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Once you start touring wedding venues, one big decision quickly appears. Do you choose an all inclusive, full service venue that bundles most of what you need, or do you go the DIY route and piece everything together yourself. At first glance, DIY can look cheaper because individual line items feel smaller. All inclusive venues can look more expensive because you see a larger number in one place.
The reality is more complex. When you look at everything you will pay for, plus the time and stress involved, the picture starts to change. In this guide, we will unpack what all inclusive and DIY really mean, where the hidden costs live, and how to decide which option actually saves you more in money, time, and peace of mind.
Before comparing costs, it helps to define terms clearly.
An all inclusive venue usually provides:
At a true full service location like a luxury wedding venue in East Tennessee, these inclusions are designed to cover most of what you need to host a seamless celebration.
A DIY leaning venue often provides:
You handle the rest. That means coordinating rentals, caterers, decor, staffing, setup, teardown, transportation, and all the little details that make the day feel complete.
With an all inclusive venue, you are not just paying for a beautiful setting. You are investing in a complete framework that supports your wedding from planning through the last dance.
Typical all inclusive inclusions may cover:
If you look at a page like Castleton Farms pricing and packages, you can see how a countryside estate bundles services in ways that reduce the number of separate vendors you have to hire. The upfront number is higher, but it wraps in planning, labor, and coordination that would otherwise be additional costs and stress.
DIY venues can appear very affordable at first because the rental fee is lower. However, once you start adding what is not included, the total can climb quickly.
Common hidden or underestimated DIY costs include:
Beyond the financial side, there is also the time cost of researching, booking, negotiating, and supervising multiple vendors. Couples often underestimate how many hours this takes, especially in the final weeks.
One of the biggest differences between all inclusive and DIY venues is planning support.
At a full service estate, planning support often includes:
If you want to see how this plays out in real life, the article on what makes a luxury wedding venue stand out from the rest explains how service, not just scenery, changes the experience.
With a DIY venue, you may need to hire an independent planner or coordinator to get similar help. That cost often narrows or eliminates the savings you thought you were getting on the venue rental.
Money is not the only thing you spend during wedding planning. Your time and emotional energy are just as valuable.
With a DIY approach you may:
With an all inclusive venue, much of that work is handled by a team that has done this hundreds of times. The article how a luxury wedding venue creates lasting memories goes deeper into the emotional side of this, showing how professional support protects your ability to be present on the day.
If you have demanding jobs, young children, or a short planning timeline, the value of having experts handle logistics can far outweigh any small cost difference between options.
Guest experience is another place where all inclusive and DIY venues diverge.
At an all inclusive countryside estate, guests typically enjoy:
Venues that host weddings every weekend refine their flow and logistics. They know how to keep lines short, move guests gracefully, and maintain a polished atmosphere.
DIY venues can absolutely host beautiful events, but the guest experience depends heavily on how well you and your team coordinate the many moving pieces. If details like restrooms, shade, lighting, or clear direction for guests are overlooked, it can affect how comfortable and cared for your loved ones feel.
For insight into how setting and flow impact the day, the guide on how to choose the right wedding venue in East Tennessee for your style and budget offers helpful perspective.
Many couples now want their wedding to feel like a full weekend rather than a single evening. Lodging and multi day events change the value equation again.
All inclusive estates that offer or coordinate lodging can:
If your venue includes or partners with lodging, you save time and money on transportation and gain a more relaxed schedule. The article how wedding venues with lodging simplify guest accommodation walks through exactly how this can matter for your budget and your sanity.
With a DIY venue that is only a room or hall, you may end up booking separate spaces for welcome events, morning preparation, and brunch, which increases both cost and coordination.
There are situations where a DIY leaning venue can be a smart financial choice.
DIY can make more sense if:
You will save the most when the venue rental fee is significantly lower and you are comfortable taking on the planning workload. Reading about a countryside estate wedding in Tennessee may help you decide whether a simple space would truly satisfy your vision or whether you would end up trying to recreate estate level features on your own dime.
All inclusive venues often save couples more overall when:
When you add up what you would spend on rentals, planning, staffing, decor, and your own time, the price of a full service venue can compare very favorably to DIY. It may even be lower once all the hidden costs are included.
Couples who choose a place like Castleton Farms weddings are often investing in calm, confidence, and a well supported experience, not only square footage.
Instead of comparing just the venue rental numbers, ask questions that reveal the full picture.
Questions for every venue:
Use the answers to build a side by side list of what is included and what you would need to add for each venue. Cross reference that with posts like 10 reasons couples fall in love with countryside estate weddings at Castleton Farms to see how those inclusions translate into lived experience.
Ultimately, the right choice is about more than dollars. It is about alignment with what matters most to you.
You might lean toward a DIY venue if:
You might lean toward an all inclusive venue if:
If you want to explore how different angle topics connect to this decision, spending time on the Castleton Farms blog can give you a broader view of how venue choice shapes guest experience, weekend flow, and your own enjoyment.
When you look at venue rental numbers alone, DIY venues often appear cheaper. Once you include rentals, planning, staffing, decor, transportation, and the value of your time, the math shifts. Many couples discover that a true all inclusive, full service venue saves them money in the long run or comes very close in cost while dramatically reducing stress.
The best way to know for sure is to price out both paths honestly. Build a full list of everything you would need to add to a DIY space, then compare that to a venue that wraps those items into one experience. When you ask clear questions and factor in the quality of your day, you will be able to choose the option that saves you not only money, but also your energy, your calm, and your ability to be fully present when you finally say “I do.”