Destination weddings: should you still buy a gift after forking out on travel?
A young couple at their beach-side wedding ceremony. Picture: Shutterstock
By Anna Houlahan
Updated July 28 2025 - 9:56am, first published 9:01am
After forking out for flights, accommodation, and a new outfit, a destination wedding guest might start to wonder. Is my presence present enough? Subscribe now for unlimited access.
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Millennials across Australia are in the thick of their wedding guest era and discovering the steep cost of attending celebrations. And destination weddings are the most expensive of them all.
So, what is gift-giving etiquette when international travel is involved?
Wedding planner Natalie Hagopian said that cash was "always preferred" at a destination wedding, so couples weren't lugging home heavy crystal bowls in their carry-on bags.
"While it's still customary to offer something, the expectation for a large or extravagant gift at a destination wedding is significantly lower," she said.
"Many couples will explicitly state 'your presence is our gift!' on their wedding website or invitation, acknowledging the substantial financial and time commitment involved for guests."
Guests at a wedding. Picture Canva
A close friend or relative will spend an average of $288 on a wedding present, while other guests tend to spend $159.
Close friends and family are spending around $50 more on a gift in 2025 compared to the year before, the report found.
One frequent wedding attendee from Geelong said he's stopped giving gifts in favour of cold, hard cash.
"Most couples who get married already live together, so they don't need to be bought random stuff for the house," he said.
"I think the unspoken rule for cash is usually to pay for your seat, meal and drinks, so [he and his wife] give $250 to $300 for the two of us."
More than ever, couples are asking for cash instead of gifts, the wedding industry report found.
A whopping 90 per cent of couples had a wishing well for cash gifts at their reception.
Only one per cent of couples were prompting guests to buy a present from a gift registry, while nine per cent set up a honeymoon registry.
Wedding planner Sharon Munro. Picture Kayla Martin
But she said couples were starting to "think outside the box" when requesting gifts from their guests.
"Some couples set up experience funds where guests can contribute to things like cooking classes, scuba diving, or guided tours during the honeymoon," she said.
"Others opt for charity donations, asking guests to donate to a cause that's meaningful to them in lieu of gifts."
How much is the couple spending?
Most Australian couples spent around $8,000 more on their wedding than they intended. The average original wedding budget is $27,455, and this figure ballooned to $35,315 by the big day.
Couples planning a destination wedding saved some money, with the average cost reaching $29,391, the report found.
Part of the reduced cost could be the smaller guest list, with 74 people attending an average destination wedding, as opposed to 88 guests at a domestic celebration.
The majority of Australian couples, 91 per cent, got married at or near home.
Just two per cent got hitched overseas, and seven per cent got married in another state or territory, according to the report.
Couples are travelling the world to tie the knot, with the top wedding destinations being New Zealand, the United States, Fiji, Italy, Indonesia, Greece, the United Kingdom, India, and South Africa.
While couples may expect to receive an influx of cash on their wedding day, Ms Munro said most couples were not "counting on gifts of money to cover costs".
She said it was "risky and could lead to financial stress if expectations aren't met". Instead, couples tended to plan their wedding based on what they could afford.
"Wishing wells offer couples the freedom to use the contributions however they choose - whether it's for items they genuinely need, specific brands they prefer, their honeymoon, or even putting money toward their rent or mortgage."
Words by Anna Houlahan Anna Houlahan reports on crime and social issues affecting regional and remote Australia in her role as national crime reporter at Australian Community Media (ACM). She was ACM's Trainee of the Year in 2023 and, aside from reporting on crime, has travelled the country as a journalist for Explore Travel Magazine.
Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au
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The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
Newcastle to become state's first berthing for luxury superyachts
The Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club will be the beneficiary of $5 million in state funding to expand its berthing marina to accommodate up eight luxe superyachts in a move that it promises will be a boon for the regional tourism economy. Club CEO Paul O'Rourke said there were about 30 superyachts owned in Australia, but the country was a premier destination for repair and vessel maintenance in the Southern Hemisphere such that it was expected to account for some eight per cent of the global market by the end of the year, amounting to around 533 vessels. The funding is expected to be put towards building 200 metres of dedicated marina berth that is specifically designed to accommodate the larger vessels, with extra weight and power facilities. The move to expand the Newcastle marina on Hannell Street is expected to put Newcastle in a competitive stead with Queensland, long regarded as the Australian home for superyacht construction, and will represent the only such dedicated maintenance berth in NSW. Mr O'Rourke said, while Newcastle would not build the vessels, positioning the city as a maintenance hub for the yachts that are estimated to cost between $2 million and $5 million a year to run, would unlock the Pacific for European travellers and see tourism spending flow through the Hunter. "There are probably over 30 superyachts in Australia at the moment," he said. "But the key is there are 100 coming. There are a lot of superyachts in Europe that all want to come to Australia and the Pacific, and at the moment we don't have the Pacific facilities." "We regularly get phone calls from boats out in Tahiti that want to come to Australia and park up. We haven't got the facility yet." Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said the NSW Government's investment of $5 million, to which the Newcastle yacht club would add 20 per cent of the overall $6 million build costs, made sense for the state's second city. "We are a maritime city," she said. "So, it makes sense for us to can have those yachts that can travel from as far far as Europe on their way up to Northern Queensland and to further places into the Pacific." "This will become their go-to stopover." The yacht club's Commodore, Barry Kelly, said the completed projected which is estimated to be about two years away, would be equipped to provide "medium-level" maintenance to the vessels, replacing parts and servicing engines and complex onboard systems, that would generate jobs in the region. "Superyachts spend about four times as much in the region as they do on the berthing," he said. "Our spend on maintaining this facility in the last financial year was about $800,000." The funding has been carved out of the NSW Regional Development Trust, which Regional NSW Minister Tara Moriarty said was to prop up merit-based projects that would create jobs and economic boons for regional economies. "We have made a big deal out of this new fund and this new way of investing in our regions," she said. "This is really going to make a big difference for the local economy." The $70 million Callisto - believed to have been the largest and most expensive yacht to visit Newcastle - was spotted in the marina in 2019. lt is owned by Barbados billionaire Derrick Smith who was reportedly a co-owner of the renowned Coolmore Stud, which has operations in the Upper Hunter, Ireland and the US. The Australian superyacht sector is estimated to have a fleet value of over $7.5 billion, with annual maintenance expenditure of over $575 million. Operational expenditure in Australia, including crew wages and berthing, is worth about $400 million. A proposal document for the project, seen by the Newcastle Herald, lists more than 400 vessels over 30 metres based in the Asia Pacific. The industry is said to support about 14,500 full-time jobs, paying about $1.2 billion in wages and salaries, and with Sydney reaching capacity, overflow was being directed to Queensland and Victoria. The yacht club's pitch to secure funding amounted to positioning Newcastle to cater to provide a state's-first and one-stop shop for the super rich to dock and have their vessels serviced, estimated to represent up to 1400 jobs. According to Superyachts Australia, the number of luxury vessels in NSW has increased by 52 per cent since 2021, with 17 accounted for in 2023. The economic impact of a visiting vessel was estimated to be about $1.34 million that year. The Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club will be the beneficiary of $5 million in state funding to expand its berthing marina to accommodate up eight luxe superyachts in a move that it promises will be a boon for the regional tourism economy. Club CEO Paul O'Rourke said there were about 30 superyachts owned in Australia, but the country was a premier destination for repair and vessel maintenance in the Southern Hemisphere such that it was expected to account for some eight per cent of the global market by the end of the year, amounting to around 533 vessels. The funding is expected to be put towards building 200 metres of dedicated marina berth that is specifically designed to accommodate the larger vessels, with extra weight and power facilities. The move to expand the Newcastle marina on Hannell Street is expected to put Newcastle in a competitive stead with Queensland, long regarded as the Australian home for superyacht construction, and will represent the only such dedicated maintenance berth in NSW. Mr O'Rourke said, while Newcastle would not build the vessels, positioning the city as a maintenance hub for the yachts that are estimated to cost between $2 million and $5 million a year to run, would unlock the Pacific for European travellers and see tourism spending flow through the Hunter. "There are probably over 30 superyachts in Australia at the moment," he said. "But the key is there are 100 coming. There are a lot of superyachts in Europe that all want to come to Australia and the Pacific, and at the moment we don't have the Pacific facilities." "We regularly get phone calls from boats out in Tahiti that want to come to Australia and park up. We haven't got the facility yet." Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said the NSW Government's investment of $5 million, to which the Newcastle yacht club would add 20 per cent of the overall $6 million build costs, made sense for the state's second city. "We are a maritime city," she said. "So, it makes sense for us to can have those yachts that can travel from as far far as Europe on their way up to Northern Queensland and to further places into the Pacific." "This will become their go-to stopover." The yacht club's Commodore, Barry Kelly, said the completed projected which is estimated to be about two years away, would be equipped to provide "medium-level" maintenance to the vessels, replacing parts and servicing engines and complex onboard systems, that would generate jobs in the region. "Superyachts spend about four times as much in the region as they do on the berthing," he said. "Our spend on maintaining this facility in the last financial year was about $800,000." The funding has been carved out of the NSW Regional Development Trust, which Regional NSW Minister Tara Moriarty said was to prop up merit-based projects that would create jobs and economic boons for regional economies. "We have made a big deal out of this new fund and this new way of investing in our regions," she said. "This is really going to make a big difference for the local economy." The $70 million Callisto - believed to have been the largest and most expensive yacht to visit Newcastle - was spotted in the marina in 2019. lt is owned by Barbados billionaire Derrick Smith who was reportedly a co-owner of the renowned Coolmore Stud, which has operations in the Upper Hunter, Ireland and the US. The Australian superyacht sector is estimated to have a fleet value of over $7.5 billion, with annual maintenance expenditure of over $575 million. Operational expenditure in Australia, including crew wages and berthing, is worth about $400 million. A proposal document for the project, seen by the Newcastle Herald, lists more than 400 vessels over 30 metres based in the Asia Pacific. The industry is said to support about 14,500 full-time jobs, paying about $1.2 billion in wages and salaries, and with Sydney reaching capacity, overflow was being directed to Queensland and Victoria. The yacht club's pitch to secure funding amounted to positioning Newcastle to cater to provide a state's-first and one-stop shop for the super rich to dock and have their vessels serviced, estimated to represent up to 1400 jobs. According to Superyachts Australia, the number of luxury vessels in NSW has increased by 52 per cent since 2021, with 17 accounted for in 2023. The economic impact of a visiting vessel was estimated to be about $1.34 million that year. The Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club will be the beneficiary of $5 million in state funding to expand its berthing marina to accommodate up eight luxe superyachts in a move that it promises will be a boon for the regional tourism economy. Club CEO Paul O'Rourke said there were about 30 superyachts owned in Australia, but the country was a premier destination for repair and vessel maintenance in the Southern Hemisphere such that it was expected to account for some eight per cent of the global market by the end of the year, amounting to around 533 vessels. The funding is expected to be put towards building 200 metres of dedicated marina berth that is specifically designed to accommodate the larger vessels, with extra weight and power facilities. The move to expand the Newcastle marina on Hannell Street is expected to put Newcastle in a competitive stead with Queensland, long regarded as the Australian home for superyacht construction, and will represent the only such dedicated maintenance berth in NSW. Mr O'Rourke said, while Newcastle would not build the vessels, positioning the city as a maintenance hub for the yachts that are estimated to cost between $2 million and $5 million a year to run, would unlock the Pacific for European travellers and see tourism spending flow through the Hunter. "There are probably over 30 superyachts in Australia at the moment," he said. "But the key is there are 100 coming. There are a lot of superyachts in Europe that all want to come to Australia and the Pacific, and at the moment we don't have the Pacific facilities." "We regularly get phone calls from boats out in Tahiti that want to come to Australia and park up. We haven't got the facility yet." Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said the NSW Government's investment of $5 million, to which the Newcastle yacht club would add 20 per cent of the overall $6 million build costs, made sense for the state's second city. "We are a maritime city," she said. "So, it makes sense for us to can have those yachts that can travel from as far far as Europe on their way up to Northern Queensland and to further places into the Pacific." "This will become their go-to stopover." The yacht club's Commodore, Barry Kelly, said the completed projected which is estimated to be about two years away, would be equipped to provide "medium-level" maintenance to the vessels, replacing parts and servicing engines and complex onboard systems, that would generate jobs in the region. "Superyachts spend about four times as much in the region as they do on the berthing," he said. "Our spend on maintaining this facility in the last financial year was about $800,000." The funding has been carved out of the NSW Regional Development Trust, which Regional NSW Minister Tara Moriarty said was to prop up merit-based projects that would create jobs and economic boons for regional economies. "We have made a big deal out of this new fund and this new way of investing in our regions," she said. "This is really going to make a big difference for the local economy." The $70 million Callisto - believed to have been the largest and most expensive yacht to visit Newcastle - was spotted in the marina in 2019. lt is owned by Barbados billionaire Derrick Smith who was reportedly a co-owner of the renowned Coolmore Stud, which has operations in the Upper Hunter, Ireland and the US. The Australian superyacht sector is estimated to have a fleet value of over $7.5 billion, with annual maintenance expenditure of over $575 million. Operational expenditure in Australia, including crew wages and berthing, is worth about $400 million. A proposal document for the project, seen by the Newcastle Herald, lists more than 400 vessels over 30 metres based in the Asia Pacific. The industry is said to support about 14,500 full-time jobs, paying about $1.2 billion in wages and salaries, and with Sydney reaching capacity, overflow was being directed to Queensland and Victoria. The yacht club's pitch to secure funding amounted to positioning Newcastle to cater to provide a state's-first and one-stop shop for the super rich to dock and have their vessels serviced, estimated to represent up to 1400 jobs. According to Superyachts Australia, the number of luxury vessels in NSW has increased by 52 per cent since 2021, with 17 accounted for in 2023. The economic impact of a visiting vessel was estimated to be about $1.34 million that year. The Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club will be the beneficiary of $5 million in state funding to expand its berthing marina to accommodate up eight luxe superyachts in a move that it promises will be a boon for the regional tourism economy. Club CEO Paul O'Rourke said there were about 30 superyachts owned in Australia, but the country was a premier destination for repair and vessel maintenance in the Southern Hemisphere such that it was expected to account for some eight per cent of the global market by the end of the year, amounting to around 533 vessels. The funding is expected to be put towards building 200 metres of dedicated marina berth that is specifically designed to accommodate the larger vessels, with extra weight and power facilities. The move to expand the Newcastle marina on Hannell Street is expected to put Newcastle in a competitive stead with Queensland, long regarded as the Australian home for superyacht construction, and will represent the only such dedicated maintenance berth in NSW. Mr O'Rourke said, while Newcastle would not build the vessels, positioning the city as a maintenance hub for the yachts that are estimated to cost between $2 million and $5 million a year to run, would unlock the Pacific for European travellers and see tourism spending flow through the Hunter. "There are probably over 30 superyachts in Australia at the moment," he said. "But the key is there are 100 coming. There are a lot of superyachts in Europe that all want to come to Australia and the Pacific, and at the moment we don't have the Pacific facilities." "We regularly get phone calls from boats out in Tahiti that want to come to Australia and park up. We haven't got the facility yet." Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said the NSW Government's investment of $5 million, to which the Newcastle yacht club would add 20 per cent of the overall $6 million build costs, made sense for the state's second city. "We are a maritime city," she said. "So, it makes sense for us to can have those yachts that can travel from as far far as Europe on their way up to Northern Queensland and to further places into the Pacific." "This will become their go-to stopover." The yacht club's Commodore, Barry Kelly, said the completed projected which is estimated to be about two years away, would be equipped to provide "medium-level" maintenance to the vessels, replacing parts and servicing engines and complex onboard systems, that would generate jobs in the region. "Superyachts spend about four times as much in the region as they do on the berthing," he said. "Our spend on maintaining this facility in the last financial year was about $800,000." The funding has been carved out of the NSW Regional Development Trust, which Regional NSW Minister Tara Moriarty said was to prop up merit-based projects that would create jobs and economic boons for regional economies. "We have made a big deal out of this new fund and this new way of investing in our regions," she said. "This is really going to make a big difference for the local economy." The $70 million Callisto - believed to have been the largest and most expensive yacht to visit Newcastle - was spotted in the marina in 2019. lt is owned by Barbados billionaire Derrick Smith who was reportedly a co-owner of the renowned Coolmore Stud, which has operations in the Upper Hunter, Ireland and the US. The Australian superyacht sector is estimated to have a fleet value of over $7.5 billion, with annual maintenance expenditure of over $575 million. Operational expenditure in Australia, including crew wages and berthing, is worth about $400 million. A proposal document for the project, seen by the Newcastle Herald, lists more than 400 vessels over 30 metres based in the Asia Pacific. The industry is said to support about 14,500 full-time jobs, paying about $1.2 billion in wages and salaries, and with Sydney reaching capacity, overflow was being directed to Queensland and Victoria. The yacht club's pitch to secure funding amounted to positioning Newcastle to cater to provide a state's-first and one-stop shop for the super rich to dock and have their vessels serviced, estimated to represent up to 1400 jobs. According to Superyachts Australia, the number of luxury vessels in NSW has increased by 52 per cent since 2021, with 17 accounted for in 2023. The economic impact of a visiting vessel was estimated to be about $1.34 million that year.
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- The Advertiser
I watched a loggerhead turtle nest at Mon Repos - here's what I learned
The Mon Repos beach. My feet sink into warm sand as I huddle in a group with a dozen other tourists, trying not to make any sudden moves. It's about 7pm, and the sun has set on Bundaberg's Mon Repos beach. It's so dark I can't tell where the shore ends, but I look towards the horizon and see thousands of stars. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue reading All articles from our website The digital version of Today's Paper All other in your area This Queensland beach is where most of the world's endangered loggerhead turtles come to nest. Nesting season, in November and December, is a popular night-time attraction before turtle-hatching season between January and mid-March. Out of about 130 eggs per nest, it's believed only about one in 1000 turtles will hatch and survive to adulthood. We're told this species' population has plummeted since the early 2000s for reasons including pollution, fishing, poaching and increasing sand temperatures spawning more male turtles. This makes what I'm about to witness that much more special. Amy, the park ranger, says it's crucial to remain still so we don't frighten a turtle who has landed after swimming for thousands of kilometres. A 41-year-old loggerhead turtle digging her nest at Mon Repos beach. Picture: Bageshri Savyasachi "Be very quiet," she says. I notice a smudge in the dark, a few metres in front of me, slowly crawling up mounds of sand. The ranger goes up to the creature and waves our group over after a few minutes. We gather around as Amy shines her torchlight on the turtle, who has already laid about 20 eggs in her nest. The turtle drops the eggs, which look like slippery golf balls, down a narrow hole as park rangers mark the nest and simultaneously take notes about the mum. We find out the turtle is 41 years old, almost three feet long, and has returned to nest after five years. "Why doesn't the light bother her?" one person whispers to the ranger measuring the turtle, which seems indifferent to our presence. The ranger says the turtle can see and hear us, but is ultimately driven by survival instinct. And hormones. Her turtle brain is flooded with oxytocin, and she's experiencing a wave of calm and safety, allowing her to nest peacefully. Like countless others, she has spent years at feeding and breeding grounds before her journey to Mon Repos, where she hatched as a baby. Apparently, it's in their DNA to remember their birthplace as a safe place to nest and use the Earth's magnetic field to find their way back. Hatchlings head for the water. At this point, the adults in the group have joined the children in dropping their jaws. "Woah," I unintentionally quote Crush, the loggerhead turtle from Finding Nemo . I walk away from the experience with more appreciation for this female sea turtle, whose shell had a chunk missing from it and who had beaten the odds just for a chance to contribute to the survival of her species. I now understand why Turtle Sands, a minute's walk from the conservation centre at Mon Repos beach, has crafted its entire holiday park to safeguard the habitat of these endangered creatures - from restricting beach access and loud noises at night to angled window shades that keep indoor lights facing away from the shore. Accommodation at Turtle Sands. But my favourite part is the park's only beach house, which I have all to myself - including a private deck with leafy views and a comfortable day bed, where I enjoy napping between activities. I'm also impressed by the kitchenette stocked with the basics and the room next to it with a laundry set-up, a rare luxury for those who pack light. The cottage's best feature, a massive, comfortable bed, is eclipsed by the oversized bathroom. Of course, I take a relaxing bubble bath and flip through a true crime novel while sipping on a cold ginger beer. I feel pampered. Before heading out the next morning, I take advantage of the Bluetooth speakers in the room to play music while I pack a bag and hype myself up for a day trip. On my way to reception, I spot caravans and trailers parked close to one of the beach paths, flanked by a row of glamping tents and spacious cabins. I chat about my turtle encounter with the park's assistant manager, Melissa Floyd, who says Turtle Sands, which NRMA reopened in September 2024 after renovations, has been around since 1974. "It's unique," she says. "It's on private land surrounded by a national park, so we're very conscious that we have a great responsibility to ensure the longevity of the species." Rows of family-friendly cabins and glamping tents at Turtle Sands (spot the kangaroo). Picture: Bageshri Savyasachi She tells me guests who aren't keen on cooking can order from food trucks coming to the park or call for a pizza cooked in the onsite wood-fired oven. Also on offer are complimentary yoga classes in the morning, around the same time other early-risers take a stroll on the beach or follow some nature trails nearby. I decide to do a tour of the entire campsite, and quickly realise how big Turtle Sands actually is, and how busy it could become. A large saltwater pool in the centre of the park seems to be very popular with families and children, whose voices you can hear before you see them. My eyes dart around as visitors come and go from the amenities block next door, which has a camp kitchen and courtyard with lawn games. I retreat from the crowds back to my room. There's nowhere more blissful than my beach house. Getting there: Turtle Sands is a 15-minute drive from Bundaberg Airport. You can take a taxi from the airport rank to the holiday park. Staying there: Options range from a studio room from $166 per night to a villa (sleeps six) or a private beach house (sleeps two) for up to about $390 per night. Explore more: The writer was a guest of Turtle Sands Words by Bageshri Savyasachi I report on crime, emergency services, police and jail matters. Email me on bageshri.s@ or send confidential tips to bageshri.s@
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Does Australia's biggest contribution to global dining come from ... McDonald's?
Before flat whites surged through New York City, Aussie-inspired coffee was being poured at America's first McCafe in Chicago, back in 2001. Since its Melbourne creation in 1993, the McDonald's concept has taken off globally and McCafes now serve macarons in France and alfajores in Argentina. There are McCafes with bubble tea in China, zaatar croissants in Saudi Arabia and local coffee beans in Guatemala. 'I don't think it would be crazy to argue that Australian coffee culture is the country's biggest culinary contribution to the world, within which McCafe plays a major role as the delivery vehicle,' says Gary He, author of McAtlas: A Global Guide to the Golden Arches. The self-published book won the Reference, History and Scholarship category at the prestigious James Beard food media awards in June, held in Chicago. He, a US-based writer and photographer, travelled to McDonald's outlets across six continents to document the fast-food chain's surprising diversity. The project, started in 2018, has taken him to more than 50 countries, from Sweden's McSki to Germany's McBoat and New Zealand's Taupo location which incorporates an actual plane.
