Everything you should know about all the costs associated with having a Destination Wedding in Antigua Guatemala.

The day that you’ve waited for so long has finally arrived! He got on his knees and gave you the so awaited engagement ring.

But what now?

Yes! Antigua Guatemala is the answer! Your destination wedding in beautiful Guatemala.

Guatemala has been awarded worldwide for being one of the favorite destinations to hold a destination wedding. It has an impressive colonial architecture, landscapes full of nature, tropical places and mysticism due to its ancient Mayan culture. It also has a strategic, central location with a pleasant climate that allows you to visit it at any time of the year.

Guatemala is just perfect! It offers amazing vendors, venues, service, people. We have been doing wedding since 2014 and have experienced, in every destination wedding, an incredible feeling from the couples and from the guests. Remember that your wedding is the reason everyone will take a plane to come all the way here, but the experience the days before and after is the memories that your guests will hold on forever.

A few things to keep in mind before making a decision of having your destination in Antigua Guatemala.

1. Weather:

   • The best time to visit Guatemala is from November to April. This is during the dry season when you’ll get plenty of sunshine, warm weather and lower chances of precipitation.

2. Location:

   • There are many beautiful venues in Antigua Guatemala that are perfect for weddings, from historic ruins to colonial inspired hotels. Some venues we strongly recommend:

     1. Ruins:

        1. Check out our ruins blog HERE

     2. Hotels:

        1. Villa Bokeh Hotel Boutique (my personal fav)

        2. Pensativo House Hotel

        3. Porta Hotel

     3. Private Venues:

        1. Jardin Real de Santiago

        2. Finca San Cayetano

        3. Jardín Santa Sofía

        4. La Casa de la Ruina

        5. Ruinas de La Merced

        6. Casa Blanca Glamping

        7. Finca San Ignacio

3. Logistics:

   • Planning a destination wedding can be complicated, so it's important to work with a destination wedding planner who knows the area well. They can help you with everything from finding the perfect venue to arranging transportation for your guests. In our case we have both Sparks Weddings to help you with the planning of all the events related to the wedding (welcome dinner / cocktail + wedding day + farewell breakfast of brunch) and Sparks Travel to help you with all travel related matters for you and your guests (airline tickets, transportation, accommodations, excursions and experiences).

4. Culture:

   • Antigua Guatemala is a culturally rich city with many traditions and customs. Incorporating these into your wedding can be a beautiful way to honor the local culture and make your wedding unique.

     • Examples: Moros dance, marimba, snow cones, chcherias tuk, etc.

Now moving on with what’s important: COSTS!

IMPORATANT:

EVERY wedding is different and every wedding has a different budget, we have never had same budgets for two weddings.

We do have starting budgets that we work with. USD$ 27K is our minimum (even for small intimate wedding of 20 guests).

Fixed Costs

As the name says it, these costs won’t change no matter how many guests you have. This is something that in a destination wedding represents most of the cost.

As a reference, a typical destination wedding in Antigua Guatemala is around 50 – 150 guests. FYI a local (Guatemalan) wedding is around 200 – 500 guests.

As mentioned before, fixed costs in a destination wedding represent a big part of the budget. These costs include services such as: venue, photographer, decorations, videographer, music / DJ, fireworks, photobooth, dance floor, lightning, officiant fee, stationary, among others.

Venue:

You want to make sure you have the best venue as a partner in this process. There are many things that will pop out for wedding day and you want to have the staff and the venue on your side and ready to help!

In Antigua Guatemala we work with two types of venues:

• Ruins - we do 90% of our weddings here and ruins are spectacular venues to get married in.

• Private venues such as hotels and private gardens.

The cost on private venues will either have a variable cost based on your guest list or a fixed cost.

The cost for ruins is fixed but keep in mind that it may change unexpectedly. Each ruina has its own areas that you can reserve. Usually 2 areas areas are reserved and the amount is somewhere around USD$ 1,800 - USD$ 3,850.00. They include 5 hours each and 5 hours for set up (we always add extra hours for set up since 5 hours is NOT enough).

Please remember that this price includes: venue. Only.

Photographer

A wedding photographer plays a vital role in capturing the essence, emotion, and beauty of your wedding day. They provide you with a tangible memory that you can revisit throughout your life, reliving the love and happiness of that special moment.

We absolutely recommend that you invest in this service. It’s a MUST!

We have an extensive list of photographers we recommend mainly in Guatemala but we have been luck enough to have worked with photographers from the States, Ecuador and Mexico.

Please make sure to hire a package of at least 8 - 10 hours with 2 - 3 cameras. Best best 10 hours and 3 cameras (so EVERY moment is captured). It is physically impossible to be in different angles and locations at the same time. In weddings there is ALWAYS something happening.

Turn around time: between 2-5 months. Please ask for sneak peaks (event if they charge you more, believe me you do not want to wait that long until you get a few pictures).

Prices range from USD$ 4,000.00 - USD$ 10,000.00+

Videographer

As mentioned before IT’S a MUST! Videographers are SO important for this day. They are able to capture live reactions, emotions and so many thing you will want to you see after the wedding. You will NOT BE ABLE to see everything so to be able to capture all this is a MUST.

Please make sure to hire a package of at least 8 - 10 hours with 2 - 3 cameras. Best best 10 hours and 3 cameras (so EVERY moment is captured).

You should request:

• 1 minute teaser video for social media (this should be delivered 10-15 days after wedding day.

• 3 minute short video (highlights)

• 15 - 20 minute wedding day feature film

• Bonus (at an extra cost):

  • Behind the scenes video (set up, vendors, flowers, everything you WILL NOT SEE for sure).

  • Extra videographer

  • Additional events (rehearsal dinner, welcome cocktail, welcome event, breakfast / brunch).

  • Immediate delivery

Turn around time: between 2-5 months.

Our favorite videographers around the world:

• Arocapro - based in Ecuardor

• Rodrigo Zadro - based in Guatemala

• Auguro Weddings - based in Guatemala

• One Cameraman - based in Mexico

• Cordes Studio - based in Mexico

• Meraki Weddings - based in Mexico

• Tan Weddings - based in Mexico

Prices range from USD$ 4,000.00 - USD$ 8,000.00

Music / DJ

Music in Guatemala is EVERYTHING make sure to hire the best groups so your guests have the best music experience they can.

The services you hire should be::

• Ceremony music (a string quartet) +- USD$ 400.00 - USD$ 500.00 for an hour

• Callejoneada (including mariachis): +- USD$ 700.00 - USD$ 800.00 for an hour

• Cocktail music such as a saxo player: I honestly don’t know since this was complimentary from the live music who played during reception dinner. But it should be somewhere around USD$ 200.00 - USD$ 300.00

• Live band: definitely something that is worth it (remember that in ruins live bands are not allowed). +- USD$ 1,500.00 - USD$ 3,500.00.

• DJ: very very important that you pick the right one. +- USD$ 2,500.00 - USD$ 3,000.00.

• Mariachis - as part of the callejoneada or else you should hire them independently for cocktail hour or happy hour.

Other fixed costs:

• Make Up & Hair:

  • This is a very important vendor you will have for your wedding, please make sure to select it carefully.

    We have had brides where hair and make up are EVERYTHING and wisely they decide to bring someone from their hometown since they can go back and forth to make as many trails as they want.

    Antigua Guatemala offers this services and they are very good, however if you think you will be hard to please make sure to bring someone from your hometown.

    Also you need to know that all stylist both hair and make up require minimums for wedding day (usually you + 3-4 additional such as you mother, sisters, mother in law, sisters in law). Bridesmaids can also be included and if you have more than required they will request more staff.

    The list of stylists we recommend in Antigua Guatemala are:

    • Estudio T - they do hair & make up

    • Zafiro - they do hair & make up

    • Petra - they do hair & make up

•  Classic car: We love the idea of renting a classic car for a wedding. It gives the wedding a touch of elegance and romance. Please take note that most of the classic cars (if not all of them) DO NOT HAVE air conditioning. For some weddings we end up hiring large shuttles with air conditioning.

• Officiant: he / she usually requires a contribution for cerebrating your wedding. The May wedding we had was a catholic mass so we had to make all the paperwork and necessary payments.

• Professional bartender / mixologist - if you wish to add an extra as part of the entertainment for your guest then you should definitely hire a professional. They will make sure all your guests will be delighted looking at his show. Please remember he is an entertainer rather than a simple bartender. If you want a bartender then just stay with the one that catering company already provides.

  • Hour +- USD$ 40.00 - USD$ 60.00

• Shuttle transportation - from Guatemala City to Antigua Guatemala and from Antigua Guatemala (best if you are able to pay for this; after all they are paying for their plane ticket and accommodations):

  • Transportation for your events:

    • Welcome cocktail / Welcome dinner / Rehearsal dinner

    • Wedding day

    • Breakfast / brunch the day after the wedding

  • For wedding day please make sure to get a hole day rate for the amount of shuttles you need and events you may have. If you are having the ceremony, cocktail and reception in the same venue then you just need a round trip rate but if everything is in different venues take the hole day rate.

• Fireworks, indoor fireworks, confetti machines, fog machines, color bengalas, CO2 machines - always add these special effects to your wedding.

• Entertainment - please make sure to add something like a carnaval party for cocktail hour or for la “hora loca” (crazy hour) where shots and upbeat music is playing.

• Wedding planning fee - a non negotiable if you are planning a destination wedding (EVEN if you have relatives living in the city you have decided to host your wedding we strongly suggest you hire a professional (US!!!!).

Variable Costs

As the name states all these costs are affected directly by the guests you invite to the wedding.

Catering

In Guatemala most of the catering companies are part of hotels itself. A few of them work independently.

Personally we prefer to work with hotels. Why? Because they are used to have events  every week of the year and have service 24/7. Benefits for your wedding such as early set up times (maybe a few days before instead of the day of), more flexible tearing down times and assistance for anything that can come up during the process and wedding day.

Another advantage is the a hotel will request a 2-3 nights room block with a minimum vs a private venue of hacienda that they will request a complete buyout of the property for 2-3 nights.

Hotels such as Villa Bokeh, Pensativo, Porta will charge you for (they can either separate each service or send you a closed package)::

• Venue fee - some may charge each area differently (if you want to use different areas for ceremony, cocktail or reception for example).

• (Variable cost) - Appetizers for cocktail hour (I suggest between 8-12 per guest and even better if you add a station like a charcuterie station)

• (Variable cost) - Served (3 course menu) dinner or buffet style dinner

• (Variable cost) - Unlimited beverage package including sodas, natural beverages, ice, glassware for 5 - 6 hours (depending on how many hours you have on your contract). I recommend you hire at least 5 hours:

  • Cocktail hour - 1 hour

  • Dinner and reception - 4 hours

• (Variable cost) - Mid night menu usually tacos, tortilla soup or enchiladas.

• Governmental permits such as volume, noise and some other the you might need to celebrate your wedding.

• Tasting (for your visit before the wedding)

• (Variable cost) - Basic tables, basic chairs, dinning ware, cutlery, glassware, staff, bartenders, stewards and all the required staff will be provided by them.

• Please don’t forget they will charge you with a 16% VAT plus service charge (15-18%). Unfortunately this is non negotiable.

Please remember that once you sign a contract you can always go higher on all services quoted. So I strongly suggest you sign with 50% of your guest list, they will NOT make an exception and you will have to pay for the services you have signed.

Private venues (not hotels) will charge you for:

• All areas - doesn’t matter if you only use one area, they will charge for all areas. Some even have special ares for getting ready (bride + bridesmaids and groom + groomsmen).

• All rooms they have inside the property (most of them have between 7-15 rooms).

• These prices include taxes and service charge.

• Most of these venues DO NOT PROVIDE THE CATERING. That would have to be added to the list of vendors.

All prices are different sine each venue has at least 5-8 different menus with different prices but each menu should be somewhere around USD$ 175.00 - USD$ 225.00 per guest (including food, staff, silverware, glassware, basic chairs, unlimited non alcoholic beverages, corkage fee, ice, tip, among others).

Designers / Florists

Wedding decorations are the artistic expressions that breathe life into venues, reflecting the unique personalities and dreams of couples on their special day.

From the delicate arrangement of blossoms that adorn tables to the twinkling lights that illuminate dance floors, these carefully curated elements weave a narrative that captures the essence of the couple's journey.

Guatemala is the country that has all kinds of flowers and colors. Even if you decide to have a white and green elegant wedding to a colorful bright wedding; Guatemala will give you everything that you are looking for.

This cost will depend 100% on the type of flower you pick, the amount of guests and the flowers / decorations that you want to have in all the events your wedding involves. It is not a fixed or closed price.

This quote will include:

• Design fee

  • Ceremony:

    • Bouquet - for the bride and your bridesmaids

    • Boutonnière - for the groom and groomsmen

    • Ceremony arch

    • Aisle decorations

    • Altar decorations

    • Side decorations

    • Necessary rentals (tableware, glassware, silverware, napkins, table cloths, chairs, tables, etc.)

  • Cocktail & Reception:

    • Classic car decorations

    • Sweetheart centerpiece

    • Table centerpieces

    • Ceiling decorations

    • Bar decorations

    • Cake table decorations

    • Signs decorations

    • Lightning

    • Tent

    • Dance floor

    • Necessary rentals (tableware, glassware, silverware, napkins, table cloths, chairs, tables, etc.)

Others included:

• Mock up (for your previous visit to the city where your wedding will be)

• Stationary (if you wish to add this here it can be added - I recommend this since the designer will know everything and make sure everything is combined).

• Welcome bags

Cake & Dessert Station

This cost will include: the dessert station (a typical dessert station should have sweets and pastries) and of course the cake.

Please do not have cake for all your guests we usually quote 50% - 60% of the entire guest list.

For dessert table, however, we do quote 90% - 100% of the guest list (this table will be open from the beginning until the end of the wedding).

Coffee Station

This cost will include: the coffee station with (of course!) local coffee. You may decide between having a station without alcohol or with alcohol.

If you like coffee this definitely has to be added as part of your vendor list. The coffee the catering company serves is black coffee with creamer or milk (not bad but it can be 10 time better with a coffee station).

You may request a station with:

• Expressos

• Macchiatos

• Cappuccinos

• Lattes

• Caramel lattes

• Chocolate mocha

• Chai or Matcha

• Cold beverages such as frapuchinos, ice lattes

• Carajillos (with Licor 43)

Wines, Liquor & Beers

You should never buy alcohol in advance (specially if you are having a destination wedding). Most of planners have a benefit of requesting a package “in consignment” meaning that you will only get charged for the bottles you open. As planners we are able to offer you the benefit in Guatemala and anywhere in the world.

Making calculations of how much your guests will drink is very difficult and it cannot reflect the amount your guests will actually consume. As planners we always have more than enough and we even calculate a 20% more of the actual formula that we use.

This cost will include all the bottles of wines, liquor and beers for all the events during weeding week (not only wedding day).

Welcome bags / Wedding favors

Wedding favors are a delightful way to express gratitude to your guests for joining you in celebrating your special day.

These tokens of appreciation can range from traditional to creative, reflecting your personality and the theme of your wedding.

Consider enchanting options such as personalized keepsakes like engraved keychains or custom mini succulents, which guests can take home and nurture just as your love continues to grow.

For a touch of indulgence, artisanal chocolates or locally sourced honey jars add a sweet note to the festivities.

To captivate the senses, aromatic candles or small bottles of fragrant oils offer a fragrant reminder of your love-filled day.

For those with a penchant for sustainability, eco-friendly options like reusable tote bags or plantable seed paper cards not only convey your thanks but also promote a greener world.

Whatever you choose, wedding favors are a small but meaningful way to leave a lasting impression and send your cherished guests home with a piece of the joy and magic that filled your celebration.

Arriving in style by Helicopter

Imagine a wedding entrance like no other – a breathtaking and exhilarating journey that will leave guests in awe and create memories that will be cherished forever.

Arriving in style by helicopter to your wedding is the epitome of grandeur and uniqueness.

The world unfolds below you in a panoramic display of beauty, while you and your beloved share an intimate moment suspended between the heavens and Earth.

The gentle touchdown marks not only your arrival but also the beginning of a new chapter in your love story, with the whirr of the blades echoing the palpable excitement in the air.

This extraordinary entrance isn't just a mode of transportation; it's a statement of your love's boundless heights and the daring spirit that sets your journey apart.

So, prepare for an entrance that defies tradition and lets your love take flight, soaring to new heights as you embark on a lifelong adventure together.

Other costs you need to consider:

• Your visit to Guatemala before the wedding.

• Samples requested from vendors.

• Travel agency services in which we EXCLUSIVELY us our sister company Sparks Travel.

• Wedding day shuttle transportation for guests.

• Extra vendors such as: Photobooth, live painter, cartoonist, etc.

• After party fees.

• Welcome events celebrations.

• Breafaskt / Brunch celebration (day after wedding).

Want to know more about the vendors we recommend?

1. Get your guide HERE.