It's the question everyone asks in the first email, usually with an apology. Don't apologize: it's the right question. The cost of a destination wedding in Italy can be surprisingly reasonable or wildly expensive, and the difference is rarely the dress or the flowers. It's the guest count, the region and the venue.

The figures below are ranges published by planners and venues for 2026, VAT included. They're a starting point to build your budget, not a quote.

Budgets by guest count

• Elopement or micro wedding, up to 15 guests: often well below €20,000, depending on how much luxury you add.
• 15 to 30 guests: roughly €18,000 to €35,000.
• 40 to 60 guests: roughly €30,000 to €55,000.
• 80 to 100 guests: from about €45,000 to €90,000 and up.
• Luxury weddings in the most famous venues regularly go beyond €100,000, and a full weekend at a top villa on Lake Como can reach several times that.

Another way to look at it: high-quality weddings in Tuscany are often quoted at around €800 to €1,200 per guest, while luxury weddings on Lake Como tend to land between €1,200 and €2,500 per guest.

Budgets by region

• Tuscany and Umbria offer the widest range, from simple farmhouses to five-star estates.
• Rome has everything, from palazzi to rooftops. Big venues in the center are not cheap, but guests save on transfers.
• Lake Como and the Amalfi Coast are usually the most expensive: venue and catering can cost 30 to 50 percent more than a comparable villa in Tuscany, and boats and transfers add up.

For Lake Como we wrote a dedicated guide: Lake Como wedding cost and venues.

Where the money goes: destination wedding cost in Italy, item by item

• Venue: the biggest single cost, especially with exclusive use for the weekend.
• Food and wine: usually the second largest item. In Italy it's also where guests remember the most.
• Planner: essential for a destination wedding. A good one saves you more than they cost.
• Flowers and design: from simple and seasonal to full installations.
• Music, lighting and entertainment.
• Photography and film.
• Transport: shuttles, cars, boats.
• Paperwork, permits and a contingency of at least ten percent.

We explain how we work, and what shapes the investment in photography and film, in our investment guide.

What usually isn't included

Most budgets don't count flights and hotel rooms for you and your guests, the welcome dinner and the farewell brunch, hair and make-up, or the honeymoon. Write them down from the start, so there are no surprises.

How to save without it showing

• Choose a Friday or a Sunday, or late May and late September instead of peak June.
• Pick a venue where the ceremony, dinner and party happen in the same place.
• Keep the guest list within the indoor capacity, so you don't need a marquee.
• Go seasonal with flowers and menus. In Italy, seasonal is also the most beautiful.
• Spend on what you'll keep and what guests will feel: food, music, light, photographs.

If you're building your budget and want an honest opinion, write to us. We've seen many weddings, at many levels, and we're happy to share what really makes a difference.