planning a party/weekend away in cabin but unsure about splitting payment

Like the title says, my friend and I are planning a birthday weekend away in a cabin that's a 7 hour drive from me and maybe 3 hours for her. This party is for her and my partner since their birthdays are just 2 days apart. The cabin can sleep 12 people and we have a list of potential invitees. I'm not sure how to handle the payment part of this.

For as long as I can remember, whenever birthdays were planned and it involved paying for hotel and travel expenses, all the invitees would pay their portion of the trip. One couple that is on the list recently had a birthday celebration in a cabin 2 hours from us and my partner and I didn't pay anything for the stay. They explained that it's custom in their country of origin that splitting the cost of a rental is not usual. The only thing we split the cost of that weekend was groceries among 10 people. Personally, I would love to be able to pay the full stay as a gift for my partner and my friend but I cannot afford it with my part time job. I am trying to find a cabin or a backup plan that is more cost friendly so I can pay for it all but it's difficult finding places that accommodate 12 people for an affordable price.