Author: Maria Alfano
How much a wedding costs really does depend on you. Whether you are the mother of the bride, mother of the groom, or getting married yourself for the first or second time, a budget for the big day is a smart idea.
No matter how much you plan, and how strict your budget is, there are hidden costs that most people don’t think about or consider when planning a wedding budget. Okay, okay, they are not really hidden, but they are not usually thought about when setting that budget.
Hidden Wedding Costs That Break The Budget
Every wedding should start with a list of things that are must-haves and those that are nice to have. This will help mitigate the unexpected shock of additional expenses for the day.
Typical Wedding Costs Include
Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing more important than having the happy couple enjoy an amazing day. What might be a must-have for you, could be nice to have for someone else. Only you can decide what is best for your big day.
must-have Items on the list
- Officiant – someone licensed to perform the marriage ceremony. You aren’t legally married without an officiant
- Venue – even if it is your own backyard, you need a place to have the ceremony and reception
- Outfits – whether its a wedding dress and tuxedo or jeans and cowboy boots, you will need to wear something on that special day
- Flowers – most brides want flowers
- Food – you can choose to have a cocktail hour, buffet meal, or formal sitdown dinner, but there is usually some kind of food and drinks served after the ceremony
- Lingerie – a properly fitting bra and underwear are important so you will be comfortable the whole day
Nice to have items on the list
- Wedding planner – this can be quite costly for smaller budget weddings
- Transportation – it’s the one day where you want to feel special and a limo escorting you is one way to do it
- Accommodations – having a hotel room for after the reception so you can continue to enjoy your wedding when everyone is gone
- Invitations – in this digital age, formal invitations may be a thing of the past
- Guest favors – a thank you note may not be enough for you to show gratitude to your guests. Bombonieres are a tradition at Italian weddings and have been adopted by many other cultures over the years
- DJ or Band – many couples are now opting to have a playlist on Spotify and forgo the DJ or band
- Hair and makeup – although brides want to look their best, many are opting to do their own hair and makeup
- Cake – not everyone likes or wants a wedding cake
- Photographer or videographer – all your guests will likely have a cell phone that takes amazing pictures
- Rings – some couples are forgoing rings and opting for tattoos of rings instead
- Honeymoon – some couples choose not to go away but instead take day trips around their hometown
Hidden Costs
No one likes to think that their budget is going to be short. Or, that they will go over their budget because they are really good at handling money. Sadly, going over budget will be a reality if you don’t consider the following:
Pre-wedding
- Postage – for those formal invitations. And, don’t forget, the reply cards also need to have a stamp on them
- Alterations – if your dress needs to be altered, it can cost almost as much as your dress starting at $200 and up. Each thing that needs to be altered has its own price
- Liquor license – unless provided by your venue you will be responsible for this and depending on where you live and the size of your guest list this starts at $300 and can go upwards of $14,000
- Marriage license – once again this depends on where you live. They start at $50 and go up from there
- Rings – getting them sized may be an added expense if your jeweler does not do the sizing in-house
For The Big Day
- Taxes – when you buy something from a store, you pay retail sales tax. It’s the same when you pay for goods and services for your wedding. Taxes will add anywhere from 1.75% to 15% depending on where you live. If you live in 0% tax states, this will not apply to you
- Tips – everyone from the officiant, to the servers at your reception, the DJ/band, photographer, hairdressers, and more should be tipped. This will add from 10% to 15% extra to your budget (or reduce your available cash by that much)
- Delivery and setup fees – check with your vendor for their fees. These will range anywhere from $25 to over $300
- Clean up costs – this may be after the wedding but they are still part of your budget. Ensure you understand these fees when you speak with your venue
- The unexpected – if you’re getting married outside, you may need to rent a tent last minute due to inclement weather. Or, you may need to rent portable heaters because it’s cold.
Below is the breakdown of costs for my own remarriage in 2022
How much will a wedding set you back
Because weddings are all about personal style, taste, and budget, this question is not easy to answer. However, micro weddings (less than 10 people) can range from $1,000 and up. As long as you aren’t extravagant with your choices of venue, outfits, flowers, etc, you can have a wonderful wedding for very little cost.
For weddings with 50-60 people, you should budget for $15,000 to $40,000.
Large weddings – the sky is the limit
Ways To Save On The Budget
There are many wedding budget hacks you can use to save money for your wedding. The most important is to shop around. Just because your third cousin twice removed used Minnie Mouse’s services for her wedding doesn’t mean they are the best services for yours.
- Minimum spend – look for vendors who do not impose a minimum required to spend before they will sign on to do your wedding. For example, some florists will require that your budget be at least $750 before they will work with you
- Venue – choose a venue that has its own caterer and liquor license so you don’t have to be looking for these
- Playlist – create your own playlist and avoid the cost of a DJ or band
- Friends and family – enlist the help of friends and family. Assign them specific tasks. This will remove the need for a wedding planner.
- Personal contacts – if you know someone who is an amateur photographer, dapples as a DJ on the side, or like to do floral arrangements for fun, enlist their help. Their price will not be that of a professional. Buyer beware – you get what you pay for in some cases
- Flowers – pick wildflowers, visit your local Costco, or buy silk flowers and make your own arrangements. If flowers are not your thing, then consider candles to adorn the tables instead
- Dress – buy from the clearance rack or second-hand store to save yourself hundreds, if not thousands of dollars
- Honeymoon – go all-inclusive and travel on off days. Flying out on the weekend will add hundreds to the cost of your honeymoon
In Summary
Having a beautiful wedding doesn’t have to break the bank. How much a wedding costs is in your hands. There are many ways to eliminate the unnecessary or reduce the unexpected. One thing is clear. You need to be ready for those hidden (or not so hidden anymore) costs that could push your spending over the edge.
We would love to hear from you. How did you save on the wedding budget? Did cutting costs affect your day in any way?