Planning an Italian wedding on a small budget
With money worries pressing down on so many at the moment, it might feel like your Italian wedding day dreams are teetering on the edge. The reality for many might be to cut budget and reduce the size of your celebration. Easier said than done though, as Italian wedding costs are rising and the cost of a ‘small wedding’ is still up there. Let us pull you out of this financial funk and show you how to secure a small but exceptional destination wedding.
“A smaller wedding done really, really well is better than having a bigger wedding done okay”, Lucy White - Wedding Planner
Set your budget
What can you afford? How much do things cost?
Head to our Directory to check out prices of all suppliers and venues. Use this as a way to realistically set a budget you can work with. Allocate specific budget for the individual elements of your wedding i.e. photographer, caterer etc.
LL Tip: Add in a little contingency money for those extra ‘I have to have’ things!
Photo: Lenny Pellico
2. The big hitters: Venues
These go hand-in-hand with your guest list numbers. Without knowing how many guests you are inviting you won’t be able to search for a venue.
Guests come at a cost, so you need to work out how many you can afford from the budget you have worked out in tip 1. And accept that if you have a smaller budget, you might have to have a smaller wedding.
It is vital with this size budget to ask guests to contribute towards the accommodation. Number of people, staying for x number of nights at £x per person. If you can work this in to clear your venue cost then you are winning!
Photo: Benjamin Wheeler
3. Big hitters - Catering
Local caterers do not have to factor in transport costs and time, they use local produce and in season which tends to keep the cost down. So always investigate local, cheaper options first.
LL Tip: Include your drinks in your package from your caterer. It’s a myth that if you source your own drink it will be significantly cheaper - it normally isn’t and you’ve spent time and energy organising this. Just say yes to hassle-free!
Photo: Studio Chloe David
4. Rank priorities
To work out what you can afford for everything else, it is best to rank in order of importance to you. Is live music an absolute must? Is a photographer present all day crucial to you?
Photo: Erica & Manu
5. Local, small & time
By using a team of local suppliers you will avoid travel costs being added to you invoice. Some florists charge 400-1,000 euro to travel domestically to weddings in Italy.
Smaller companies have lower tax rates, so you might save money here by using a company who works with 0% or 10% tax.
Consider having your photographer for a shorter time on your wedding day - perhaps 6 hours will be sufficient to capture all those epic shots.
Photo: 2brides
6. Make cuts & plan yourself
Discuss the cost implications of removing one course (perhaps only have one Primi, instead of two) with your caterer. This might not make a huge difference to their charge, as it will just be the food cost removed but this could perhaps save a little. And the bonus about Italian meals - you aren’t going to go hungry if you remove just one course!
Whilst a wedding planner will save you time and money, consider planning yourself by using the free resources available. La Lista’s Youtube is packed full of advice, our downloads are free and lay out everything you need to consider. And our membership, The Club guides you through wedding planning in a more supportive way - should you need an extra hand.
Photo: Taylor Hughes Photography
Looking for more detailed advice? In our membership The Club, our founder Lucy explains everything you need to know about planning an Italian wedding. Make your wedding planning so much easier starting today.
Written by Lucy White, Founder of La Lista & Wiskow & White, with over 8 years and 300 Italian weddings worth of experience.
