by Lisa Nelson of Elegant Event Design
I find that many couples have unrealistic expectations for the kind of wedding they want to have, with the budget they are actually working with. Brides feverishly clip pictures from magazines and download images from the internet – choosing very beautiful, but extravagant things they’d like to achieve for their wedding day. But when they come to me, and tell me that they have a 10K budget with 100 people, then, we have a problem.
I will break-down for you where your money will be spent. Of course these figures will differ around the country, but you should still be able to get a general idea.
Reception – This is where the largest chunk of money will go; about fifty percent. I include the site, food, beverage, tables, chairs, linens, silver, glassware, flatware, service charges, tax and gratuity. I do not include any of the décor in this cost (flowers, lighting, draping or other decoration items). If you are getting married at a hotel, banquet hall, or other wedding facility which has an in-house caterer, the price per person will most likely include food and beverage. It will almost certainly contain tables and chairs, basic linen, napkin and all of the basic flatware and china options. In some cases, it might also cover the cake.
Often, these types of venues offer three or four menus. The variable between the menu price levels are options like fancier food items, wine service at the table, an international coffee station, passed hors d’oeuvres, linen options, cakes, and custom packaged bar service. Of course tax, tip and service charges are added – and in the DC area, those charges could add an additional 25%.
If you are getting married at a venue where there is not an in-house caterer, the price per person will include just the food stuff. Bar, rentals (tables, chairs, linen), cake, coffee service, etc. will be extra. most likely, there will be a service fee included, which covers the cost of all the servers, bartenders, banquet managers, chefs, etc. The amount of that service fee will depend upon the food service type that you choose, as well as the level of set up and break down that’s needed.
Make sure you take into account all of these variables when creating the budget for your reception. Also, don’t forget delivery fees.
Ceremony – You have to budget for the site or room fee, officiant fee, church donation (mandatory or otherwise), and any musicians fees.
Ceremony fees are variable, and I have seen them go as high as $2,500. The price depends upon where you are having your ceremony, whether you are getting married in a church, and whether you are a parishioner. If your ceremony site is at the same location as your reception, you might have a bit more leverage in negotiating the ceremony site fee. There’s always a cost savings advantage when you have your ceremony and reception in the same location (travel, transportation costs, delivery fees, time, etc.)
Photographer – Expect to pay about $3,500 for a professional photographer, proofs (album or online), online ordering, low resolution CD, and a high-resolution DVD of images. Photo albums are extra, and range in price from $800 – $6,000, depending upon the album, size, and pictures that are included. I would say that most couples spend an additional $800 – $2,500 above and beyond the package price. If the package already includes an album, the additional costs come in when you upgrade your album style, add pictures or pages, buy wall portraits or buy accessory albums (parent albums, etc.) When you compare different photographers, make sure you compare apples to apples. One photography package may include an album, DVD of hi-res images, 2 parent albums, and 8 hours of wedding day coverage, while another package just might include the 8 hours of wedding coverage.
Remember that photography is an art. Much of what you are paying is for the photographer’s “eye.” This is very important, because this is how your wedding will be documented for all time.
Flowers and Décor – I think this is the area where the sticker shock strikes hardest. Many of our couples cannot believe the cost of flowers. Here are some average prices that our Bride’s spend. (Of course, this is dependent upon the location, amount of flowers, and the designer.)
Bridal Bouquet: $200
MOH Bouquet: $90
BM Bouquets: $60
Boutonnieres: $15
Altar Arrangements: $150 – $600 ea
Unity Candle Wreaths: $75
Wreaths: $150 – $600 ea
Short Centerpieces: $100 – $250 ea
Tall Centerpieces: $250 – $550 ea
Cake Flowers: $75
Buffet/Table Arrangements: $100 – $250 ea
Corsages: $30
You can cut our budget by ordering your flowers direct and DIY the arragements. You can find wholesale Flowers shipped direct to your location at www.theflowerexchange.com
Lighting design, draping and other décor prices are proportionate to the complexity and amount desired.
Invitations – Your guests receive their first impression of your wedding from the invitations. If you are having a black tie event, you want to give the impression of a very formal, sophisticated and elegant affair. Your invitation might be engraved or letterpressed, printed on high quality ecru paper. If you are having a backyard BBQ, than your invitation should say “fun” and “informal.”
Invitation Sets – These sets include: invite, inner envelope, addressed outer envelope, reception, and response set. They can run $5 – $20 per invite depending upon the level of design and paper quality.
Budgeting takes a lot of work and patience. However, I hope you have been enlightened with the information I have just shared with you.
Next week, I will follow up with 3 sample budgets ($5K, $40K, and $75K) for 150 guests.
Elegant Event Planning and Design is a professional, full time, event planning firm specializing in commitment ceremonies and weddings.
Elegant Event Planning and Design
