Weddings are a costly affair but if you’re reading this, you’re already aware how much money it takes to throw a memorable event. The very first step towards a financially responsible wedding is to take an honest look at your available finances and set a fund for your big day. We’re here to help you stretch your money to cover all the aspects of a successful wedding. If you’re curious whether you should splurge on flowers or save for the DJ instead, we’ve compiled a comprehensive budget guide with savings tips below.
Downloadable Wedding Budget Checklist
Stay on top of wedding finances and avoid any unpleasant bank book surprises with our free downloadable wedding budget checklist. Simply plug in your expenses and have the checklist calculate your totals to let you know if you’re falling over your budget or can still spend on the extra centerpieces you’ve been eyeing.
Download Our Free Wedding Budget Checklist
Table of Contents
| Wedding Expense | % of Budget |
|---|---|
| 5% | |
| 5% | |
| 10% | |
| 10% | |
| 3% | |
| 7% | |
| 45% | |
| 3% | |
| 2% | |
| 10% |
Stationery
Invitations might be the first splurge that comes to mind for wedding stationery, but it’s certainly not the only cost you’ll need to consider. It’s a good idea to divide your stationery budget into three parts: announcing the wedding, the day of, and thank you cards.
After the date has been set, you’ll be sending save-the-dates and invitations to your wedding guests. Postage for mailed stationery can add up, and you’ll want to choose your invitations carefully to avoid shelling out extra for mailing surcharges. Envelopes that are square or weigh over one ounce will require additional postage, and thick letters may also rack up special handling charges.
Instead of including paper reply forms in your invitation, ask guests to RSVP through an event website like RSVPify or Eventbrite. You’ll stretch your stationery budget further by skipping the reply cards and return postage, and keep track of the guest list with a more organized system.
Wedding stationery such as programs and place cards give your ceremony some extra formality, but can be excluded for a more casual event or for cost considerations. Guestbooks are an optional addition, though these books make excellent keepsakes for couples who’d like to spend the extra $30 to purchase one. We’d also recommend printing individual menu cards or a board out of consideration for guests who may have food allergies or be on special diets.
Celebration events
Traditionally, the groomsmen and bridesmaids were expected to foot the bill for the respective bachelor or bachelorette party. As every group of friends (and individual financial situations!) differs, there’s not really a hard rule to follow for who funds what. If your bachelorette party involves jetting out to Las Vegas and your bridesmaids won’t let you pay a penny, have fun and remember to return the favor when their own weddings roll around.
For a more budget-conscious celebration, base your events in a local hotel or club. Some brides and grooms may also want to cover their own plane tickets, hotel bill, or food costs. Whatever the case, these celebrations aren’t intended to be a financial strain but just a fun night out with friends.
Engagement parties and rehearsal dinners are ways for couples to celebrate their upcoming marriage in a more relaxed atmosphere. Again, these events can and should be tailored to fit your preferences and budget, whether that means an house party and barbeque or a formal sit-down dinner at a nice restaurant.
Attire
Without a doubt, the wedding dress occupies a bulk of the attire budget. Bridal shows such as Say Yes To the Dress have elevated wedding dress shopping into a ritual in itself, but remember that the price tag should absolutely be part of your dress selection process. There are a variety of ways to save while still scoring your dream gown. Check out our own affordable wedding dresses for a gown that slips easily into your budget. Skip wedding boutiques in favor of sample sales, off-the-rack retailers like J.Crew and Ann Taylor, and department stores.
If secondhand clothing is up your aisle, websites like PreOwnedWeddingDresses and StillWhite allow you to purchase used wedding dresses from former brides. The posted dresses are brand new or only worn a couple of times, and purchasing from these online marketplaces is the best compromise if you’d like to have a designer gown without the accompanying sticker shock.
Most brides don’t fit perfectly into their chosen dress at purchase, and the extra hemming, tucking, or embellishments can easily cost you over $100. Just be aware of the additional craftsmanship you might be paying for as you set a dress budget.
Renting wedding attire is another low cost option for couples who’d like to focus their dollars elsewhere. Plenty of grooms and groomsmen rent tuxes for the big day, and renting wedding dresses is becoming an increasingly common option online and in stores.
For hair and makeup services, try looking on savings sites such as Groupon for package deals. And remember to include gratuity for your make up artist and hairstylist while anticipating costs!
Flowers and decor
A wedding isn’t complete without some flowers — for you, your bridesmaids, the flower girl, the groomsmen, and the rest of the venue. Flowers are easily the most expensive purchase you’ll make for wedding decor, as a single bride’s bouquet can range anywhere from $60 to $200. Bouquet and floral centerpiece prices fluctuate wildly based on the season and types of flowers you’re purchasing, so do some research on seasonal blooms before ordering.
While ordering from online flower shops is convenient, we suggest buying from your local florist or supplier to avoid transportation fees. Florists will typically offer free consultations and set-up, and are more accessible for all your questions and potential emergencies.
Check out other methods to maximize your venue flowers in our article about wedding ceremony decorations. For couples looking to spend less on flowers, the general idea is to invest in a few statement arrangements over individual bouquets for everyone.
Wedding Rings
Compared to engagement rings, your wedding bands should be a simpler purchase to make. Most wedding rings are plain bands, which makes comparison shopping a breeze. Visit a few nearby jewelry stores to get ring sizes measured and to try on different bands, but be sure to check reputable online retailers for the same ring before buying. Often, you’ll be able to snag a very similar ring for much less online than in stores.
Take you and your spouse’s lifestyles into consideration when selecting wedding rings. Do either of you have a career that requires heavy duty or precise work with your hands? How easily do you lose jewelry? Any style preferences? Your answers will shape the best metals and styles for your band.
Ceremony
Now we’re getting into the actual wedding! Budgeting for the ceremony is quite straightforward, as there are only a few major costs to consider: the venue, officiant fee, and marriage license.
When renting your ceremony venue, know what you’re getting with your rental. Will the venue supply chairs and an altar, or do you have to rent them? Are you given access to bathrooms, and how many? Is the lighting sufficient, or do you want to add fairy lights or candles to the space? You may think you’re saving money by holding your ceremony in a rustic church or grassy field, but all those extra rentals and add-ons may negate any savings.
Officiant fees vary depending on the type of officiant you decide to hire. Ministers and priests may ask for a donation to the church, and you’ll likely receive a specially reduced rate if you’re a member of their congregation. Many civil wedding officiants use a floating scale of around $200 to $400 depending on several factors such as type of wedding, rehearsal, travel expenses, and ceremony requests.
If the idea of hiring an officiant doesn’t appeal to you, consider asking a friend officiate your wedding. If your state allows online ordinations, having a friend take an online course and file a license will cost less than $100 and make for a memorable ceremony.
Marriage licenses are unique to each state county, but should cost around $30 to $50 to file. A select few states also require blood tests or health examinations before issuing the license, so set some extra time and money aside to account for these check ups, if applicable.
Reception
If you’ve ever wondered why weddings are so expensive, it’s because of receptions. Breaking down the reception budget puts the cost into perspective: your guests will spend most of the wedding at your reception, being served food and drink.
Your reception will most likely be held in a different venue from your ceremony, so do the same venue costs run-through described in the ceremony budget. If food is being served, ask your caterer if servingware is included, or else you’ll need to factor rentals into your budget.
Catering will be the biggest cost of your wedding, so take extra care when planning your wedding offerings. To calculate food costs, multiply the price of a meal with the number of guests expected to attend. Don’t forget to include yourself and your spouse, a few extra plates for unexpected visitors, and meals for your vendors including band, servers, and coordinators.
There’s nothing wrong with limiting drink options to wine and beer if you can’t afford to serve mixed drinks for guests. Buy wine and beer at warehouse stores and hire hourly bartenders if your venue’s bar fee doesn’t appeal to your budget.
Wedding cakes are priced by serving size, with the average coming to $3 to $8 dollars per slice depending on flavors, ingredients and decorations. Factor in the potential cake cutting and delivery fee, and cake can get costly. Couples have mitigated cake costs by substituting cupcakes or a dessert bar, but if you still want to have a traditional cake-cutting ceremony, order a small decorative cake to cut and set out slices of sheet cake to eat. As long as it tastes good, no one will care whether if their slice came from a sheet cake or a tier.
Don’t forget to set aside gratuities for all the servers hired to help at reception. If gratuities are not included in the contract, tip your team 15 – 20% of the total catering bill.
Wedding favors are a fun way to thank guests for joining the celebration and to give them a little keepsake to remember your wedding. As explored in our wedding favors article, favors can range from edibles to plants to knicknacks, and the theme of your wedding may influence what you choose to dole out as well. Budget up to $5 per guest for favors, or less if you plan on putting together your own craft or snack package. If the idea of party favors just feels like extra work, consider donating a sum to a charity in your guests’ name instead as a way to show appreciation for your loved ones and do some extra good.
Entertainment
Wedding music ranges from an iPod dock to a professional DJ to a live band. Unless you have dreams of a specific band playing at your event, sorting out music for your wedding can take second priority to bigger categories like the reception and attire.
Keep in mind that you’ll need to have music for both your ceremony and the following reception. For a budget friendly approach, ask talented friends if they’d be willing to perform during the ceremony. Receptions require more dedicated entertainment. There’s always the option of paying a friend to create the wedding playlist, but a mid-range DJ will cost you $600 or more for around 5 hours. More professional DJs and ones with more sound equipment or extra light show additions can charge well into $2,000 for their services.
Transportation
If you and your spouse have a getaway planned, you’ll likely want a vehicle worthy of your newlywed excitement. Limo rentals charge around $50 – $90 per hour, depending on the number of seats and add-ons like champagne or decorative interiors.
If a limo isn’t your style, offer to pay friends with SUVs or nice cars to transport you two and your wedding party to the reception instead. Carpooling is also more convenient if you’ve invited many guests, or if finding parking is an issue at your venues.
The bride and groom aren’t expected to cover parking fees for anyone other than their vendors, but it’s a thoughtful gesture for guests if the venue is out of the way or parking is difficult to find. Parking can be a challenge for big city weddings, but most couples can’t afford to subsidize the $20 fees for each guest. In cases when your budget can’t account for parking, simply inform your guests beforehand on the invitation of the expected parking cost.
Photography and video
After all the preparation and money poured into your wedding, you’ll want to preserve even the small details of your special day in photos and videos to flip back through later on. Don’t try to save money by hiring a family friend with a camera to archive the event — photos and videos are truly the only thing you’ll take from your wedding, and you only get one chance to capture it the way you want!
Photographer prices range from $800 for new photographers and photography students to $4,000 for multiple day shoots with established wedding photographers. Some photographers charge hourly rates while others offer a flat package deal, so know the approximate length of your wedding and which events you’d like to shoot before searching for a right-fit photographer. Videographers may or may not work together with wedding photography teams, but hiring a videographer is worth the extra cost for a wedding DVD you can watch long after the actual ceremony.
By now, you should have a clear idea of the detailed costs that come with a wedding. We’ve outlined how much you should expect to spend on each aspect of a wedding, but your own budget may differ depending on you and your spouse’s priorities. If your wedding isn’t complete without a live band accompanying your bridal march, then hire the live band. Just remember to compensate in another category — as we’ve detailed for you above, there are many ways to balance your spending goals with your wedding expectations with careful planning.
Hopefully your wedding vision is starting to come together! If this budget has been useful for you, why not refer to our general wedding planning and day-of wedding checklists for more event inspiration and organization?
