In late 2023, an influx of all-inclusive wedding packages were making their way onto the inquiry pages and menus of wedding venues as we look into booking for 2025 and 2026 weddings. For a few years now, venues and vendors have had to adapt to the way the event industry changed by way of the pandemic and how we look at events and celebrations. But an uptick of venues now offering all-inclusive packages might be a sign that things are shifting again as more gen-z couples plan weddings. All-Inclusive- and when we say all-inclusive we mean like everything including the photographer and florals are included- certainly rings a tune of ease and convenience, But is this seemingly ideal wedding in a box right for you? Let’s find out.
While these all-inclusive packages have been around they picked up traction during the pandemic when weddings had to get smaller for safety reasons and offering a full service wedding day seemed like a great option for both vendors at the time. Then we went back to big celebrations around 2022 and these packages stepped out of the spotlight for the most part. Until Now.
Why? Some research and speculation points to how gen-z looks at weddings who are the majority group planning weddings in 2025 and 2026. They have mixed feelings on the current state of the economy and the housing market. Making an All-Inclusive wedding sound more attractive and generally offer more of a savings. Couples can put a little more aside for their house but also have a wedding day- al la have your cake and eat it too.
How does it all work? All-inclusive wedding day packages essentially combine all parts of the wedding day and put it together for a price. This means your photos, florals, dj, food, drinks-sometimes hair and makeup are all booked together. You just have to pick out your attire and show up on the big day. Sometimes there will be more than one option of vendors to pick from but a majority of the time, these packages only come with one set of specific vendors who will create your whole wedding day. Depending on how your wedding planning is going this is either music to your ears or not your ideal cup of tea.
For couples who like to keep things simple or don’t really have the time to plan and budget for full-planning services, these packages are ideal. No running around or making calls and emailing multiple vendors. It’s all off your plate and taken care of. Also- Not all couples want a big wedding and not all brides and grooms go Pinterest crazy with wedding planning. So when we have another option like this, it takes a lot of stress off that group of people to be able to just get married without the extra fluff.
Another thing to make note of is for couples looking to marry quickly, it provides the opportunity to have a small celebration instead of just hitting up the courthouse and possibly having to plan another celebration later on. As these packages can sometimes be more readily available if the venue has an open date they’re looking to fill.
But there are some drawbacks to an all-inclusive wedding day too. One of the things that stand out about these “weddings in a box” is do the vendors included work well together? For something like this to be a success, there needs to be a lot pre pre-planning and logistics to make it worthwhile for not only the couple but the venue and vendors. Even the most lax couple is going to be bummed if you have a team that just doesn’t mesh well in regards to style and design. Especially if it’s sold that way in the package. You will want to research the vendors beforehand.
Fewer options for customization will be allowed and may go outside of your package offerings. And you won’t be able to bring in your own team either so if things like editing style, specific floral design and a specific music list are important to you- it’s best to go the traditional route.
Either way, we’ll be keeping an eye on all-inclusive wedding day packages. Weddings are not one size fits all so having another option out there for weddings is a good thing. Just remember to always research your vendors and make smart choices about what works for YOU.