Destination Wedding Budget Calculator
A destination wedding budget works differently: a resort package, per-guest fees beyond the package, your own travel, and the extra events around the day. Enter your real quotes — every figure is editable — and get the couple's true total.
| Item | How it is worked out | Your number |
|---|
What published destination budgets look like
Destination cost guides published for 2026 put the couple's spend in these bands — your calculator result should land in or near the band for your guest count, and if it does not, a line is probably missing:
| Wedding size | Guests | Couple's typical total |
|---|---|---|
| Elopement / just the two of you | 2 | $3,000 - $7,500 |
| Micro wedding | 10 - 25 | $8,000 - $22,000 |
| Mid-size celebration | 30 - 60 | $15,000 - $35,000 |
| Larger, heavily customised | 60+ | $30,000 - $60,000+ |
The three lines couples most often miss: extra-guest fees (packages typically include 10-25 guests; everyone beyond that is charged per head for ceremony, dinner and bar), outside vendor fees (resorts charge a fee, or a day pass, for each non-resort photographer, DJ or florist you bring in), and the events around the day — a welcome party and farewell brunch for 40 guests can add $3,000 on their own. Guests normally pay their own rooms and flights, which is exactly why a destination wedding can cost the couple less than a smaller wedding at home — and why the Destination Wedding Checklist starts with the room block.
Plan it end to end
The timeline: Destination Wedding Checklist. The stationery: Save the Date Designer and Invitation Designer. Guests' likely numbers: the Guest List Planner (destination weddings see lower acceptance — plan the budget on who will really fly).
Frequently asked questions
How much does a destination wedding cost?
For the couple, published 2026 guides put elopements at $3,000-$7,500, micro weddings (10-25 guests) at $8,000-$22,000, mid-size weddings (30-60 guests) at $15,000-$35,000, and larger customised weddings at $30,000-$60,000+. Guests normally pay for their own travel and rooms on top of that.
Is a destination wedding cheaper than a wedding at home?
Often, for the couple: the average home wedding runs well above $30,000, while an all-inclusive destination package plus upgrades and the couple's travel frequently lands between $5,000 and $20,000 — because the guest list is smaller and guests cover their own accommodation. The total cost to everyone attending is another matter.
What do couples forget in a destination wedding budget?
Extra-guest fees beyond the package allowance, outside vendor fees charged by the resort, welcome and farewell events, decor upgrades beyond the package basics, marriage-document and legalisation costs, and tips. The calculator above has a line for each of the big ones.
Do the couple pay for guests' rooms and flights?
Traditionally no — guests pay their own travel and accommodation, and the couple host the wedding events themselves. Many resorts offer the couple perks (free nights or upgrades) when the group books a minimum number of rooms, which is why the room block matters.
How much contingency should a destination wedding budget have?
Ten percent is a sensible default — exchange-rate moves, baggage and shipping for decor, and last-minute guest-count changes all hit destination budgets harder than home ones. Keep it at 15% if you are booking in another currency.