Italy vs Portugal Wedding Cost — Which One Is Actually Worth It?

Jun 4

Should you get married in Italy or Portugal for your destination wedding?

I’ve planned weddings in both countries, so in this post I’m going to break down exactly what your money gets you in each one, along with other notable characteristics about each country that you should know before you start planning a wedding there. Including the one thing that nobody wants to talk about that will probably make the decision for you.

But first - hello, I’m Kay. I’m a destination wedding planner helping untraditional, travel-loving couples plan multi-day, intimate destination weddings abroad in Europe on a budget.

We plan weddings all across Europe, but Portugal and Italy are the two top countries our couples are getting married in. Both countries, and all of the regions we’re going to talk about within them, are amazing.

This is not a takedown of one wedding market or the other. Your budget and expectations matter, and couples typically want to take those into account before ultimately settling on a destination because your experience there, and having a wedding there and planning a wedding there, will be different in both countries.

So let’s start with an honest, firsthand comparison so you can decide.

Vibes

The first thing we’re going to compare between the Italian and Portuguese wedding markets, and destination weddings for Americans in general, is the vibes—the vibe check, also known as the optics.

No surprise, Italy is the crowd favorite here. It’s the well-known, sexy, timeless, quintessential European country for most Americans to get married in. If you have a lot of non-travel-savvy relatives or friends invited to your wedding, they would probably be instantly excited to get invited to a wedding in Italy.

Portugal, on the other hand, I fondly refer to as Italy’s little brother. To me, it’s just as beautiful and arguably more scenic in areas. Optically, it just flies more under Italy’s radar. Based on the hundreds of conversations I have annually with couples from America and Canada, Portugal is rarely the number one choice.

If you’re looking at Europe as a whole, Italy is almost always on people’s lists either as number one or as a strong contender for number one. If Portugal is on the list at all, Italy is typically also on it. So that’s neither a pro nor a con for either country.

But if you’re looking for what feels more trendy, it’s certainly Italy. Portugal, to me, feels a little more unexpected and slightly ahead of the trend. Chances are you or someone you know has already been invited to a wedding in Italy, and that may have even inspired your own destination wedding.

So maybe Portugal is the place you want to make entirely your own.

Travel Cost

The next is cost of travel. We’re not talking yet about the cost of weddings themselves, but the cost of getting there, being there, and how that differs between countries.

This is something a lot of couples don’t factor in at all, or they factor it in too late, especially if they choose a very well-known destination and think, “We can make the wedding budget work,” and then realize transportation costs can be a huge unexpected chunk.

Speaking specifically from the United States, and focusing on East Coast airports like New York or Boston, you’ll find direct flights to places like Rome, Milan, Florence, Porto, and Lisbon.

You may be surprised to hear there’s not a huge difference in flight cost between Portugal and Italy. It’s pretty comparable, depending on your departure airport, arrival airport, and time of year.

Where we see more price disparity is actually once you’re there.

Italy is typically more expensive on the ground. A lot of this comes from the cost of moving around once you leave the airport. For example, flying into Naples and traveling to Positano can cost around $400 round trip depending on the season. The same goes for regions like Puglia when transferring from Bari or Brindisi airports.

So getting there is not a huge difference. Being there and moving around - that’s where Italy tends to cost more than Portugal.

Portugal is generally less expensive once you’re on the ground. That applies to transportation and food. And because wedding markets are tied closely to tourism markets, it’s no surprise Italy is more expensive overall than Portugal.

Wedding Costs

Now let’s talk about the actual cost of the wedding markets.

Italy has had decades of rising prices for Americans getting married there. This is not a new trend - it has been happening for a long time. It’s a more established destination wedding market with more infrastructure: venues built for weddings or historically renovated and preserved for events.

Because of this level of establishment, we see higher baseline costs.

Portugal, on the other hand, has a thriving but newer market specifically for American weddings. That rise in popularity has really taken off this decade, and the industry reflects that.

As of today, both Italy and Portugal have strong markets catering to American couples and both are increasing in price year over year. However, Portugal’s entry point is still lower.

For more detailed comparisons of food and beverage costs across European wedding markets, there are deeper breakdowns available that compare regions across both countries.

Regions

It’s important to note that both countries have outlier regions that are significantly more expensive.

In Italy, places like Lake Como and the Amalfi Coast are in a tier of their own when it comes to pricing.

In Portugal, the Douro Valley (the wine region in the north) is a similar example. It is a premium market, and venues and vendors reflect that.

In these types of outlier markets in both countries, prices can double or even triple. There are always exceptions and more affordable properties, but we’re talking about the general consensus.

Supply and demand also plays a major role. Italy has higher demand than Portugal, so prices reflect that demand. Venues book far in advance and charge accordingly.

So overall: Italy has higher demand and higher prices, at least for now.

Supply

Let’s talk about supply - the inventory of venues available.

Italy simply has more options, full stop. With decades of established wedding infrastructure, there are more historic properties, more variety, and more venue styles available.

Portugal has fewer options, but they are still stunning. The tradeoff is not quality - it’s quantity.

If you are flexible with your vision, Portugal offers incredible venues. If you have a very specific aesthetic in mind, Italy may be easier simply because you’ll have more options to choose from.

Vendors

This is an important section, and it needs to be approached carefully. This isn’t about one country being better than the other. It’s about cultural differences in how weddings are executed.

Italian vendors are incredibly professional and experienced. They know how to create beautiful weddings and have been doing this for a long time. There is, however, a strong sense that there is a “right way” to do things, and that structure is generally followed closely.

For example, if you want to move chairs from a ceremony space to a reception space to save money, an Italian vendor might say no - not because they are difficult, but because they prioritize structure, guest experience, and protocol.

From an American perspective, this can sometimes feel inflexible. From their perspective, it’s about maintaining hospitality standards and avoiding what they see as disruptive to the guest experience.

Portuguese vendors tend to operate differently. The overwhelming experience is warmth, collaboration, and flexibility. They often go beyond their defined scope to help the event succeed.

In Portugal, it is common to see vendors stepping in to help each other without being asked. The mindset is more collaborative: “We’re all a team here.”

For example, in one wedding, a photographer helped fold napkins simply because there was time and he wanted to support the team.

There are also situations where vendors go significantly beyond their job scope, offering help wherever needed on the wedding day. That level of hospitality is very present, just expressed differently than in Italy.

Even in challenging situations - like weather changes requiring multiple ceremony setup changes - Portuguese vendors often show strong flexibility and willingness to adapt, working together to make the day successful.

Neither approach is wrong. Italian vendors bring structure and consistency that produce refined, well-executed events. Portuguese vendors bring flexibility and collaboration that allow for adaptability and teamwork.

Both care deeply. They simply show it in different ways.

Decision

So what’s right for you?

Choose Italy if you want iconic, well-known destinations that feel timeless and are likely already on your vision board. It’s a good fit if you have a higher budget or are flexible with guest count, and if having more venue options is important to you.

Choose Portugal if you want your budget to stretch further, if you like the idea of being slightly ahead of the trend, and if you value vendors who are highly collaborative and willing to go above and beyond on your wedding day.

If you’re still undecided, you don’t actually need to choose a country before starting the planning process or working with a planner.

Many couples come in unsure whether they want Portugal, Italy, France, Greece, Malta, Spain, or Ireland. The planning process helps narrow it down based on budget, expectations, vibe, and real venue availability.

What would normally take months of research can often be streamlined into a much simpler decision process with the right guidance.

Italy and Portugal are both incredible destination wedding choices, but they offer very different experiences in terms of cost, availability, and vendor style.

The right choice depends on what kind of experience you want to have - not just on your wedding day, but throughout the entire planning journey.

If you’re still deciding, focus less on picking the “perfect” country and more on clarifying your priorities. The destination becomes much easier to choose from there.

If you need help understanding your budget, expectations, and guest count, I have a free guide linked below to help you!