Tips to Create a Wedding Budget for Your Barbados Wedding
Let me just address the elephant in the room. I do not believe that you should go into debt for your wedding. Or, even become financially strained because of your wedding. In my humble opinion, we all need to be very careful when it comes to our hard earned carats and coins. When you start to create your Barbados wedding budget, please keep that in mind! Set a number that you would like to spend, and make sure you also include a contingency fund for over runs. No matter how much we plan, there will ALWAYS be something that comes up that we need some discretionary funds for.
First, decide what your wedding priorities are
Before you spend a nickel (and definitely before you create your guest list and send out invitations!), you need to decide which wedding day items are the most important to you, so you can apportion your budget appropriately. Guest count often makes the biggest difference in overall wedding cost so if you are dreaming of a 300 person wedding, you need to make sure your budget matches your vision or you readjust your expectations.
Hire a wedding planner
Before you book your wedding venue and start booking a ton of other wedding vendors, you need to hire a wedding planner. Not only should you have someone to guide you through the process (it can be daunting!), but they can leverage their knowledge and expertise to help you choose the right wedding vendors for your budget. As a Barbados wedding planner with near ten years of experience in the events industry, I always help my couples decide where to spend and where to splurge.
If you are having a destination wedding in Barbados, consider the time of year and travel expenses
This can make a big difference in the overall cost of your wedding in Barbados. For example, winter in Barbados (December - April) is typically more expensive in terms of accommodation with the week between Christmas and Old Years being the most expensive week of them all. Not only does this impact accommodation cost, but the cost for your plane tickets and their availability as well. I talk more about the different types of wedding venues in Barbados here, but if you are considering a hotel or ballroom wedding, the price for your venue could likely increase during this time period too!
If you are looking to save some money, the post winter season is usually more affordable. However, be mindful of the last week of July is extremely busy due to our National Festival, Crop Over. Although typically less expensive in some areas such as accommodation, getting air lift for large numbers at that time of year can be harder so don’t wait until the last minute to book if you choose to travel during that time. If you want to take advantage of the lower rates, planning well in advance is key.
Tips for your wedding accommodation
No matter what the time of year, Barbados does have a wide range of accommodation options, from luxury hotels to more mid range priced hotels or even something like an airbnb or private villa rental. There is a lot to choose from so my best advice would be to just be mindful of how much your guests may be able to afford and advise them accordingly.
Budgeting for your wedding venue
First, decide if you are getting married in a church, outdoors and/or if your reception venue can accommodate both. Keep in mind, not all venues are all-inclusive in terms of offering rentals and other wedding necessities so make sure to ask questions before you book your wedding venue!
On top of that, some wedding venues actually require that you hire a planner if your guest count goes above a certain number. They know how much goes on behind the scenes and want your wedding day to run as effortlessly as you do. If you are planning to hire a wedding planner, it’s best to do so earlier on in the process so they can better help guide you before you book your venue as well!
On top of that, you might need to secure the relevant permits required depending on where you are getting married and holding your reception (e.g. music license, noise license, or if on a beach you need permission from our National Conservation Commission).
A wedding in the morning will often be more affordable than an evening wedding
Not only is brunch typically less expensive to cater than dinner (especially when you factor in your bar budget!), but evening weddings often come with additional expenses. For example, depending on your venue or wedding location, you will likely need to factor in a significant amount for lighting during an evening wedding - especially if it is an outdoor wedding!
Speaking of catering…
Catering will be one of your largest expenses, and your guest count will impact the total cost greatly!
The cost of catering can be expensive - especially if you are having several courses. More than just food, if your guests are drinkers and you are hoping for a premium bar, you will need to consider carefully the wine & spirit selections made. Alternatively, you can save money by offering only a beer, wine, and signature cocktail if you don’t consider a full bar a necessity. You can also use catering as a category to splurge on, and invest in food stations or unique delicacies your guests will be raving about. Like anything else in your wedding budget, it depends on your priorities.
Don't forget to budget in for transportation
Transportation for guests to and from the event should also be considered, especially if you are having a destination wedding and most of your guests are traveling in! If your guests are not familiar with the island (and especially if they will be drinking!), it would be best to hire designated drivers for your event. There are several private transportation companies on the island that can provide this service.
Budgeting for your Destination Wedding in Barbados
For destination weddings especially, it is so important to put together a solid spending plan before you start booking vendors. Oftentimes destination weddings will be filled with multi-day events, and planning some group events (like a welcome dinner or afternoon catamaran) would be a good way to celebrate and show your guests a little extra appreciation.
I hope these tips have helped you as you start to put together your Barbados wedding budget. I also hope that these tips have made you realize that tackling your wedding planning is not something you want to do alone, even if you think you’ll enjoy it and are good at staying organized. A wedding planner will save you not only hours of time, but will also help you spend your wedding budget in a way that truly reflects your priorities and will help you throw an incredible wedding day without leaving you in debt from all the hidden expenses. It’s well worth the investment.
Looking for a Barbados wedding planner? For more information on working together, you can learn more about working together here.