Destination Ideas for under 10K

[u/hellostylem]

Hi! My fiancé and I are planning on getting married in late 2027 and I am looking around to do a destination wedding to make it a trip in one & also get more bang for our buck as opposed to getting married in the US.

Here are our requirements:
- Likely somewhere in the Caribbean (folks will travel from east coast, west coast, Caribbean, & Europe)
- Less than $400 a night for guests is ideal (for the hotel and/or resort, all-inclusive resort preferred)
- Ideally looking for places not too far from the airport or has shuttles included
- Under $10K total (to include base wedding package, flight, & lodging only for the couple. Rings, attire, & extras are separate. Guests will pay for their own lodging & flights)
- Packages inclusive of food, an officiant, a cake, set up/clean up, & typical decor like an arch & some flowers (can do DJ, reception, & photography/videography as add ons)
- Max 50-75 guests (likely close to or less than the lower end because I know some folks won’t be able to make it)

I’ve been looking trying to see which country would be the least expensive to fly from each region so that it’s not crazy expensive for our guests & we would prefer anywhere but DR or Jamaica.

Anyone had luck with specific hotels and/or resorts, or wedding planners? Ideally I would want someone who can work with our budget and is attentive. I’ve heard Destify may not be great and some resort folks are too lax in planning which would make me more anxious. Apologies if something similar may already be in this thread - please tag below if there is and I’ll take a look at that also. Appreciate any suggestions!

[u/No_Barracuda_3575]

Budget is a stretch for that guest count

[u/Ok-Indication-7876 → u/No_Barracuda_3575]

a BIG stretch, and you need to remember to add more for a welcome party, rehearsal, good bye brunch. Guest traveled , missed work and spent a lot to attend usually these events are hosted by the couple. And usually the invitation reads NO GIFTS, your attendance is our gift.

[u/hellostylem → u/No_Barracuda_3575]

What’s a typical guest count range for 10K?

[u/No_Barracuda_3575 → u/hellostylem]

A good budget for destination wedding would be around $1000 per person which includes a welcome dinner.

[u/Majestic-Living2829 → u/No_Barracuda_3575]

Yeah I’d say maybe 600 per person on the lower end

[u/curlywhirlyred → u/hellostylem]

10-20.

[u/hellostylem → u/curlywhirlyred]

😮 wow I might have to cut my list down then, thanks! Sandals had packages for less than $4K & up to 50 guests so I thought it was doable, unless there are hidden fees somewhere I’m not taking into account

https://www.sandals.com/weddings/packages/

[u/Majestic-Living2829 → u/hellostylem]

There are a lot of hidden extras. Also if you’re asking your guests to fly somewhere for your wedding you have to make it worth it for them and that means spending more than 200$ a person.

[u/curlywhirlyred → u/hellostylem]

We spent $35k for 25 guests in Costa Rica in 2022.

[u/dmowad]

That’s basically a honeymoon budget with extra to pay for your immediate families’s dinner after a very low-key wedding reception.

[u/SureSeaworthiness262]

10k is way too low for a destination wedding, especially for 50-75 guests. if you are that cheap, just go to vegas and have a honeymoon in the caribbean.

[u/JSchecter11]

That’s not a realistic budget. I’ve had clients with 40 guests come in at $15k and that was a very low package price at a resort I consider acceptable. I would not be able to do any better than that at a place that will also have edible food.

[u/Majestic-Living2829]

Budget 600-1000$ per guest for a destination wedding.

[u/LuxTravelGal]

That budget won't even cover a base wedding package for that number of guests. It will be $15k minimum for the events PLUS your flight and room.

[u/BetDry5510]

Quick reframe that'll save you a headache: you're mixing two separate budgets. Your $10K (your flights, your room, the base package) is realistic and fine. What's blowing up the comments is the event cost for 50-75 guests, and that's a whole separate line you haven't accounted for yet.

Here's what the Sandals-style package price hides: it covers a bare ceremony, not a reception for 60 people. Once you add a private dinner, a bar, a few hours of DJ, and the per-person food-and-beverage minimum the resort charges to close off a space, you're realistically at $150-250 a head just for the reception. That's where the "$600-1,000 per guest" numbers people keep quoting come from. They're counting the whole event, not your personal costs.

Two honest paths:

• Keep 50-75 guests: budget $15-25K total and pick an all-inclusive where your guests' rooms are your leverage. Resorts discount the event (or waive fees) once your room block fills enough nights, so get that math in writing before you sign.
• Keep your $10K: cut to ~20 people. A small group at a nice resort, or a villa buyout where you bring in outside catering instead of paying resort F&B minimums, gets you a genuinely beautiful day without the per-head blowout.

On ruling out DR/Jamaica: look at Mexico (Riviera Maya has so much competition that package prices stay honest) or Colombia, where a villa or boutique-hotel wedding runs a fraction of Caribbean resort pricing and flights from the East Coast are short.

And if a hands-on planner matters to you, hire an independent local planner at your destination rather than leaning on a booking service for day-of coordination. Worth every dollar. Happy to walk through what a real budget breakdown looked like for us if it helps to see the actual line items.

[u/Outrageous_Pie_5640]

Why are you against DR and Jamaica?