As a wedding planner agency, we are quite often asked how much would a destination wedding cost in Italy.
Our answer? Well, it depends.
There are so many things to consider when planning a wedding that I decided to dedicate this blog to those who are still at the beginning of the wedding planning process.
With this article, I am going to break down the average cost for a destination wedding in Italy to help you understand what are the most important things to keep in mind when planning a wedding abroad.
Italy offers a variety of places where you can celebrate your big day, from the north to the south, each region is unique.
Lake Como, Tuscany, Apulia, Sicily, Sardinia are all so different from each other but at the same time so unique and beautiful.
So let's start with the most important part of the wedding, the wedding venue.
Wedding Venue
One of the first things you should know is how much you are willing to spend for your wedding. You need to know your budget.
If you don't have a budget in your mind it's gonna be very hard for you to know what you can afford what you cannot.
Consider that 50-60 % of your budget will go away for the wedding venue.
The choice of the venue is very personal and it depends on the style that you want.
Do you want a rustic venue or a classic one?
By determining what is the style that you want it's gonna be easier for you to find the right venue. Also remember that what is gonna create the whole wedding atmosphere are the decorations, lighting, flowers, and so on.
The final price of the venue will be determined by the rental venue fee, reception or catering, guest accommodation.
It's very important to understand what is included in the final price of the venue. Do they include catering/receptions and guest accommodations or not?
Some venues do, some don't. Make sure to ask the venue for everything in order to avoid bad surprises on your wedding day.
Normally the rental fee for the venue starts from 6000 euro and goes up to 15.000-20.000 euro, this depends on the exclusivity of the villa.
Also, some villas require a minimum stay of 3 nights some don't.
We always insist on knowing all the details of the contract, because it's the only way to make sure you won't miss anything.
Read contracts very carefully.
Catering
Does the venue rental fee include the catering?
If it doesn't you should find one on your own or ask the venue if they collaborate with someone they can advise you.
The average price for dinner starts from 120.00 euros per person up to 250.000 euros ( and more ) and it depends on the menu you are gonna choose, drinks and so on. The more you decide to personalize your menu the more the price will go up.
Wedding Planner
The average price for a wedding planner starts from 3.000 euros and it can be higher.
It depends on the service you want. You might want to consider you need only the wedding planner on the wedding day to coordinate all the suppliers and your guests and make sure everything goes according to the plan, or you might need one that will help you out with everything starting from day 1.
Keep in mind that planning a wedding destination it's important to hire someone who understands English very well and can help you navigate all the possible issues that might present before and or ( in the worst scenario) during your wedding day.
Experienced wedding planners are the ones who know all the problems you can't even think of, and it's ok, you don't have to, they will.
Photographer
The cost of a photographer starts from 2.000 euros and goes up to 4.000-5.000 euros and more. Reliable and talented wedding photographers don't come cheap. Normally the price is influenced by the experience, demand, and location.
They offer different packages and normally they don't include videos. You should consider hiring a videographer you want videos as well.
If you found the right wedding photographer and you feel like he/she is the one that can capture the essence of your wedding day then my suggestion is to book your photographer at least 10 months in advance.
Music
The right music can truly set the tone for the most important day in your life. My suggestion is to hire professional musicians to make sure everything goes smoothly.
There are a few options you might want to consider: a live group, a live duo, a live solo, and a DJ.
In choosing the right entertainment make sure to consider the space of your venue because if you are marrying in a huge venue one musician might not create enough sound, you should consider hiring a band or a DJ.
The budget for music generally goes between 2.000 euros to 4.000 euros.
Our advice is to book your musicians at least 6 months before your wedding day.
Wedding flowers
The cost depends on whether you want the flowers playing a big role in your wedding ceremony or reception decor, or not. Keep in mind that there are factors like the size of the venue, kind of flowers and, the time of the year that will affect the average cost.
Some couples want something minimal, others want a lot of flowers and everywhere. Those are priorities, so my question is, how do you envision your wedding decorations to look?
For something minimal, not too excessive, the cost starts from 2.500 euros and that is the minimum.
Hair and Makeup
You will definitely want to look the best on your wedding day, having someone who will take care of your hair and makeup to make you look beautiful it's certainly worth it.
The cost starts from 800 euros and it depends on the location and the wedding hair and wedding makeup you'd like.
We recommend booking your hairstylist and makeup artist at least 4 months before your wedding day. Do your research, read reviews and you might want to interview your hairstylist and makeup artist to find the ones you are going to be comfortable with and with the style and the vision that is going to match yours.
Have you got any questions regarding the planning and the organization of your wedding?
Wanna learn more?
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