How much does a wedding in Italy cost?

  What is the average budget for a wedding in Italy?...  It maybe the unromantic part of getting married but it is the most important element towards your wedding day.

Getting married in Italy does not always mean saving money, you will probably spend the same as you would at home. The difference is the quality you will receive for your money!

What it comes down to is you are just about to spend a chunk of your savings, so lets look at ways to make your money go further!

1. Research

Do as much research as possible on everything that you plan to spend money on and only use reputable firms/individuals for all your wedding needs. The Italian Wedding Planner is the only wedding planner in Italy, (to our knowledge and we have asked a lot of our suppliers to confirm this) who do not work on commission! Wedding planners who do work on commission can cost you up to 20% extra on everything from the florist to the venue! I totally disagree with this and the practice of mark ups and guarantee that we pass all the savings on to you!

2. Bank charges

You’re likely to get charged a foreign transaction fee every time you pay the venue, photographer, caterers and so on. High street banks often charge £25 or more just to transfer your money, and banks can also charge commission and take overseas delivery charges. By setting up an overseas bank account, and transferring your money in one go, you will incur less transfer charges, getting a better exchange rate and can make payments locally.

3. Fix your exchange rate

 Using a foreign exchange specialist can allow you to lock into an exchange rate for up to two years, so you can accurately budget how much things will cost. By doing this you won’t have to worry about rates worsening as you book the different elements of your wedding.

4. Using your credit card

 Be aware that credit cards can incur a transaction fee when paying for/booking venues or if paying for a wedding planner etc. Additionally, they can be even more costly when paying suppliers as they can charge commission and offer a poor exchange rate.

5. Hidden fees

 Watch out for extra costs involved when choosing a destination and/or venue such as document translation fees.

6.Check the small print

Most contracts will be in Italian, ask for them in English or get your planner to go over them with you.

 If you choose to arrange your wedding through a company/wedding planner, it’s also vital that you check the small print carefully. Check exactly what is and what is not included in the price.

7. Don’t forget the budget

 Set a budget limit and try to stick to it. This will help ensure costs don’t spiral out of control and you don’t overspend on the essentials or splash out too much on those luxurious extras.

8.Order your currency

You are getting married in Italy, the quotes you will be given are all in euro, please if you are paying suppliers in cash, do not turn up in Italy with dollars! I know that sounds so silly but trust me I have seen this happen! It is near on impossible to change large sums f money in an Italian bank with out a bank account. Please if you are paying in cash make sure you have ordered your euros at home to pay the suppliers in Italy!

Also remember your guests will probably require currency if they are travelling overseas for your wedding. Make sure they don’t get ripped off with charges and poor exchange rates; ordering currency before the wedding, for home delivery or branch collection, will mean their money goes further.