WEDDING COSTS MADE EASY
LaHu Wedding Photography
So guys! You’ve said yes. In your excitement, you’ve told everyone and anyone who will listen that you’re engaged. You’ve posted a picture of that sexy rock on Insta and you’ve already started browsing venues and dresses and asking your friends for recommendations. You’re at the beginning of your wedding planning journey!?
This. Is. Awesome.
But I bet you’re wondering “WHERE THE HELL DO I REALLY START!?” Boring as it is, my recommendation before anything else is to figure out your budget so you know just how crazy you can get with each aspect of the wedding.
I’ve done a ton of research and gathered all my experience to give you the best, most money saving, wedding ideas I could shove together in one nice ‘n’ tidy blog post which you can see here, so now it’s time for you to do some work 😉
Before you start spending, figure out what your priorities are. Are you all about the dress and creating that jaw-dropping wow factor, are you guys total foodies who want your guests to have a culniary experience to beat all others or do you want to keep everyone entertained morning, noon and into the night and put on a party they’ll never forget. Once you’ve figured out what you want your wedding to be remembered for then you’ll have a better idea of where the biggest chunk of your budget should go.
I’m all about making your lives easier so I’ve collated a rough guide for budget use below. You’ll find here a list of pretty much every expense you can imagine for your wedding day. It’s by no means comprehensive and I’m sure I’ve missed a few but I am just a lowly photographer and not a super hero wedding planner….as much as I’d love to be! That said, it’s a great starting point.
This gives you an idea of how you should consider divvying up your funds. You’ll find a list of potential wedding expenses and a rough idea of how much of your budget should be set aside for each.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it…
From the following checklist of expenses, figure out which are the least and most important to you by placing them into one of these three categories…
ABSOLUTELY FUNDAMENTAL | NON ESSENTIAL LUXURY | MEH
Go on…put together a spreadsheet if you want. We all know how spearsheets fool us into thinking that we’re fully in control right? But seriously, this will help you to work out how much of your budget should go on each;
CEREMONY 2%
Ceremony Site (if separate from reception venue)
Church Donation
Officiant Fee
Marriage License
Ceremony Accessories (ring pillow, flower girl basket, unity candle, etc.)
VENUE 18%
Room Rental Fee
Venue Deposit
Ceremony Fee (if ceremony is being held at reception venue)
Additional Rentals (such as tables, chairs, china, etc. if not provided by caterer)
Dance Floor Rental (if not already installed/included)
Parking Fees
Liability Insurance
Tax and Service Fees
Security (some venues require it)
CATERING 18%
Tasting Appointment (if not complimentary with your catering package)
Hors D’oeuvres
Plated, Buffet, or Sit Down Meal
Food Stations
Service Staff
Catering Equipment (such as plates, silverware, glassware, serving platters, etc.)
Catering Rentals (such as tables, chairs, linens, etc.)
Supplier Meals
Setup and/or Cleanup Fees
Bar/Beverage Service
CLOTHING 7%
Wedding Dress
Wedding Dress Alterations
Wedding Lingerie
Veil
Wedding Shoes
Bridal Jewelry / Accessories
Groom’s Suit+ Shoes
Reception Outfit (if you’re changing out of your dress) or After Party Outfit
Wedding Dress Cleaning and Preservation
Bridesmaid Dresses
Groomsmen Suits
HAIR AND MAKEUP 2%
Pre-Wedding Haircuts or Color
Waxing
Facials
Mani-Pedi
Professional Shave for the Groom
Spray Tan
Lash Extensions
Hair Trial
Wedding Day Hairstyle
Makeup Trial
Wedding Day Makeup
STATIONERY 2%
Engagement Party Invitations
Save The Dates
Wedding Invitations (including inserts like RSVP cards or maps)
Postage (for invitations and RSVP envelopes, as well as thank you cards)
Return Address Labels
Order of Service
Place Cards
Menu Cards
Favour Labels
Thank You Cards
PHOTOGRAPHER 10%
Engagement Session
Second Shooter
Wedding Day Coverage
Albums and/or Prints
Boudoir Shoot
FLOWERS AND DECOR 8%
Bouquets for bride and bridesmaids
Brides bouquet for tossing
Boutonnières for groom and groomsmen
Corsages for Mums and Grandmas
Flower Girl / Ring Bearer Accessories and Flowers
Ceremony Arch
Ceremony Arrangements
Reception Centerpieces
Guest Book
Guest Signing Frame
Card Box
Guest Book Table Arrangement
Wedding Cake Flowers
Wedding Day Signage
Specialty Décor Rentals (e.g. tenting, lanterns, candelabras, etc.)
Delivery Fees
Oversize Balloons
FAVOURS AND GIFTS 2%
Guest Favors
BridalParty Gifts
Gifts for Flower Girls and/or Ring Bearers
Spouse Gift
Parents Gifts
Welcome Baskets for out-of-town guests
‘Necessities’ baskets for Washrooms
CAKE 2%
Wedding Cake
Basic for extra servings
Specialty Design Elements (like sugar flowers or hand painting)
Cake Topper
Cake Stand
Cake-Cutting Fee
Delivery Fee
Additional Desserts if you’re doing a dessert table
MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT 8%
Ceremony Musicians
Cocktail Hour Music
Evening Reception DJ
Live Band
Microphone (for wedding ceremony and reception toasts)
Sound-system or extra speakers
Photo Booth & Dance Floor Lighting
Magician
Photo Booth
TRANSPORTATION 2%
Bridal Party Transportation to the Ceremony Venue
Bridal Party Transportation to the Reception Venue (if different from Ceremony Site)
Shuttle Service to transport guests to/from their hotels
Valet Parking Service
WEDDING RINGS 2%
Wedding Bands
Wedding Band Resizing Fee
Wedding Ring Insurance
Any Customization / Engraving
WEDDING PLANNER 3%
Day-Of, Month-Of or Full-Service Wedding Coordination
Venue and/or Vendor Referrals and Liaison
Budget Development
Timeline Creation
Rehearsal Coordination
Wedding Day Setup and Management
EMERGENCY FUND 5%
Vendor Tips
Sales Tax
Service Charges
Wedding Insurance
Alcohol License (if not provided by the venue and/or caterer)
Overtime Fees
OTHER 8%
Alcohol
So now you’re armed with all the info, add in any extras you have going on for your epic adventure and then start banging them into boxes for each category. This will help you figure out what is most important to you and then you can start to consider where to best spend your money. But seriously check out my money saving blog post because there is little compromise involved in each suggestion and even a few awesome ideas for switching things up and making your day stand out from the rest!
