Planning a destination wedding in the sunny Malaga area is an exciting experience, but the question that often arises is “How much will it really cost?”.

And the simple and almost annoying answer is ~ it depends! But most often than not, considering your budget from the first moments of the planning will smooth out the path and ease out some of the dreaded wedding planning stress and anxiety.

Every wedding is as unique as the love it celebrates. Are there wedding packages with all-inclusive services on the market? Sure they are, but that’s not what we offer and not something our clients would actually enjoy! 

The cost of your wedding in Malaga will depend on various factors. The venue, the number of guests and other personalized elements or services, everything needs to be accounted for. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to wedding expenses. Surprises can arise, like intimate weddings with 30 guests that may cost a lot more than big weddings with hundreds of attendees.

Let’s explore key factors that can streamline the process and help you make the most of your budget. 

Setting the Stage: Your Destination Wedding Budget’s Key Role

One of the first steps towards planning a successful wedding is setting a wedding budget. A financial roadmap that reflects what you consider reasonable and achievable. Take some time to sit down with your partner and decide on the amount of money you are willing to invest in your special day.

Consider it as your foundation throughout the planning process of your wedding in southern Spain. 

In Malaga and the whole Costa del Sol, a region known for its multitude of weddings, both big and small budgets are common.

This first decision empowers you to make informed choices when selecting the wedding venue in Spain and choosing the services that best align with your vision. Having an initial x amount in mind will ensure that you stay within your financial means while still curating a great wedding experience.

Read here how to plan the perfect weekend wedding in Malaga!

An Intentional Guest List

Your guest list plays a significant role in shaping the costs of your destination wedding in Malaga. Creating a realistic guest list will enable you to tailor your budget to accommodate the number of attendees without compromising the quality of the experience.

When creating your guest list, keep in mind that with destination weddings the more you invite, the bigger the chances to have people decline. When you get intentional and really put your thoughts into why each guest should be on your list, most of them will also attend. 

If your budget allows it, you can always consider a bigger party and it’s up to you to decide if your inner circle needs a bit more dance floor space. Just don’t be random with your invitations!

Defining Priorities: Must-Haves vs. Negotiables

Weddings, not only in Southern Spain but all over the world, are a tapestry of choices and decisions. Understanding your true priorities is key to staying on track with your budget.

Take the time to identify the aspects of your wedding that are non-negotiable, those elements that define your vision and reflect your style. Such as, for example, the venue, the wedding planner, food and drinks, photography or music.

Then, categorize your budget into fixed-price services (those you pay regardless of guest count) and per guest expenses (food, drinks, rentals, centerpieces, transportation, etc.). This smooth approach will help you identify easier what is essential versus optional.

By distinguishing between must-haves and negotiables, you can distribute your resources, ensuring that the essential components receive the attention they deserve while allowing flexibility for areas where some compromises can be made. 

Read our ultimate guide for planning a beach wedding in Malaga!

The Super Power of a Wedding Planner

With the guidance of a wedding planner based in the Malaga area, you’ll navigate the vast array of options and seamlessly bring your vision to life.

Experience in the local market is a game-changer when it comes to organizing your budget, selecting the best vendors within your price range and making informed financial decisions.  It’s a relief to work with a planner that grants you access to a wealth of knowledge and understands the nuances of the region. 

Hiring a wedding planner in Malaga will not only save you time and energy, but will also maximize your budget. When working with an experienced destination wedding planner, you can have peace of mind knowing that you get the most value and impact from your wedding costs. 

Read here about the most important wedding trends for 2023!

Allowing Room for the Unexpected and Extras

As you jump on this adventure of planning your destination wedding in the Malaga province, it’s essential to remember that surprises can be part of the journey. While you plan and budget, it’s wise to allocate a margin of 15-20% for  any extras that may arise along the way. 

Trust us, from our experience in orchestrating over 100 weddings across Europe in the last 12 years, it’s almost inevitable that the budget will need a little extra margin.

Why is it necessary to set aside this buffer? Well, the planning process is exactly this – a process, where you discover new possibilities and refine your vision. Along the way, you may find additional services that elevate your wedding experience. It could be that perfect upgrade for your floral arrangements, the opportunity to include a special live performance or even last-minute details that add an extra touch of magic.

This margin ensures that you can navigate the planning process with ease and make choices that truly resonate with your wishes and aspirations.

Embracing Flexibility

While planning your destination wedding, you’ll want to consider your budget as a projection rather than a rigid goal. It’s normal for adjustments to occur along the way as you refine your plans and explore different options, discovering creative solutions and ultimately bringing your envisioned wedding to life.

Your wedding lies not solely within the confines of your budget, but within the moments, emotions and connections shared with your loved ones. By remaining flexible, you allow yourself the freedom to adapt, ensuring that your wedding experience is a true reflection of your love and joy. 

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A Sample Spending for a 50 Guests Wedding in Malaga province {2025 costs up to date}

Now, let’s dive a bit into the numbers and shed some light on the typical spending for a 50-guest wedding in the Malaga area. While it’s important to note that every wedding is different and can be tailored to fulfill your desires, having a rough estimate can provide valuable insights as you begin this exciting journey. 

For a 50 guest wedding in Malaga you will need to account for the essential first: the venue and catering, music, photo and/or video, flowers and rentals, wedding planner services and probably a symbolic ceremony.

The extra touches, like stationery and signage, personalised entertainment for your guests, activities throughout the weekend of your wedding, will depend on your overall vision. 

On top of that, you’ll also need to take into account travel and accommodation and to decide early on if you also need to secure accommodation for your guests. Usually, most of the couples arrange accommodation for the immediate family and then search out for recommendations or a group offer for the rest of the guests. 

Venue

Securing the venue for your wedding is not only one of the first steps in planning, but one that defines the entire planning journey. In Malaga province you will find many different types of venues, with prices ranging from 4000€ to 20.000€ or more. 

Some venues offer accommodation on site and this will influence the final cost. It’s important to know that each venue has a different pricing structure and many practice seasonal pricing. 

Catering – Food & Drinks

In Spain, food is paramount to a great wedding and the menu usually consists of cocktail hour canapes, cava toast, dinner with two or three courses plus dessert and drinks like local wines and beer, water and coffee.

In-house catering is standard for restaurants, hotels and many beach clubs, while villas and private estates use outside catering (free to choose or prefered vendor).

Menus start at around 120€ and go up to 250€ or more, depending on the catering company, type of produce, lenght of the dinner and other factors. After dinner service, the party begins and the open bar package can be secured for two, four or more hours. Drinks packages start at 40€ for standard four hours and include a wide range of spirits, long drinks and some cocktails. Midnight snacks are many times a great complement to the wedding menu and they can range from sweet tables, to wraped burgers, to food stations or food trucks, prices varying accordingly – a price from 10€ to 30€ is usually expected for additional after-party food.

Wedding Services

The most usual suspects when it comes to the actual services you’ll need for your wedding:

Entertainment for your wedding day might look something like this: a live performance of one or two musicians for the ceremony and cocktail hour, a DJ for dinner and then other type of entertainment for the party (DJ + instrumental, a band or other type of music performance).
Consider a good DJ’s fee starts at 1000€, live performances with a singer or one instrument start at around 500€ for one hour, while bands performances start at 2000€ and can go up to 10K or more. Entertainment setup (sound, lights, dance floors and all the nice things) starts at 2000€ for the minimum setup.

When choosing your venue, check if they have any mandatory requirements for music, restrictions on time, on volume and if they have a prefered vendor or a unique vendor for sound or DJ. Some venues do not allow outdoor live music and some are not licencesed at all for music, this is why a wedding planner with local knowledge will help you get this information from the moment you sign your first contract. 

Photography and videography. Here you can find a wide range of prices, all reflective of the experience and service offered. I always find it’s easier for couples to invest in good memories from their wedding, but you can expect anywhere from 2500€ up to 6000€ for photography and equally so for videography.

Flowers and decor costs vary depending on season, style and most often on volume and impact. We usually include a starting budget with our clients and updated it as soon as we agreed on a vision and have clear understanding of the importance they place on the actual decor. Minimum floral spend for table decor and bouquets for 50 guests starts at 4000€.

Fresh flowers are expensive and you almost always pay for years of training and the craftmanship the florists bring to your wedding. If you have an empty venue or one that doesn’t necessarily express much on its own, then a bigger investment in decoration, rentals and flowers is advised. 

One of the main services for any wedding is the actual ceremony, with officiant costs starting at 500€, while the actual setup with chairs and any additional decoration or florals starting at a minimum of 800€. 

Wedding planning services can cost you anywhere from 8% to 15% of your wedding on average, depending on the pricing structure the planner has. Fees for full planning services start at 4000€ and can go up to 10.000€.

While looking at planners, keep in mind that planning services are different accros the market. Always make sure you understand exactly what’s included in the package and what are the limits or specific features of each service listed. Wedding planning fees are reflective of the expertise of the professional, the number of clients he/she handles per year and the overall bandwith and customization they can offer for each client.

Invitation suites and stationery can be a small details line in your budget sheet or a proeminent one and this is all up to your vision and budget. A wedding website can be created for free by your planner or have a small fee between 50 to 100€. Basic invitation and stationery can cost a few hundreds of euros, while luxury prints usually account for thousands of euros, even for a small batch of 30 to 50 invitations and wedding-day prints. Signage on the wedding day can be omitted altogether or can take more of a front stage in the design, and this can also add between 600 and up to 3000€ to your wedding costs. 

While accounting for all other services, include also makeup and hair (both trials and the actual wedding day start at 400€ for makeup and same for hair, while bridesmaids and other guests receive a smaller cost). 

We always advise our couples to keep track of their personal expenses on your outfits, wedding rings, gifts for your guests.

Our aim is to create a wedding experience that matches your expectations and we understand that your desires are far more different than the average! To get a better understanding of your potential total cost, always consider an intial consultation with a wedding planner.

Contact us with your details for your wedding and we’ll map out the most authentic and relaxed journey for you and your guests!