An Australian bride who decided to ditch wedding tradition saved $40,000 by tying the knot in a small ceremony on a tropical island overseas.
Annabelle and Hayden Newell, 32, of Sydney, tied the knot in Mo’orea, a picturesque and tourist-friendly spot in French Polynesia in the South Pacific in May.
The couple were shocked to learn it would cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars to book venues in Sydney or Byron Bay on the New South Wales mid-north coast.
The couple were reportedly charged up to $45,000 just for the venue and food packages for 110 guests before other costs such as drinks, accommodation and photography could be accounted for.
Although the newlyweds have decent salaries and professional occupations, both have felt the effects of the cost of living crisis.
The couple researched alternative options and decided to elope to Mo’orea in front of five family members.
The full ceremony and a reception dinner for seven cost the couple just $6,500.
“The cost of weddings in Australia has completely skyrocketed and it’s not something we want to spend our money on,” Newell told Australian jewellery company Shiels.
Sydney couple Annabelle and Hayden Newell, 32 (pictured), saved up $40,000 after they decided to elope to Moorea in French Polynesia.
The full ceremony and a reception dinner for seven cost the couple just $6,500.
Ms. Newell did her own hair and makeup and wore a used wedding dress valued at $1,500, which she paired with local flowers costing $300.
The couple paid $700 in total for the wedding reception dinner for seven people.
They also spent their honeymoon in Italy and organized a party at home to celebrate the nuptials with their friends.
The couple hired a local content creator in Sydney instead of spending a lot of money on a photographer and videographer.
“I think we saved $40,000 and had two celebrations and a honeymoon,” Newell said.
‘We were able to stay in amazing places, eat and drink whatever we wanted and buy ourselves a little wedding gift.
The couple used their savings to pay the deposit for their first home and have just purchased an off-plan house.
They live with Mrs. Newell’s parents.
She said their low-cost wedding allowed them to not stress about the big day and were able to enjoy the event without worrying about money.
The couple paid just $6,500 for the entire wedding ceremony at the picturesque venue and a reception dinner for seven people (file image)
The average cost of a wedding in Australia is between $36,000 and $51,000 according to figures from ASIC’s Moneysmart website.
Australian couples have turned to cheaper wedding alternatives as people struggle to afford necessities such as housing and food.
Figures from online digital marketing website Semrush found that online searches for “how much does it cost to elope” have increased by 40 percent over the past year.
Searches for “micro wedding” increased by 49 percent, while “average cost of a wedding in Australia” increased by 85 percent. Yahoo reported.
Ms Newell said people should not be afraid to celebrate their wedding differently, considering how they want to mark the occasion.