MY thoughts

Budgeting for your Wedding

Here are some helpful hints about budgeting for your wedding. Did you know that the average wedding costs upwards of $20,000? Follow some of these suggestions to create a realistic budget for your wedding. Weddings can range from economical to ultra-luxury and costs can range from less than the average $20,000 to upwards of half a million dollars.

one wedding planner separates wedding budgets into the following tiers:

1) Intimate - weddings that cost $1,000 or less2) Economical - weddings that cost less than $10,0003) Standard - weddings that cost up to $30,0004) Premium - weddings that cost up to $95,0005) Luxury - weddings that cost up to $500,000 6) Ultra-luxury - weddings with costs of more than $500,000 Which category do you fall into? This is a large range of spending and you, as a couple, must decide what you can afford. The cost of a wedding can vary depending upon the location, venue, size and style. And, the more custom your wedding is, the more expensive it is likely to be. In some cases, it may be less expensive to have a destination wedding. And keep in mind, there is also a cost for people to attend your wedding. Statistics show that the average guests can spend as much as $1,000 to attend a wedding taking into account travel, attire and gifts. There are many factors that influence the cost of your wedding:Location, Venue, Number of Guests Invited, Season or Time of Year, Day of the Week and Time of Day, Wedding Style/Décor, Vendor Choices It is very important to create a budget when planning your wedding. You want to create a budget BEFORE your start shopping. In determining your budget, it is helpful to write down who is contributing to the wedding budget and how much they are contributing. Will you need to go into a savings account to be able to pay for things? Try to avoid putting things on credit that you cannot pay off right away. You want to avoid having debt hanging over your head. If you are going to go into debt by having a wedding, maybe you need to revise your budget. It is helpful to divide your wedding budget into categories. This way you can manage the cost of wedding planning more efficiently. You can look at the typical percentages that each category should take of your total budget. For instance, studies show that the venue (and costs associated with it such as catering and rentals for set-up) is likely to take 45% of your total budget. By listing each item and assigning it a percentage (based on the national average), you have a starting place. This does not mean that you cannot adjust your budget to have more or less in any given category. If the venue will be in your backyard instead of renting a venue, then that 45% average could be greatly reduced. You may still need to pay for catering and set-up, but will save on the cost of renting a venue. This interactive site can help you determine what your wedding is likely to cost based on various questions you answer. https://cost.wedding.report/ Once you have a total figure for your wedding budget, you can begin to fill in the blanks. Below is a chart with typical wedding expenses listed and the national percentages of the total budget that are typically spent on each category. You can add two more columns to this chart for your "estimated cost" and "actual cost" to help keep track of things.
Wedding Expense Item
Percentage of overall budget
Ceremony (venue, officiant, marriage license)
3%
Reception venue, catering bartending, rentals
45%
Photography/Videography
12%
Music/Entertainment
10%
Wedding rings
2%
Wedding Attire (clothes, alterations, hair, make-up)
9%
Flowers and Decor
10%
Stationery (save the date, invitations, programs, thank you notes, postage)
3%
Favors and Gifts
2%
Cake
2%
Transportation
2%
These percentages are based on national averages and you can adjust them to suit your individual wedding needs. Not included in this budget is a wedding planner or coordinator. This person can be a gift from heaven for those planning a wedding and the national average says to spend between 5-15% of your budget to hire someone. This person can coordinate everything for your wedding or just be there for the actual day of the wedding to make sure things run smoothly.You should also add into your budget a miscellaneous category that will take about 5-10% of your budget for all those unexpected things that crop up. And, you may want to add your honeymoon and rehearsal activities into the total budget.As you interview and choose different vendors, you can use this as a guide and fill in their costs as you hire them.

What do Wedding vendors typically cost?

Of course, these costs will vary depending on location of the wedding, the date and time of your event, the size of the wedding, etc. But here are some things to think about: Wedding Planner/Coordinator: A wedding planner can be an invaluable resource for those planning a wedding. They can help you plan and manage every aspect of your wedding or they can simply be there the day of the wedding to make sure things run smoothly. The national average shows that couples who hire a wedding planner spend about 15% of their wedding budget on their fees. The cost of a wedding planner can be the best investment you can make in the overall success of your wedding day. Wedding Ceremony: Costs for the wedding ceremony should average about 3% of your total wedding budget. Items here include hiring an officiant, fees for the marriage license and purchasing any items needed for the ceremony. Do not wait until the last minute to find an officiant. A professional wedding officiant is worth what you pay for them. They have the experience to know what needs to be done at your ceremony to make it legal and they will take care of making sure all legal paperwork is signed and filed properly with the state and county (parish) where you are married. According to a national survey, the average fee paid to officiants is between $500 and $800. Wedding Venue: According to the national average, the wedding venue and costs associated with it can make up 45% of your wedding budget. This category includes rental for the venue, catering and rental of items needed for setting up the venue and serving the guests. Costs of the venue will vary depending on location, time of year and day of the week, amenities they offer, etc. Photography/Videography: Wedding photographers/videographers prices tend to be based on their popularity, location and how extensive of a package you want. Make sure you understand how their pricing and packaging works. Check references and look at their portfolios. They will typically cost 12% of your total budget. Make sure you fill out a checklist of “must-have” photos with them before the wedding. Many photographers will have a checklist they can give you. Music/Entertainment: This category includes everything from musicians who play for the ceremony to live wedding bands and DJs. Couples typically spend about 10% of their budget on music. A live band will usually be more expensive than a DJ. Check references and listen to them before you hire them. Wedding Rings: Not including the cost of the engagement ring, most couples spend about 2% of the total budget on rings for the wedding ceremony. This will vary from couple to couple depending on personal taste and budget. Wedding Attire: This category includes wedding dress, bridesmaid dresses, tuxedo/suit rentals, alterations, shoes, hair and make-up. This typically makes up about 9% of the total budget. The average wedding dress cost from luxury and couture designers starts at $2,000 to $4,000, while more affordable bridal shops offer dresses under $500. Wedding dress alterations range from about $300-$800. Hair and make-up costs will depend upon who you hire and how many people are having their hair and make-up done. Many hair and make-up artists charge per person or by the number of hours they work.
Flowers/Décor: This category accounts for about 10% of your total wedding budget. Costs in this category can vary tremendously depending upon who you hire and how much decorating or flowers you want. Check out some creative ideas for bouquets on my Resource page. https://www.weddingofficiantjudy.com/resources-2/
Stationery: The average spent in this category is about 3% of the total budget. Costs include paper goods (save the date cards, invitations, programs, etc). You may be able to save a bundle in this category by doing everything online. But, there is something special about a beautiful wedding invitation that is mailed.
Favors and Gifts: This category accounts for 2% of the total wedding budget. This is subject to personal taste and the number of people you are purchasing gifts for. Typically, gifts are given to the attendants at the wedding (bridesmaids, groomsmen, best man, maid of honor, flower girl, ring bearer, etc. Often there are favors at the reception for each guest to take. I have seen everything from a pottery flower to a jar of maple syrup given to guests. Again, each couple will think of something special as a memento. Some couples also include welcome bags at the hotel for out of town guests.
Cake: The cake (or cakes) typically make up 2% of the total wedding budget. Definitely do a tasting before you decide on a cake for your wedding day. Remember, you do not have to display a wedding cake that is big enough to feed everyone at your wedding. Some people have a small cake that they cut and then a simpler, less decorated cake is cut in the back and served to guests. This can be one way to save on the costs of the wedding cake.
Transportation: This will include how you and your guests are getting to the ceremony and reception. Are you renting a limo? A party bus to transport guests? Typically, this will cost 2% of your total wedding budget. Remember:
• If you are asking vendors to travel to your wedding location, you should be prepared to cover the cost of any transportation, accommodations, parking fees, meals, and any other expenses related to their travel.
• It is also customary to tip your vendors. Some (like a caterer) will include tips/gratuity in the amount they bill you. But others, like your officiant, florist, photographer, do not include gratuity in their fees. It is a nice gesture, if they have done a good job, to tip about 15-20 percent of their fee.