Airbnb Weddings: Can You Really Save Money... or Just Your Sanity?

Chrystal Battaglia
Jul 4
5 min read

Bride and groom kiss in a church with stained glass windows. She holds a bouquet; the ceiling features arches and a large rose window.

Let’s talk about the new wedding trend that’s sweeping Pinterest boards and bridal Facebook groups like a glittery tornado of pipe dreams: the Airbnb wedding.

You’ve seen it. That couple with the perfectly filtered “just us in the woods” ceremony, twinkle lights dangling from trees, everyone barefoot and “just going with the flow.” It looks magical. Ethereal, even. And it promises to be so much cheaper than a traditional wedding venue… right?

Wrong.

Let’s break it down, laugh a little, and find out why trying to host your “affordable dream wedding” at a vacation rental might turn into a chaotic, overpriced mess with no trash pickup and a hefty cleaning fee—and why Arcadia Academy, a full-service wedding venue in southeast Missouri, is the better way to say “I do” without saying, “I’m sorry, can you fold those chairs again?”

The Airbnb Wedding Pitch (aka: A Pinterest Lie)

The idea of an Airbnb wedding sounds amazing:

Rent a cute farmhouse or cabin in the woods
Invite your closest 50 friends
Cook some food, light some candles, marry your soulmate
Boom. Done. Married. Affordable. Charming. Right?

Now let’s add in a little reality.

The Fine Print They Forgot to Mention:

🧻 1. No One Brings Enough Toilet Paper

That cute “rustic” cabin you rented? It has two bathrooms. For 70 people. And after your guests run through a Costco-sized pack of Charmin, you’re left with three backup rolls and a line stretching into the living room.

At Arcadia Academy, we’ve got commercial bathrooms and we never run out of TP. It’s the little things.

🧽 2. You Still Have to Do Chores (On Your Wedding Day)

You wanted charm. You got dish duty.

Airbnbs don’t come with catering. Or servers. Or bartenders. Or literally any humans except your friends who will suddenly all develop back pain and conveniently disappear when it’s time to clean up.

Meanwhile, at Arcadia Academy, we serve, we clean, we carry, we smile. You don’t lift a finger. You’re the bride, not the busser.

📸 3. The "Views" Are Great Until You Zoom Out

That scenic Airbnb backyard? It’s next to a field of goats and a neighbor who mows during your vows. Surprise! You’re competing with weed whackers and farm smells.

Arcadia Academy offers 16 acres of private historic beauty, elegant ceremony options, and not a single goat unless you invite one.

Bride and groom embrace in an autumn park. She wears a white gown with a long veil, holding a bouquet; leaves cover the ground. Romantic mood.

🍷 4. Alcohol? You’re on Your Own, Baby

Want to serve alcohol at your Airbnb wedding? Hope you’re ready to:

Get a one-day liquor license
Find a licensed bartender
Buy your own booze
Set up your own bar
Clean up spilled wine from the carpet while wearing Spanx

Or… you could book Arcadia Academy, where we already have an onsite bar, professional bartenders, and zero need for a frantic midnight beer run.

🛏 5. Where Is Everyone Sleeping? (And Who’s Bringing the Air Mattress?)

You thought Airbnb meant “easy overnight lodging.” But most Airbnbs comfortably sleep 8… not 80. Unless your grandma is cool with crashing on a bean bag next to the groomsmen, this is going to be a problem.

At Arcadia Academy, we offer on-site lodging, cozy rooms, and bridal suites plus a ton of lodging nearby so no one ends up snuggling a floral couch from 1993.

The Math Doesn’t Math

Sure, that Airbnb says $450 a night on the listing. But by the time you add:

Cleaning fees
Additional guest fees
Extra night minimums
Furniture rental
Restroom trailer rental
Insurance
Tent rental
Kitchen equipment
Tables, chairs, linens, dishware, lighting…
A therapy session after your uncle tries to DJ with his phone

You’ve spent $10,000+ and you still don’t have anyone to coordinate the event.

At Arcadia Academy, we’re an affordable wedding venue in southeast Missouri with transparent pricing, no hidden fees, and the ability to actually relax on your wedding day.

But… Aren’t Airbnb Weddings More “Intimate”?

Sure! They can be.

But you know what else is intimate? A professionally coordinated, all-inclusive wedding where no one is panicking over where to plug in the Crock-Pot.

At Arcadia Academy, we’ve hosted hundreds of weddings, each one customized and cozy, whether you have 40 or 240 guests. You can keep the personal touches without sacrificing sanity.

A couple smiles at each other at a floral-decorated table. A friend sits nearby, brick wall backdrop, creating a joyful, intimate scene.

Let’s Talk Style: Are Airbnb Weddings… Tacky?

No wedding is “tacky” when it’s filled with love.

BUT… if you’re zip-tying plastic tablecloths to a wobbly picnic table and serving tacos out of a Crock-Pot next to someone’s above-ground pool, you may have entered the realm of… less than Pinterest-worthy.

Arcadia Academy? We’ve got:

Historic charm
Elegant reception spaces
Instagrammable everything
Onsite coordination
Optional all-inclusive packages that include food, bar, cake, DJ, floral, and more (coming 2026!)

Translation: You can still have personality. But you also get lighting that doesn’t come from a motion-sensor porch bulb.

So, Can You Save Money with an Airbnb Wedding?

Technically? Maybe.

But by the time you:

Rent everything
Hire everyone
Stress yourself into a pre-wedding rash

…you’ve spent just as much as you would at a venue—and you’ve done ten times more work.

Arcadia Academy offers:✅ Affordable packages✅ Vendor flexibility✅ No extra cleaning fees✅ No trash-hauling or linen-washing✅ A full staff who actually listens when you say, “Can we move the ceremony inside because Missouri weather just pulled a fast one?”

And speaking of Missouri weather—have you ever tried to get married outside during a “light drizzle” that turns into a tornado watch? Ask anyone in Southeast Missouri. We’ve all seen a sunny morning turn into hail, frogs, and lightning by lunch.

We’ve got the indoor chapel and backup plans already figured out. Airbnb? They’ve got a gazebo and a tarp.

Conclusion: Choose Arcadia Academy. Skip the Stress.

Airbnb weddings look cute on TikTok, but when it’s your wedding day, you deserve more than a charming backdrop and a stressed-out bridal party hauling folding chairs.

You deserve:

✨ Historic beauty

✨ Affordable pricing

✨ Seamless planning

✨ Real bathrooms

✨ Actual silverware

✨ And a team that treats you like family (the nice kind, not the ones who show up late with drama)

So if you’re dreaming of a wedding in Southeast Missouri, skip the Airbnb fantasy and come see why Arcadia Academy is one of the best affordable wedding venues near St. Louis. You bring the love—we’ll bring the cake, the candles, and the calm.

xoxo Chrystal

Bride and groom walking hand-in-hand on a sunny day, surrounded by lush trees and historic red-brick buildings, evoking a joyful mood.

P.S. Support locally owned and operated venues!! I blog so that locally owned venues like mine can show up on a Google search and more couples will find affordable, family-like wedding venues that treat you better than a number. As you plan your wedding, we’d love for you to consider a locally owned venue like ours! Check out this wedding venue map to discover amazing locally owned venues across the country. And a big shout out to all the incredible locally owned wedding venues out there!