There’s a school of thought that says if you have the wherewithal to even consider holding your wedding abroad in the first place, you might as well go “all out”. After all, you’re realising your dream, so why would you want to do things by halves?
In reality, of course, we all know that dreams frequently cost serious money! And that’s even the case with Gibraltar weddings sometimes, too, despite their advantages such as the lack of residency restrictions and being less than three hours away by plane from the UK.
And it’s also so easy when planning any kind of wedding, to overdo it when it comes to spending. Expenditure on a lot of relatively “modest” things can quickly add up.
So, to assist you in actually keeping to your Gibraltar wedding budget, let’s remind you of some of those ‘hidden’ or easily overlooked wedding costs you should be wary of.
Supplier costs
The product and service suppliers that you pick for your wedding naturally deserve to be treated well and paid a fair rate. But it’s also crucial to make sure you don’t stray beyond your budget due to supplier expenses you may not have initially even accounted for.
Depending on where the supplier in question comes from, for instance, they might charge a certain amount for travel and even overnight accommodation. And what about on the day itself – will they be paying for their own meals and/or snacks? Or does the given supplier include the cost of their sustenance in every contract they have with a couple like you?
Whatever the exact situation is with your photographer, videographer, band, and other wedding vendors, you and your sweetheart need to know about it.
Accessories
Sure, you may be intending to save some money by using certain jewellery, underwear and fragrances you already have in your drawer. But given that this is your wedding, you’ll also probably be investing in at least some new items for your big day.
You should therefore be careful to budget for these, not just paying attention to the obvious.
Beauty treatments
If you’re treating yourself to services like tanning, fringe trims or eyebrow tints as your special day approaches, you won’t want to get carried away with them as far as your finite budget is concerned.
Venue extras
The headline price you’re paying for your chosen venue may seem great, does the contract include certain additional charges you could be feeling the sting of long after your nuptials?
We’re talking about such things as the extra fees a venue may charge you if you use suppliers outside their approved list, or even the further costs of a party that goes beyond midnight. The likes of additional security, cloakroom staff and cleaning may also be ‘extra’.
A sound system
This one may be especially worth mentioning for couples tying the knot at this time of year, given that they may have decided to do so in the open air, to take full advantage of the fabulous Mediterranean weather in the British Overseas Territory.
Alas, an ‘al fresco’ wedding might look wonderful in those Instagram photos, but it may also present some practical issues, such as the need to invest in an extra sound system to ensure the guests can actually hear the speeches, vows and music on the day.
If there’s one great route to helping to make your overseas wedding less stressful when it comes to organising and budgeting for everything, it’s getting professional planners on board. Get in touch with our experts in Gibraltar weddings at Sweet Gibraltar Weddings today, and we’ll give you the benefit of the complete service.