. to mid-Dec. (The ironic thing about those seasons in Hawaii is that the weather is better. Read more about that here.)
A quick search for an airfare from Dallas to Kona (on sample dates June 15-18, 2007) show that the cheapest round trip ticket is $868. One could also try Priceline.com.
If everyone can swing the travel expenses, here are some additional tips on saving money on the actual wedding:
• Go local. From food to flowers, look for locally sourced products and you’ll eliminate shipping costs.
• Think vegetarian for the food—in Hawaii, this should be delicious. Also, fish is usually cheaper than beef for wedding receptions and Hawaii is known for its delicious local varieties of fish.
• Get casual. The more casual the affair, the less expensive resources will be. A beach wedding will fit this style perfectly.
• Friendly faces. Ask a friends or family members who are flying to the wedding to do the photography, make-up, music and anything else you can think of—but only if you feel absolutely comfortable with this. If not, I’m sure there are a plethora of local wedding vendors who will be happy to take your money. Ask around and get referrals.
Additional articles:
Save on the Wedding, Spend on the House
BOOK REVIEW: The Knot offers guide to destination weddings
Comments
If you are forcing folks to travel, it may be a good idea to talk to a travel agent to see if you can save folks some money by setting up a package deal that includes airfare, transportation, lodging and maybe even a little sightseeing tour thrown in.
Posted by: stephen | April 17, 2007 08:23 AM
Thank you very much for the post, the resources and the comments!
Posted by: Esteban | April 18, 2007 01:18 AM