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here & away
TRAVEL
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Let's Talk
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Your Dream Wedding on a Smaller Budget
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How couples are having a full destination celebration, with days of time with everyone they love, for less than a single evening at home.
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The part no budget can measure
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A few hours, or a few days?
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At home
5–6 hours
One day, one reception and a lot of quick hellos across the room
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At an all-inclusive
3+ days
Welcome drinks, beach days and dinners with everyone you love
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When you're watching every dollar, it matters even more what those dollars buy. At home, they buy a single evening that most couples say flew by. At an all-inclusive resort, they buy at least three days with your friends and family: breakfast with your grandparents, an afternoon at the pool with your college friends, a sunset dinner with both families together. And so much of it, from the food and drinks to the beach, is already included.
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A smaller budget isn't a smaller wedding
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Some of our favorite weddings have been our most budget-savvy ones. The secret isn't cutting corners; it's choosing the right resort, earning every concession you can and putting your money only where it matters most to you. That's exactly what we help our couples do, and it costs you nothing to work with us.
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| One Real Wedding |
| 61 guests · May 2026 |
| About $225 |
| per guest, all in |
That covered a welcome party, cocktail hour, beach ceremony, dinner reception with open bar and cake, a professional photographer and a DJ with lighting.
The difference was the resort. The same 50-guest wedding might average around $10,000 at one resort and $30,000 at another. We'll point you straight to the ones that fit your budget, so there are no surprises later.
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Where every dollar went
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Here's exactly what one of our recent couples spent at a family-friendly all-inclusive resort in Mexico, straight from their resort invoice. (Curious which resort? Keep reading.)
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Family-friendly resort
Mexico · 61 guests |
| The package & events |
Wedding package
Ceremony, dinner reception, open bar & cake |
Free
earned with their room block |
Welcome party
Venue, food & signature drinks |
Free
bonus concession for booking with Here and Away Travel |
Symbolic ceremony
Beach or garden setup & officiant |
Included |
Dinner reception
Dinner, open bar & wedding cake |
Included |
Cocktail hour
Hors d'oeuvres & signature drinks |
$1,400 |
| Florals & decor |
Ceremony extras
Additional chairs & sparkling wine toast |
$262 |
Wedding day florals & decor
Bouquet, arch, centerpieces & styling |
$1,632 |
| Vendors & entertainment |
| Photography |
$3,100*
outside photographer |
| Reception DJ & lighting |
$4,344
plus a photo booth and a dancing LED robot! |
| Welcome party DJ |
$925 |
Popsicle stand
At the welcome party and reception |
$960 |
| Special effects |
$255 |
| Other vendors |
$835 |
Total
Per guest |
$13,713
about $225 |
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*$1,800 for the photographer plus $1,300 for the photography team's 3-night stay in the couple's room block. Staying in the block waived the resort's $1,500 outside vendor fee.
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Their two biggest wins cost them nothing: their guests booked enough rooms to earn a complimentary wedding package, and booking with us added a free welcome party. That freed up their budget for the things they really cared about, like great photos and a dance party their guests are still talking about (yes, the dancing robot was a hit).
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Here's the best part
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Double the guests, not double the cost
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This wedding
61 guests
Every event included for everyone in the room block
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The same wedding
130 guests
Still every event included, and still no giant per-person add-ons
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This couple had 61 guests, but the exact same wedding at this resort with 130 guests wouldn't be a huge jump in cost. That's because this resort includes so many events for free, and anyone booked into your room block is already included in them. There are no giant per-person add-on costs every time another guest says yes. You're only paying for the extras you choose, like your DJ, photography and decor.
Yes, 130 guests would still cost a bit more than 61. But the increase is small, nowhere near double, because the big costs don't grow with your guest list.
Finding resorts like this is one of the biggest ways we keep smaller budgets in line, while still making sure our couples get the wedding they imagined.
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| Curious which resort this is? |
| Just ask us! |
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This family-friendly resort also has sister resorts, including an adults-only option. Email us and we'll share the resort's name and the options that fit your plans.
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Use Gmail? Open a message in Gmail
Or write to us at Groups@HereAndAwayTravel.com
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Seven ways to stretch every dollar
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Choose a resort with strong concessions
This is the biggest money-saver of all. At some resorts, a large enough room block earns you a free wedding package, free events or free nights for the two of you. Concessions vary enormously by brand, and we'll show you exactly what each one offers before you choose.
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Stay on site
On-site weddings are usually less costly than off-site venues, which earn no room-block concessions and add guest transportation.
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Let the ocean do the decorating
Florals are where costs climb fastest, and with a beach backdrop you need far fewer of them. Our featured couple spent $1,632 on florals and decor. Using the tables and chairs included in your package keeps costs down, too. Just save room for lighting, since most outdoor venues don't include it.
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Be smart about your photographer
Most resorts charge an outside vendor fee (around $1,500 per service, sometimes more), but some waive it if your photographer stays 3 nights in your room block. That's exactly how our featured couple saved the fee. Staying on site also means your photographer can capture so much more than just your wedding day, like your welcome party and time with your guests, without the extra per-day vendor fees.
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Go symbolic, then make it legal at home
A legal ceremony abroad means extra paperwork and fees. Many couples have a symbolic ceremony at the resort and sign the papers at home, which is simpler and usually less expensive.
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Plan your guest list realistically
On average, 65–70% of the people you invite will attend a destination wedding. Budget for the guests who will actually come, and we'll help you size your room block so you aren't over- or under-committed.
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Know your must-haves before you shop
Decide early which extras truly matter to you. It's much easier to stay on budget when you've already chosen where to splurge and where to keep it simple.
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Costs to keep an eye on
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On a tighter budget, these are the ones that can sneak up on you:
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✓ Lighting for outdoor receptions
✓ Outside vendor fees for photographers, videographers or DJs
✓ Premium wedding venue fees at some resorts (often $2,500–$3,500)
✓ Legal ceremony paperwork and fees (vs. a symbolic ceremony)
✓ Transportation for off-site venues
✓ Welcome bags and day-after events
✓ Floral, furniture and linen upgrades beyond the package
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The questions budget-minded couples ask us
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When do we have to make our final wedding decisions?
One of the best perks of a destination wedding: you don't have to lock in your final details until just a few months before the big day. By then, you'll know exactly how many guests are actually coming, so your final choices are based on real numbers, not guesses. That makes it so much easier to stay on budget. If things are running high, there's plenty of time to trim. And if your guest count comes in lower than expected, you can add back a few wish-list items you'd set aside.
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Do we have to pay for our guests' trips?
No. Guests traditionally cover their own flights and resort stay. Couples typically cover the wedding events themselves, and some choose to help with costs for parents or the wedding party — entirely up to you.
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How do room block concessions work?
As guests book rooms in your group, the resort rewards you — free nights for the two of you, complimentary events, upgrades and more, depending on the brand. We'll show you exactly what each resort offers before you choose.
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When do we start paying?
Most resorts ask for a deposit to hold your date, with the balance due closer to the wedding, which gives you time to save. Guests pay for their own rooms on their own schedule. Every resort's terms differ, and we'll walk you through yours.
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Does it cost extra to use a travel agent?
Our destination wedding planning is complimentary — we're compensated by the resorts and travel suppliers we book with, and your guests pay the same group rates either way.
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Before we talk: must-have or nice-to-have?
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Sorting these out up front tells us exactly where your budget should go. Take a minute with these:
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○ Roughly how many guests do you expect to invite?
○ What's the total you'd feel comfortable spending?
○ Is a welcome party important to you?
○ Is a ceremony arch a must?
○ Are the included tables and chairs fine?
○ DJ, or is the resort's music enough?
○ How important are photo and video to you?
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| A little gift from us |
| $500 off |
| your room |
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Every dollar counts, so here's a head start. When you book your destination wedding with Here and Away Travel, just let us know this budget guide is what brought you to us, and we'll take $500 off your stay.* Consider it our first wedding gift to you!
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*Valid for wedding groups with a minimum 10-room block.
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Let's find the resort that fits
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Tell us your number and what matters most, and we'll come back with the resorts that give you the most for it. We'd love to set up a complimentary call to talk it through. Just send us an email at Groups@HereAndAwayTravel.com with a few times that work for you, and we'll take it from there.
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Use Gmail? Open a message in Gmail
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P.S. Booking early is one of the easiest ways to save: you get more choice of dates and resorts, and your guests get more time to plan. Popular weekends book 12–18 months out, so if you have a date in your heart, let's make sure it's still yours.
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Jessica Sbriscia & Jayme Cornine
Here and Away Travel
908.758.3640
Groups@HereAndAwayTravel.com
www.HereAndAwayTravel.com
See our couples, travels and reviews on Instagram
@HereAndAwayTravel
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Featured wedding figures come from one couple's resort invoice. Your actual cost depends on your resort, package and guest count.
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