People spend months, even years, saving for vacations, so you might be concerned about the hole your destination wedding will make in your wallet. In reality, by planning well in advance and making budget-conscious decisions, exchanging your vows abroad might actually help you save money!

Fortunately for your bank account, modern etiquette expects guests to pay their own way when you marry abroad, so you’ll only be responsible for the wedding itself, as well as a small welcoming get-together and farewell feast. Organizing these festivities shouldn’t inflate your budget significantly.

So how much does destination weddings cost? The cost of marrying abroad varies greatly depending on factors such as the number of guests, location, duration of stay, and what discount packages you can find. To give you an idea though, a traditional wedding in the US typically costs $28,000 dollars, while an overseas wedding costs around $8,000.  Likewise, the average cost of a wedding in the UK is around £18,000, with the cost of marrying abroad for Brits averaging only £5,000.

We have lots of great resources in our directory to help you to plan your destination wedding on your own if your budget is a factor.  Alternatively, a wedding planner who specializes in destination weddings can also help.  They’ll have the resources and connections that can offer you package deals you might not find on your own. Their insider knowledge and familiarity with your choice destination will allow you and your group affordable group travel, accommodation, meal arrangements, and activities. There are also some amazing package deals out there to choose from.

Of course, the main way that you save money when you marry abroad is by combining your wedding and honeymoon. After you bid your guests adieu, you can either stay put or travel to somewhere nearby for a fraction of the cost of travelling from your hometown.

For more information about how much it costs to get married in individual countries check out our Destination Wedding Guides.