It’s been a while since our last post, but we promise we are now back, and we are going to make it worth the wait. We are just finishing the end-of-year holidays, which can only mean something: we are at the peak of engagement season! So, if you just got a rock, you will probably start looking into weddings as we speak, but hold your horses! There are a couple of things you should know before you dive into planning a destination wedding in Guatemala or a backyard wedding at home.
Yes, you might be shocked at the prices, but yes, you will survive! Our number one tip as a destination wedding planner is always to take the time to enjoy your engagement and figure out the next big steps after the wedding before you even consider a wedding. You won't feel comfortable with the wedding investment until you have a clear plan for your future.
Wedding Tax: Why Are Weddings So Expensive?
No, there is no such thing as a “wedding tax”, meaning that wedding venues and wedding vendors cost more just being a wedding. One thing is clear: expectations for a wedding are very different from a birthday party or a business conference; therefore, the preparations that vendors take are much more elaborate and require more billing hours or skills.
Let’s use makeup as an example; whenever you get invited to a wedding, and you assist as a guest, you book a makeup artist that makes you look good but doesn’t break the bank since you know you are probably going to take one or two pictures for your Instagram and then forget this event even happened. Now imagine you are the bride at that wedding, and you know you booked the most reliable photographer and videographer you could afford so they could immortalize the memories you will pass down to your grandkids. Of course, you are going to be pickier!
You will want your makeup to look great during the ceremony and after a couple of drinks at the end of the night. You won’t want the flash to reveal the imperfections of a tone match between the foundation and the concealer. You won’t want your face to look very shiny and oily, but you won’t want your face to look cakey, either. You want your makeup to look good during daylight and under different types of lighting. All that being said, your makeup artist's desired level of skills is much higher than the one you would book when you are looking to save money.
Do you want another example? Let’s say you book a hall that works as a wedding venue and also a conference room. How is that one priced differently? Simple, conferences are usually an in-and-out type of setup, while weddings require more time to allow for the florist and stylist to come and do their job and to clean it up afterward, so instead of an 8-hour booking, your booking is now 3 to 4 business days. So that is the truth about the wedding tax. It is just adjustments and/ or accommodations you might not have considered before, but your wedding pros already went that extra mile to help you include those things on your wedding quotes.
Stretch Your Dollars: Is a DIY Wedding worth it?
Let’s say you magically have 300 to 700 extra hours a year (between your day job and your downtime) to manage your DIY flower and decor project, vet and nail the booking of the right vendors without previous experience, and keep your relationship with your partner, family, and friends in good shape. Oh yes! And your mental health as well. Would you enjoy running up and down on your wedding day fixing last-minute details instead of relaxing and enjoying yourself?
Think about it: you and your partner deserve to be guests at your own wedding, and so is your mother! If your budget cannot accommodate hiring a wedding planner and wedding pros, please reconsider the format of your wedding ceremony or postpone the wedding until a later date. There is nothing wrong with waiting. As a matter of fact, some of our best clients are those who have waited years for their wedding and use the vow renewal as an excuse to throw the wedding they have been dreaming of.
A wedding is the only occasion you will have a room full of people who love you and you love back.
A wedding is not only a party, but it is also the celebration of a milestone in your life, and it deserves to be treated as such. Your wedding guest will make arrangements to come and celebrate with you and might even make accommodations out of their budget just to show you how special you are to them. Please make sure to honor their presence and host them to the best of your abilities. Make sure you consider allergies or food restrictions, as well as any type of disabilities or health conditions. Be prepared to entertain and to provide guidance in the journey, starting from the moment you send that invite to the moment they leave your wedding. Nothing screams more thoughtfulness and care than being intentional with all the details.
What Is the Real Cost of a DIY Wedding?
At its core, the real cost of a DIY wedding isn’t just financial—it’s emotional, physical, and relational. It’s about questioning the experience and wondering whether the savings were worth the stress. While you may not have spent as much money producing and executing your wedding, you paid with another kind of currency: your time, energy, and peace of mind.
If you are ready to avoid stress and start planning with ease, consider our Guatemala DIY Wedding Planning Consulting Package to take charge of your wedding planning without the reliance on a full-service wedding planner. This package will help you speed up your learning curve and learn to plan everything to the point that you can later delegate the execution to a wedding pro.
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