Endless summer in Sicily 🌊☀️• • • • Endless summer in Sicily 🌊☀️•
•
•
•
Italy holiday, Italian travels, Italian adventure, Italy vacation, Sicily, Cefalu, white lotus season 2, Cefalu beach
Nice🚄Genoa 🚄Cinque Terre Went to Genoa for Nice🚄Genoa 🚄Cinque Terre

Went to Genoa for a break in the looonnggg train ride to Cinque Terre, stayed for the pesto (seriously the best I've ever had)•
•
•
•
•
#italy travel, travel diaries, Italy adventures, where to go in Italy, Italian riviera, Italian coast, Italian food
J'adore Côte d'Azur ❤️• • -• Few places J'adore Côte d'Azur ❤️•
•
-•
Few places are as beautiful as the South of France 🥰here are some tips if you go! (Save for later)
1. Nice is a perfect base as you can hop on a train and take SO many day trips. Between this and our last trip, we have gone to: Ville Franche-Sur-Mer, Cannes, Monaco, San Remo (it), & Eze. I would love to visit Menton too!
2. Old Town Nice is the perfect place to dine outdoors in the small and tiny alleys
3. Tons of great street food & farmers markets
4. Eat all the seafood - it's super fresh!
5. The beaches in Cannes are beautiful and sandy, and there's tons of free ones or private beaches if you want a sunbed•
•
•
Onto Italy next!
FINALLY sharing my travels to Japan - from the hus FINALLY sharing my travels to Japan - from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo (never in my life have I seen so many people in one place) to the beautiful canals and quietness in Kurashiki to the temples and mountains in Kyoto / I absolutely fell in LOVE with Japan & it exceeded all expectations... Will be sharing more on what we did and stuff I learned along the way - I was definitely culture shocked, but never in a bad way! •
•
•
•
•
Japan travel, travel, travel tips, Japan 🇯🇵, travel blogger, Tokyo, visit Japan, Tokyo travel, Kyoto travel, bullet train
Was this worth the 1 hour 15 min drive and the anx Was this worth the 1 hour 15 min drive and the anxiety of it would fit in my jeep? Heck yeah! I love this find from @samsclub! And guess what? Comes fully assembled and $599! The anthro and arhaus ones are SO much more! •
•
•
•
•
•
#samsclub #samsclubdeals #samsclubfinds sams club, sams club finds, arched cabinet, anthro cabinet, arched hutch, home decor, black cabinet, home finds
The Goodest girl in the whole world went to heaven The Goodest girl in the whole world went to heaven on Sunday. Mazzy lived an amazing life and she had the best weekend with her family & friends doing every single thing that she loved so much ❤️❤️❤️🌈🌈🌈🌈 She would have been 13 this week❤️❤️❤️
Asheville photo dump. My sisters and I did a weeke Asheville photo dump. My sisters and I did a weekend trip to Asheville and loved the city! Save this list if you ever go ⬇️ 
1. @biscuitheadavl - their biscuits are incredible. I got the fried green tomato Benedict 😍
2. @riverartsdistrictasheville - spent the morning in art galleries and the coolest antique store
3. Breweries- I mean they're everywhere! We checked out Highwire in the river arts but you can't go wrong! 
4. @biltmoreestate - the most famous landmark and honestly - It was incredible! We ate at the Stable Cafe and loved the ambiance (also super reasonably priced)
5. Experience the @omnigrovepark / the views and terrace were fantastic!
6.  Book Exchange & Champagne Bar and the new Observatory rooftop for cocktails
Such an easy and affordable way to make a BIG chan Such an easy and affordable way to make a BIG change to a space - peel and stick wallpaper! @lovevsdesign has such an amazing selection - it was too hard to choose one for my bathroom! I went with antique garden and customized it to perfectly coordinate with my vanity! The color I chose is a grey/blue sleet with powder/ivory/lion accent colors . I'm thrilled with how my space turned out! What do you think? Would you use peel and stick?•
•
•
•
•
Home decor, wallpaper, guest bathroom, guest bath, bathroom decor, wallpaper, peel and stick wallpaper, new home, custom build, custom home, new build home, bathroom makeover
Hit the jackpot @marshalls today with my Zara find Hit the jackpot @marshalls today with my Zara finds! They had tons of goods! Which look is your favorite?•
•
.
•
•
•
•
Summer finds, summer outfits, spring outfit, spring outfits, Zara finds, marshalls, marshalls finds, marshalls clothing, Tjmaxx, spring looks, ootd, spring fashion
  • About Me
  • Amazon Storefront
  • Instagram
  • Read the Blog

Fashion Cents with Jen

Affordable Lifestyle Blog by Jen

  • About Me
  • Travel
  • Lifestyles
    • Affordable Finds
    • Beauty
    • How To
    • Pittsburgh
  • Fashion Cents
  • Follow me on LTK
  • Shop
    • Amazon Store
    • Shop My Favorites
    • Shop My Instagram
  • Holiday 2021
    • Gift Guides
    • Holiday Style
    • DIY & Entertain

How To · February 24, 2017

How To: Plan a Wedding Abroad (on a budget)

 My husband and I’s wedding was featured on Weddings Abroad – http://www.weddingsabroadguide.com/! 
So, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to share my tips on how I successfully planned a wedding abroad (on a budget!)

A wedding abroad and affordable don’t necessarily go together. When I think of a destination wedding in Italy, I immediately think of Justin Timberlake /Jessica Biel’s insane nuptials in Italy that probably cost a million dollars. But, after extensive research and tons of planning, I planned a super affordable, super fun wedding on the Amalfi Coast and kept it under a few grand!

The Location:

The very first thing I did when planning a wedding abroad was research, research, research. It was easy for me to narrow down the location because my husband and I fell in love with Italy- and particularly – southern Italy on our trip there a few years ago. But exactly where was another question. I know I wanted views, natural beauty, and the Mediterranean. Pretty much this narrowed our choice down to the Amalfi Coast.

Tip #1 – Research popular locations for a destination wedding, and make sure there is a major airport nearby! There are tons of free sources – like Weddings Abroad (link above) & Tripadvisor.

The Guest List:

The next part of planning was the guest list. Now, I thought we were going to elope because c’mon, who travels halfway around the world for a wedding?! Well to my pleasure, a lot of people will! This now helped me narrow in on the exact location because I wanted our guests to be together and to have easy access to our wedding/reception. Once I had an idea of the number of people, I could get to the details of the itinerary.

Accommodations:

Initially, I wanted my wedding in Positano, but when I began looking at villa rentals, I knew we couldn’t afford to stay somewhere that was $25K a week. The cost of the reception venues didn’t help either. This brings me to how I settled onto Praiano (literally, the town next store to Positano). Villa rentals were a fraction of the cost, it was walkable, and the amount of space you get was amazing for the price. It also had a small town feel and was super cozy. We settled on Villa Dorata (a massive villa overlooking the sea) with enough space for everyone.

Tip #2 – Renting a house or villa for your group may be the most economical choice when planning a wedding abroad.

Tip #3 – If your heart is set on a very popular, expensive location, consider broadening your search to nearby towns and villages that will be more affordable.

Ceremony:

This one stumped me – it was hard to officially get married in Italy ( a lot of red tape involved). I also struggled with the cost of using a location for just a 1/2 hour ceremony. Once I booked the villa, I realized the gardens would be a perfect backdrop for a ceremony (AND COMPLETELY FREE!). We ended up getting married in the church courtyard that was behind our house, but that was another completely free space.

Tip #4 – Consider a public space (like a courtyard, park, or the house you are renting) for your ceremony location. These options are completely free!

The Venue:

For sure, the most difficult thing to plan was where we would have the reception. I could book a hall, but had to worry about transportation for everyone and renting a space when there would only be 23 people. And how was I possibly going to decorate a space I have never seen? I couldn’t exactly pack decorations. So I needed to choose a place that could speak for itself. I had the idea that a private space at a restaurant might be perfect – plus there would be no rental fee which is great for my budget.

There was a gorgeous restaurant near our villa, and I read excellent reviews online. Through e-mail, I also was able to pick a prix fixe menu. And in Italy, dinner is an event and you are more than welcome to stay for hours, so I didn’t have to worry about being rushed out! By choosing a prix fixe menu, house wine, and dessert made by the restaurant (instead of getting a wedding cake!) we were able to keep the reception under 1,000 Euro.

Tip #5 – Consider a restaurant for your destination wedding – even better if they can provide you with a private space!

Attire:

I plan on doing an entire blog post on how to shop for a wedding gown (and think outside of the box) when you’re on a budget, but I will say the most important part of choosing a gown for me was finding something I could easily pack on an airplane and not have to worry about it wrinkling. I somehow stumbled upon an Alice and Olivia gown from Saks Off Fifth and got the most amazing deal on it. Plus it was covered in beading/sequins so it definitely wasn’t going to wrinkle!

The Vendors (or lack thereof):

I knew I would have difficulty trying to find vendors like a florist, photographer, hair salon, etc. – which is why I opted to do my own thing for the most part. For flowers, I planned on visiting a local market in town. For my hair, my plan was to do it myself. For photos, I am super lucky that my best friend is a photographer and she elected to come along and take our photos. My bouquet ended up being free from the winery we visited the day before!

Tip #6 – Decide what you want to splurge on, and what you want to save on; I knew my friends could help me with hair and makeup, but leave the photos up to a professional.

 

The Rest

The one thing about planning a destination wedding abroad is that you have to consider what you and your guests will do the rest of the time you are abroad. We thought it was really important to plan an itinerary, tours, and events for our group so that they had a worthwhile trip! We stayed in Rome a few days before the wedding, and planned a wine tour /boat tour in Praiano. Tripadvisor, Rick Steves’ website and Pinterest are all free resources that we used to plan our itinerary. And bonus – Rome is full of FREE walking tours and sites.

Tip #7 – Utilize free websites to plan your itinerary for your travel and map out your itinerary in a spreadsheet (I am an accountant, I love spreadsheets!) 

In: How To · Tagged: amalfi coast wedding, destination wedding, lifestyles, wedding, wedding abroad, wedding diy, wedding for less, wedding on a budget

join the club

You’ll Also Love

Travel on a Budget The All-Inclusive Way
Taxes and Blogging – The Basics

Comments

  1. nancy john says

    April 17, 2017 at 4:41 am

    Proper wedding arrangement is a good idea for making cool wedding with beautiful memories

    impressive wedding day

    Reply
  2. Khush Interis says

    June 11, 2017 at 1:47 am

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    Reply
  3. S Jaden says

    September 23, 2017 at 4:50 pm

    help you with wedding favors and even enable you to mastermind your special first night. catholic wedding programs

    Reply
  4. zerry ht says

    October 30, 2017 at 6:15 am

    I am just in love with this post about planning a wedding abroad and that also on a budget! We just got engaged at the local beachside event space San Francisco and now we both want to have an intimate destination wedding ceremony. These tips would be quite helpful for us.

    Reply
  5. Ava Addams says

    November 3, 2017 at 2:32 am

    Thanks for sharing this useful info. Check it on: cheap travel plans

    Reply
  6. Jen D. says

    November 16, 2017 at 2:33 am

    I hope you have an amazing wedding day!! Congrats!!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hi there!

Hi there!

As a finance professional by day, sharing some "fashion cents" so you can live the good life on a budget!

LET’S CONNECT

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Reader Favorites

  • Everything you Need to Know about Microneedling
  • Taxes and Blogging – The Basics
  • Shopping with Gabe’s

trending now

  • Everything you Need to Know about Microneedling
  • Taxes and Blogging – The Basics
  • Shopping with Gabe’s
  • Holiday Style Inspiration – Mix and Match!

instagram

Follow @FashionCentswithJen

Endless summer in Sicily 🌊☀️• • • • Endless summer in Sicily 🌊☀️•
•
•
•
Italy holiday, Italian travels, Italian adventure, Italy vacation, Sicily, Cefalu, white lotus season 2, Cefalu beach
Nice🚄Genoa 🚄Cinque Terre Went to Genoa for Nice🚄Genoa 🚄Cinque Terre

Went to Genoa for a break in the looonnggg train ride to Cinque Terre, stayed for the pesto (seriously the best I've ever had)•
•
•
•
•
#italy travel, travel diaries, Italy adventures, where to go in Italy, Italian riviera, Italian coast, Italian food
J'adore Côte d'Azur ❤️• • -• Few places J'adore Côte d'Azur ❤️•
•
-•
Few places are as beautiful as the South of France 🥰here are some tips if you go! (Save for later)
1. Nice is a perfect base as you can hop on a train and take SO many day trips. Between this and our last trip, we have gone to: Ville Franche-Sur-Mer, Cannes, Monaco, San Remo (it), & Eze. I would love to visit Menton too!
2. Old Town Nice is the perfect place to dine outdoors in the small and tiny alleys
3. Tons of great street food & farmers markets
4. Eat all the seafood - it's super fresh!
5. The beaches in Cannes are beautiful and sandy, and there's tons of free ones or private beaches if you want a sunbed•
•
•
Onto Italy next!
FINALLY sharing my travels to Japan - from the hus FINALLY sharing my travels to Japan - from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo (never in my life have I seen so many people in one place) to the beautiful canals and quietness in Kurashiki to the temples and mountains in Kyoto / I absolutely fell in LOVE with Japan & it exceeded all expectations... Will be sharing more on what we did and stuff I learned along the way - I was definitely culture shocked, but never in a bad way! •
•
•
•
•
Japan travel, travel, travel tips, Japan 🇯🇵, travel blogger, Tokyo, visit Japan, Tokyo travel, Kyoto travel, bullet train
Was this worth the 1 hour 15 min drive and the anx Was this worth the 1 hour 15 min drive and the anxiety of it would fit in my jeep? Heck yeah! I love this find from @samsclub! And guess what? Comes fully assembled and $599! The anthro and arhaus ones are SO much more! •
•
•
•
•
•
#samsclub #samsclubdeals #samsclubfinds sams club, sams club finds, arched cabinet, anthro cabinet, arched hutch, home decor, black cabinet, home finds
  • About Me

Copyright © 2023 Fashion Cents with Jen · Theme by 17th Avenue