Actual Cost Of Planning A Budget Destination Wedding In Goa
If you thought wedding planning is easy, you couldn’t be more wrong. There’s a series of preparation for all sorts of events, then there are negotiations with various vendors and innumerable errands that need to be run just before the wedding starts. Unless you have a family who is willing to go crazy running errands, rather than actually enjoying the wedding festivities, you need to hire a wedding planner! So, we suggest that you take a back seat as it is going to be one of the most chaotic and strenuous weeks and you should find the time to enjoy these days while it lasts. So, invest in a wedding planner who will bear your responsibilities as you flutter around with your family and friends and enjoy to the fullest.
Venue & Accommodation
The venue is the main attraction of your wedding and takes up a major chunk of your budget too. For a simple 2-day destination wedding, rooms are ideally booked for a total of 2 nights and 3 days. During peak season, the room tariffs in a 4-star hotel can start from Rs 18,000 + taxes per room, per night, on a twin sharing basis. And the same room in the off-season can cost you INR 15,000 + taxes per room, per night. So for a wedding that will see 200 guests, the cost of venue and accommodation alone can stretch up to INR 36 Lakhs during the peak season. Please note that these rates include the lunch and dinner costs. Breakfast is often included in the stay.
Food and Beverages
Most 4 or 5-star hotels and resorts will not allow you to serve your own alcohol on the wedding functions. You’ll eventually have to take the IMFL the hotel offers, instead of foreign liquor. “Unfortunately, whether the season is at its peak or is an off-season, liquor charges usually remain the same,” shares Rabiya.
Catering charges are calculated per plate and are an area where hotels can offer varied rates, depending on the overall wedding package that you opt for. Most of the venues in Goa extend to you the same policy which makes it a fit choice for hosting a wedding for a large gathering or for a comparatively smaller one as well.
Wedding Decor
For a wedding of about 200 guests, you might have to spend between INR 8-12 Lakhs for the decor of all the events. We suggest you cut your wedding decor budget by picking elements that can be re-used for all functions – like lighting, flowers, and photo booth. Honestly, wedding decoration is an area where you can actually control your costs.
If you opt for simple decor for the pre-wedding ceremonies, the expenses will come down. Ferris wheels, photobooths, an old quirky yellow scooter as a prop, hats, birdcages, flowers and simple banners are typical of Goan beach weddings that are used to add oomph to her daily events.
Destination Wedding In Goa Costs
Instead of increasing your wedding budget, you can source local vendors to help you out with your wedding functions. The miscellaneous expenses that include DJ, makeup artists, fireworks, and mehndi artists, can all be managed between INR 3- INR 5 Lakhs.
“Overall, a 200 guest wedding at a decent 4-5 star hotel or resort can cost anything between INR 60- INR 70 Lakhs,” concludes Rabiya.
Compiling all three rates together, here is how much a destination wedding in Goa would cost you:
1. No-frills, budget wedding (2 days, 100 guests) - INR 20 lakh for accommodation and venue
2. Mid-range (2 functions, 130 guests in South Goa) - INR 35 lakh
3. Lavish wedding (200 guests, 4-5 star hotel and resort) - INR 60 - INR 70 lakh
