REALISTIC BUDGETTING FOR A WEDDING in italy
When planning a wedding, no matter the location, Instagram & Pinterest will become your best friend and worst enemy.
The inspiration is constant and endless, all of which takes time, creativity and preparation. Bear in mind that everything you see costs money - but don’t get startled! There are tips and tricks to spend your money right and get the wedding of your dreams.
WHERE TO SAVE MONEY
DECORATIONS
Use the surroundings – you might not need big flower decorations when having an outdoor wedding in beautiful surroundings.
Decide on the best spots before booking the venue and check their IG for inspo.
WINE
We love good wine, but we love good wine at a great price even more!
When choosing a local wine you get so much value for money.
Catering will always suggest a wine pairing with their menu, and it’s typically not a bad idea to follow their advise.
GUESTS
Undoubtedly the biggest money saver.
It can be difficult to limit your guest list as you don’t want to step on someone’s toes.
Set a price pr. person and be realistic.
Should the list include plus one’s you’ve barely met, your cousins’ children, or the aunt your mother can’t stress enough “would be devastated not to go”, but whom you don’t even remember.
Think about your own expectations had the invitation been reversed. It’s your wedding.
WHERE TO GET VALUE FOR MONEY
FOOD
At a wedding you will either be eating or drinking most of the time (that’s why wedding are so amazing).
Make sure the culinary experience is something (good) to remember both visibly
PHOTOGRAPHER
Good wedding photos should be considered and investment.
When the wedding is over and you’re reminiscing the feeling of your Italian wedding, these are the pictures you will cherish forever.
Often, there will be beautiful and fun moments you didn’t even know about!
MUSIC
Having a beautiful ceremony with a touching song, a reception with live band, rehearsal dinner with a vibey playlist on a good sound system, or ending your wedding day with a killer band or DJ - good entertainment sets a mood!
THE UNEXPECTED EXPENSES
When planning a realistic budget you should always set a buffer for the unexpected expenses. We recommend no less than 5-10% of your total budget.
Here are some of the expenses you might have left out:
SIAE tax – is paid to the municipality for playing outdoors music.
Expect €250+ for the wedding day, and €150+ for other days.
Tourist tax – is paid to the municipality for staying in Italy.
Expect €2-7 pr. pers. pr. day (only for the first 3 days)
External accommodation - if your venue does not provide enough (of the preferred) sleeps for all guests, we recommend pre-booking nearby accommodation for all remaining guests, no matter if accommodation is self-paid or not.
Price depends on options.
Transportation to/from external accommodation - as public transportation can be a big hassle, we recommend booking a shuttle bus to and from all events involving alcohol.
Price depends on seats, time and kilometers.
Plan B - It might not be a surprise that a Plan B in case of bad weather costs money, but make sure you plan and allocate a budget for this, so the price is not an unpleasant surprise!
Written by Rigmor Nikander, Wedding Planner
31 OCT 2023
