This is probably one of the most popular questions that we get – “What’s a good wedding budget?” It can be a bit tough to answer that without considering a few key details:
Below are just a few elements to consider when setting your wedding budget. And don’t forget, we touch briefly on the specifics around your budget during our Initial Consultations with each potential client, so be sure to schedule yours risk free today!
Guest Count
This is one of the biggest determinants of your wedding budget. More people means:
- more food
- larger space
- more serving staff
- additional vendor labor (ie photographer/planner etc)
- more rentals
- more favors
- etc
You of course have the option for opting for less expensive options for each of these factors, but it is definitely very important to understand this and discuss with your family before invitations are sent out to help you manage your guest count.
Wow Factor
We all love little details when it comes to weddings. Accents, specialty linens etc. But be careful to budget for this when initially carving out your wedding budget! Remember that every little detail is paid for, and is multiplied by the number of tables/people in attendance. I had a client once who booked a church venue that they hated. They did not like the wall decor or lighting fixtures, and planned to just pay for decorations instead of getting a new hall. Unfortunately, they had not sought us out to plan/design until after this space was booked, and the pipe and drape alone in the room was a few thousand. I was shocked to find that they had only budgeted a few hundred to pay for this, and we ultimately ended up going without it. Had I been contacted earlier, I likely would have just recommended another venue instead so that this did not become a last minute cost which was hard to afford. It’s definitely important to research early on and tag a reasonable price tag to all of the elements that you want to WOW your guests at your wedding, so that you can save and budget accordingly!
Labor
Your wedding day takes A LOT of work. When our team works events, we usually are on the move from early morning until after midnight on the day before and the day of, and lots of work goes into the planning before hand. Most wedding vendors also, with the exception occasionally of a makeup artist or hairstylist will hire assistants in order to execute properly on your wedding day. All of this means that labor, especially quality, skilled labor will cost you. Its worth the investment to ensure that your wedding plans and memories are organized and beautiful. It’s tempting to use friends and volunteers, but I have seen this fall apart many times due to lateness, largely because they also have their own tasks to balance in preparation of your wedding. Generally speaking, each vendor will cost you a few thousand dollars. Be sure to budget that in!
Location/Food
This is almost always the largest expense to any event or wedding. Food/Beverage/Venue can easily cost about 40-60% of your wedding budget, so be sure to plan accordingly. The cost of vendors will cost at least 20% making that the second most expensive cost. The type of venue that you select makes a huge impact on the atmosphere at your wedding, but also the budget. High end hotels and catering halls charge $200+ per head just for the food, beverage and the space. Your city and state also matters, as the cost of living in say New York City, is very different from that of Milwaukee, which affects the cost of labor and items. Note, we have a complimentary webchat coming up on October 24th which addresses what to look for in a venue. Be sure to sign up today, as its open just to a few attendees. We’re keeping it intimate as we want to be sure that everyone who joins gets a chance to ask many questions!
Estimation Tool
All of that being said, its very important from the beginning to understand what is important to you, and what is less important when setting a budget. Once you’ve determined that, http://www.costofwedding.com does a GREAT job of giving you an overall view of what you likely will be spending on your wedding, from the dress to the space to the favors. There are always ways to tweak slightly and get deals, but this is a great place to start, and to see the difference between adding/removing different items, changing the guest count and more.
We’re Here to Help!
Want to take some time to talk specifically about your wedding? Schedule a complimentary 15 minute consultation today to address your specific wedding dreams and budget, and we’ll give you an idea of its feasibility, as well as services that we offer which work within your needs!
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