Budget

[diadiamond]

Hi Everyone!

 

I know this topic might be a little uncomfortable for some, but I'm really curious as to what the cost of a destination wedding in Cuba is?  Is it possible to make a budget well in advance of your actual wedding date?  My fiancee thinks that it will cost around $15,000.00 and I think that it might cost closer to $10,000.00.  Also, how should I proceed with making a budget?  I really want a figure of what my wedding will roughly cost so we know how much to save for it since we are paying for it.

 

If anyone could help me out with that I would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

-Dia 

[csho]

@@diadiamond Hey! I am getting married in Cuba this May! To be honest we didn't really have a set budget; however, our goal was to keep it around $10,000. Now does your budget include everything or just for the wedding/reception? Our $10K budget was for absolutely everything. I think we have gone over it a little bit (closer to $12,000), I got a bit carried away with some décor and stuff that I decided to bring with us, but this included our travel, attire (and I have two dresses), rings, décor, gifts, photographer, engagement photos, groomsmen and bridesmaid attire, etc. This also included our at home ceremony (we're getting married in the catholic church when we return with a small dessert reception afterwards). I think in Cuba it will be pretty easy to stay within 10-15K to be honest. Cuba doesn't offer a lot of the extra options that you see in Mexico or DR weddings. Just keep that in mind if you are expecting choices between linens and Tiffany chairs etc. Also I think Melia resorts offer free wedding packages if you have a certain number of people, which will probably save you quite a bit of money as well. The other thing is do you plan on bringing your own photographer, use the resort photographer or hire a Cuban photographer (there are a few if you'd like info let me know!), because those things can either save you money or increase your budget. Also the number of guests you have coming may increase your price (I looked into the resort you plan on going to and am pretty sure if you had over 16 people you had a free private dinner etc. so that may not increase your price at all!). Also are you going to have OOT bags for everyone etc. I think you could easily pull off a Cuban wedding for under $6,000 if you don't worry about the frills of typical weddings. Hopefully this helps you out!

To start your budget off like I said decide what is included in your budget (everything or just the wedding/reception?). From there get a quote for travel and inquire with the resort as to how much the wedding packages are (we are doing a symbolic ceremony- getting legally married in Canada) and our ceremony costs $400 (keep in mind prices typically increase a bit every year- but Cuba has much cheaper wedding packages then other islands). Legal ones in Cuba typically run $1000-1200). The find out about whats included in their wedding packages (I think a lot of this information can be found on the Melia website (it will have the different levels of resorts (Sol, Melia, Paradisus). Then from there you can figure out how much that stuff will cost and then can leave the rest of your budget to other areas like photography, attire, bringing your own décor, etc!

Here is the link to the wedding packages offered at the Melia resorts in Cuba. Not sure if you've seen this but if gives you the different options and prices and whats included!

 

http://www.meliacuba.com/interests/weddings-and-honeymoons-hotels

[diadiamond]

Hi @@csho, thanks for the advice, it was really helpful.  

 

Where are you getting married?

 

I want to include the cost of everything on my budget like:  the engagement party (we're having one for the people who won't be able to make it to the wedding), our trip to Cuba, the cost of the ceremony and dinner, favours, my dress, his attire, our rings, invitations, flowers (in the package I have my eye on only the bride and groom get flowers and I want the whole bridal party to have them too), centerpieces, and photography/videography.

 

I hope I'm not forgetting anything.  We're planning to invite about 72 people, but we're not sure how many people will actually come.  In your opinion, is it a good idea to estimate the number of guests?  That number will influence how much our reception dinner would cost and our favours as well.

 

If you don't mind me asking, how many people have you invited to your wedding?  I'm really surprised that you were able to do an at home ceremony and reception as well as a Cuban one too for about $12,000.00.

 

- Dia

[csho]

Hey!

 

We are getting married at the Iberostar Laguna Azul in Varadero. Our ceremony (symbolic) like I said is $400 (again its more if you do it legally there- but we are just paying those legal fees here anyway). Then we are having a private dinner which is costing us only $15/pp and a private party for 2 hours which costs us $500.

 

We have 36 people coming with us and we invited probably 120 people or so. I had originally guestimated about 20-25 people but ended up with 36. Some people will surprise you and you'll think there is no way they'd miss your wedding (and they do) while others who you definitely didn't think would come, will.

 

We got a good deal on our trip and it was $1178 pp taxes included (we upgraded our room so its closer to $1256 pp). But depending on who you travel with (we are flying Sunwing) they offer for every 15 people a "free" passenger (basically just pay the taxes). So we have two free people (my sister is travelling from Europe to Canada and then coming with us from Halifax so shes getting one of those and then we are using the other one for ourselves). So you can save some money there too depending on how many people will travel with you.

 

Also flowers luckily aren't very expensive in Cuba (compared to other destinations). My bouquet is included and I bought the guys bouts online and will be paying for the bridesmaids bouquets (they run anywhere from $15-35 in Cuba). Again if you are very picky and have a specific vision you may want to look into Silk flowers - as Cuba is very limited on what they supply (they are all shipped in so you kind of get what you get). I just plan on going with white tropical flowers and then am bringing my own ribbon to wrap them.

 

As for invitations we decided to forgo Save the Dates and we made our invitations (which still turned out to be about $300) but I made the boarding pass invitations and sent out about 62 of them (singles and couples). If I would have purchased them it would have been upward of $600.

 

Our centerpieces and wedding décor is included in our package (with that said I am bringing a lot of my own stuff) but you definitely don't need to do that).

 

We are hiring the resort videographer (which is about $150-200) and we hired Alex Delgado (Cuban Wedding Photographer and Videographer) and he is about $1100-1300 depending on the package you chose). I think if you use the resort photographer (which are typically pretty good) it will probably run you around $250-500 depending on how many photos you chose.

 

Our at home ceremony is just the wedding ceremony and honestly a 2 hour dessert reception (we're having cupcakes, ice cream cake from DQ (my fiancés request), and some other small treats). Its not going to be anything elaborate and then we have a family friend is an amateur photographer who will be doing our photos.

 

Hair and Makeup - I am getting my hair done in CUba and that runs about $50-60 and then they don't have a makeup artist our resort so I went to Sephora and had a lesson where they taught me what to do and I have purchased the makeup and will do my own (this cost me more then I want to admit $300 or so) but I bought some awesome products and will be doing my makeup for the wedding here as well and can use it all afterwards so feel like it was an investment.

 

As for favours we are just going to purchase small bottles of rum and have those for our guests (so that will be easy as we will buy them there). At the Melia resorts I believe this can be included so you wouldn't even have to go get them yourself.

 

As for my dress I paid $1000 for it. It was regular $1175 but I wanted the sample one as it was brand new and fit me perfectly and so I bargained them down from $1175 plus taxes (so closer to $400) down to $1000 cash taxes included. And then I bought a shorter/lighter reception dress from Modcloth for about $250.

 

I think I covered everything! Let me know if you have any other questions!

[acw271011]

Hey!

 

We are getting married at the Iberostar Laguna Azul in Varadero. Our ceremony (symbolic) like I said is $400 (again its more if you do it legally there- but we are just paying those legal fees here anyway). Then we are having a private dinner which is costing us only $15/pp and a private party for 2 hours which costs us $500.

 

We have 36 people coming with us and we invited probably 120 people or so. I had originally guestimated about 20-25 people but ended up with 36. Some people will surprise you and you'll think there is no way they'd miss your wedding (and they do) while others who you definitely didn't think would come, will.

 

We got a good deal on our trip and it was $1178 pp taxes included (we upgraded our room so its closer to $1256 pp). But depending on who you travel with (we are flying Sunwing) they offer for every 15 people a "free" passenger (basically just pay the taxes). So we have two free people (my sister is travelling from Europe to Canada and then coming with us from Halifax so shes getting one of those and then we are using the other one for ourselves). So you can save some money there too depending on how many people will travel with you.

 

Also flowers luckily aren't very expensive in Cuba (compared to other destinations). My bouquet is included and I bought the guys bouts online and will be paying for the bridesmaids bouquets (they run anywhere from $15-35 in Cuba). Again if you are very picky and have a specific vision you may want to look into Silk flowers - as Cuba is very limited on what they supply (they are all shipped in so you kind of get what you get). I just plan on going with white tropical flowers and then am bringing my own ribbon to wrap them.

 

As for invitations we decided to forgo Save the Dates and we made our invitations (which still turned out to be about $300) but I made the boarding pass invitations and sent out about 62 of them (singles and couples). If I would have purchased them it would have been upward of $600.

 

Our centerpieces and wedding décor is included in our package (with that said I am bringing a lot of my own stuff) but you definitely don't need to do that).

 

We are hiring the resort videographer (which is about $150-200) and we hired Alex Delgado (Cuban Wedding Photographer and Videographer) and he is about $1100-1300 depending on the package you chose). I think if you use the resort photographer (which are typically pretty good) it will probably run you around $250-500 depending on how many photos you chose.

 

Our at home ceremony is just the wedding ceremony and honestly a 2 hour dessert reception (we're having cupcakes, ice cream cake from DQ (my fiancés request), and some other small treats). Its not going to be anything elaborate and then we have a family friend is an amateur photographer who will be doing our photos.

 

Hair and Makeup - I am getting my hair done in CUba and that runs about $50-60 and then they don't have a makeup artist our resort so I went to Sephora and had a lesson where they taught me what to do and I have purchased the makeup and will do my own (this cost me more then I want to admit $300 or so) but I bought some awesome products and will be doing my makeup for the wedding here as well and can use it all afterwards so feel like it was an investment.

 

As for favours we are just going to purchase small bottles of rum and have those for our guests (so that will be easy as we will buy them there). At the Melia resorts I believe this can be included so you wouldn't even have to go get them yourself.

 

As for my dress I paid $1000 for it. It was regular $1175 but I wanted the sample one as it was brand new and fit me perfectly and so I bargained them down from $1175 plus taxes (so closer to $400) down to $1000 cash taxes included. And then I bought a shorter/lighter reception dress from Modcloth for about $250.

 

I think I covered everything! Let me know if you have any other questions!

 

Well done! You summed it up very well and uyou sound so incredibly well organized! Just one little tidbit that might help too. Vistaprint are great for deals on invites, STDs etc. They constantly have sales for either free shipping, or a percentage off. They do have some nice designs available too if you're a fairly good DIYer and have some patience.

[jackshayne0123]

Hello! I got married at the Blau Varadero in Cuba January 23rd, thought I'd pass along my two cents

 

-Flights with Sunwing from Calgary $1400 each

-Invitations - we did an email invitation at first, and then once people started to book they received a postcard invitation from a local print shop 50 cards $40

-Wedding dress $1800 + $300 alterations

-Shoes 2 pairs, wedge sandals $60 and flip flops $20

-Jewellery Earrings from David's Bridal $20, earrings from Stella & Dot (I wore for TTD) $30 Bracelet from Stella $30

-Groom Outfit $100

-Groomsmens shirts $60 x 4 guys Swimco

-Groomsmens Aviator sunglasses $20 x 4

-Bridesmaids flip flops $12 x 5, earrings $5 x 5 (Boxing Day sales!)

-Bridesmaids gifts hand clutch $2, lip gloss $2, sunglasses $5, Mary Kay makup blotting papers $10 (all items except Mary Kay were Boxing Day sales

-OOT bags from Oriental Trading online $200. I shipped the items to my BFF in Boston and she brought them home for me, otherwise shipping would have cost me a fortune

-Jr. Bridesmaid dress $100 + $50 alterations (more than I hoped to spend)

-Flower Girl dress $50 + $50 shipping (thanks US postal service) Flower girl flip flops $12

 

-Wedding Package at the Blau (legal ceremony) $500. This included all paperwork, decor for ceremony (which wasn't fancy, I chose white ribbon for arch, aisle runner and white chair sashes) cake, champagne toast and appis for all guests. Reception dinner at a la carte restaurant was included for all guests as well. I decided not to do place cards, centrepieces, etc. for the dinner. That was an extra expense and stress we didn't want, and that's one of the reasons we wanted a DW.

-Resort photographer $350

-Resort videographer $150

-Flowers $40 Bride bouquet, $20 bridesmaids, $5 Groom bout (which he didn't wear) and $5 for 4 parents and my Grandmother.

-Hair and makeup for Bride $50, I also paid for hair for my girls Grand total $150

-TTD session at second resort on our honeymoon week $350

 

GRAND TOTAL (if I added correctly) $6432

 

That's about it in a nutshell! We are also doing a AHR this coming Saturday, at a pub, we will order some appetizer platters, we're aiming to spend about $300, but that's all! Nothing fancy, we invited everyone to come hang out, see the pics, and celebrate! We aren't a very high maintenance couple (I don't think) LOL

 

I must admit costs added up, but I wouldn't change a thing!

[csho]

@@jackshayne0123 wow great job keeping your costs low!

do you have any photos from your wedding?

[diadiamond]

Wow!  Thanks ladies, your advice and numbers have been so helpful I can't thank you enough.  My fiancee is afraid that it will cost us a fortune, but after reading your responses I now know there are ways for us to cut costs.  I hope I'm not coming off as cheap, but we don't want to be going into debt for our wedding and we want to be able to have enough money to start our lives together.  That was one of the major reasons we chose to have a destination wedding I heard that a DW is a third of the cost of an at home wedding.

[csho]

@@diadiamond I completely agree with you!! We are also paying for our wedding and didn't want to go into debt for it. I really wanted to get married on the beach and always envisioned a destination wedding. My fiancé is catholic and really wanted to get married in the church but said we can just do both. I looked into have a wedding here to make it easier but it was going to cost us double if not triple and to pay all that for something that I didn't really want in the first place made absolutely no sense. So we decided to both and are still spending way less then we would have on a traditional wedding here. I definitely don't think you should cheap! You need to be frugal! And going into debt is no way to start a life together! I definitely think you can do within or even under your budget (as long as you track and budget things better then me lol!)

[acw271011]

Hello! I got married at the Blau Varadero in Cuba January 23rd, thought I'd pass along my two cents

 

-Flights with Sunwing from Calgary $1400 each

-Invitations - we did an email invitation at first, and then once people started to book they received a postcard invitation from a local print shop 50 cards $40

-Wedding dress $1800 + $300 alterations

-Shoes 2 pairs, wedge sandals $60 and flip flops $20

-Jewellery Earrings from David's Bridal $20, earrings from Stella & Dot (I wore for TTD) $30 Bracelet from Stella $30

-Groom Outfit $100

-Groomsmens shirts $60 x 4 guys Swimco

-Groomsmens Aviator sunglasses $20 x 4

-Bridesmaids flip flops $12 x 5, earrings $5 x 5 (Boxing Day sales!)

-Bridesmaids gifts hand clutch $2, lip gloss $2, sunglasses $5, Mary Kay makup blotting papers $10 (all items except Mary Kay were Boxing Day sales

-OOT bags from Oriental Trading online $200. I shipped the items to my BFF in Boston and she brought them home for me, otherwise shipping would have cost me a fortune

-Jr. Bridesmaid dress $100 + $50 alterations (more than I hoped to spend)

-Flower Girl dress $50 + $50 shipping (thanks US postal service) Flower girl flip flops $12

 

-Wedding Package at the Blau (legal ceremony) $500. This included all paperwork, decor for ceremony (which wasn't fancy, I chose white ribbon for arch, aisle runner and white chair sashes) cake, champagne toast and appis for all guests. Reception dinner at a la carte restaurant was included for all guests as well. I decided not to do place cards, centrepieces, etc. for the dinner. That was an extra expense and stress we didn't want, and that's one of the reasons we wanted a DW.

-Resort photographer $350

-Resort videographer $150

-Flowers $40 Bride bouquet, $20 bridesmaids, $5 Groom bout (which he didn't wear) and $5 for 4 parents and my Grandmother.

-Hair and makeup for Bride $50, I also paid for hair for my girls Grand total $150

-TTD session at second resort on our honeymoon week $350

 

GRAND TOTAL (if I added correctly) $6432

 

That's about it in a nutshell! We are also doing a AHR this coming Saturday, at a pub, we will order some appetizer platters, we're aiming to spend about $300, but that's all! Nothing fancy, we invited everyone to come hang out, see the pics, and celebrate! We aren't a very high maintenance couple (I don't think) LOL

 

I must admit costs added up, but I wouldn't change a thing!

 

You sound like you did it just the way you wanted, and very much the way we did ours in Jamaica. Our AHR cost us a little more than $300 lol, but it was still well worth it and I'd say our costs were pretty close (and we were only 2, but Jamaica is a bit more expensive).

 

Congrats on being a Mrs. It's a whole lot of fun, isn't it!!!