#DestinationWeddingSeries – Are Destination Weddings Only For The Rich? Myths Debunked

Dreaming of a destination wedding but think it is way beyond the weight of your wallet? Sweat not! We kick off our destination wedding series by debunking the top destination wedding myths. Urban legends, destination big-foot, the destination wedding matrix revolution, the biggest scare, we have it all covered. Now, you don’t have to stop yourself from scooting off to lalaland to tie the knot in destination style.

What if we told you, you could ditch the traditional hometown wedding and opt for a destination wedding at more or less the same cost and that too all-inclusive (comprising food, stay, pre-wedding, wedding and reception arrangement)? Don’t believe us? Well you better do, cos we are about to blow your mind.

This time we bring to you, our #DestinationWeddingSeries aimed to encourage you to think outside the box when it comes to planning your very own destination wedding. Whether you want to be ‘cast away’ to an island wedding, pretend to be the pirate groom in the Caribbean’s, celebrate your love in Tokyo, or take your ‘crazy baraat’ and ‘shaandar’ shaadi to the palaces of Rajasthan, the beaches of Goa or the hills of Aravali, check out this space for tips, tricks, myths, cheat sheets, budgeting information and more.

Destination weddings cost you no less than 1CR

Who said? Cos it’s so not true! The amount of money you will splurge on a high-end lawn wedding or a 5 star banquet wedding in your hometown, can be put to good use in planning a destination wedding. You can plan a stylish destination wedding for up to 200 guests within 25-35 lakhs. That is the average moolah spent on pretty much any wedding these days. So why marry at home if you can marry on vacation, right?

Your guests can’t afford it, hence no one will turn up

Aren’t we all looking for a grand excuse to take time off work, go on a Holiday and have someone pay for it? Alright, alright! At least a part of it. Heck, I’m willing to gate crash a destination wedding, let alone not turning up to the one planned for my favourite cousin, where I’m invited. Cross notion off the list! Cos they will come.

Destination weddings = all-inclusive beach weddings only

Destination weddings are not limited to beach weddings only. You can host a grand garden wedding on a hilltop or a royal wedding at a heritage palace, that too on a budget.

A destination wedding means flying to another country

A wedding away from home means hosting a wedding in a different country. Again, not true. You’re from the hills and your fiancé is from the plains – find a plateau, literally. Central for you, central for him and central for the guests. You really don’t need to visit the passport office.

You have to bear guest’s travel expenses as well

It’s not obligatory for you to pay for your guest’s travel expenses if you’re having a destination wedding. Though it’s a sweet idea to arrange comfort and convenience for them, it’s not necessary. What you could do instead is give them a useful guide on how to reach the destination hassle-free. And, with you offering them a relaxed get away from home filled with fun, frolic and lots of entertainment, they will surely not mind spending a little on transportation.

Life is hectic anyway, planning a destination wedding will suck the life out of you

Who said you have to plan the wedding all by yourself? Take help from your bridal party or better yet, hire a professional planner who can take care of all the little to big arrangements and roadblocks involved in planning your special day. There’s no better ice breaker than getting your bridal party involved in your wedding planning. It’s also not a bad idea to pay a small fee to a local wedding planner who is aware of the area and can get things working for you.

Limited guests only, say about 50 to 60?

Yes, your guest list will down-size, but not all that drastically.  Why do we say that? Because everyone who matters and everyone who needs to be there will be there. Now, is that not the way you would want to celebrate your union? Most FYI – Destination weddings can be planned within reasonable budgets if you are looking at 150-200 guests.

Planning for Stay will make the wedding too expensive

Whether it is a wedding in your backyard or in some exotic destination, stay options for outstation guests have to be figured out anyway. In a destination wedding, everyone attending your special day including you will be shacking up in a hotel or a resort. Most properties offer all-inclusive packages for stay, meals, banquet, décor, functions and local transport. You might end up spending more money planning all this in your own hometown in comparison to a destination.

Now you have to plan activities for a 2 or 3 day stay too

Like we mentioned earlier, hiring a local wedding planner makes planning your big day a smooth ride to the aisle. Still if you insist on taking up responsibilities of running things on your own, like arranging for other activities that will keep your guests entertained throughout the stay, your bridal party could be your knights in shining armour. Also, most venues have their wedding planning staff on board whom you can rely on for expert consultations.

It automatically becomes a honeymoon destination

Who is spreading these rumours?! It is a good idea to escape from the entire hullabaloo once you’ve said “I Do”, but it’s not a compulsion. With a destination wedding fitting perfectly into your decided wedding budget (where you can also end up saving some bucks), you can use that extra cash to explore another location and enjoy your honeymoon.

Legal complications

Marriage certification procedures at places all over India are more or less the same. A consultant at the destination you plan to get hitched can always guide you through the complete procedure. It’s not all that complex, so don’t panic. Communicating with the right person who can solve your worries is the key.

Phew! We hope to have dispelled the major myths you may have concerning destination weddings. Stay tuned for more dope.