The ultimate guide to budgeting for your wedding by southern weddings

The Ultimate Guide to Budgeting For Your Wedding HOW TO SPEND, SAVE, AND CELEBRATE WITH SMARTS

© 2017 Southern Weddings

www.southernweddings.com

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The budget.

“My favorite part of wedding planning!” said no one, ever. While we will admit that money talk is not nearly as fun as cake tasting, it is without a doubt one of the most important parts of the wedding planning process.

And, if approached thoughtfully and head-on, it might not be as bad as you’re imagining! Our comprehensive guide is here to help.

© 2017 Southern Weddings

www.southernweddings.com

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Table of Contents OUR BEST BUDGETING TIPS

4

OUR PRIORITIES

11

CONTRIBUTIONS

13

TIPS FOR TIPPING

15

BUDGET SPREADSHEET

18

PAYMENT TRACKER

19

WEDDING VENDOR PRICING GUIDE

20

SAMPLE WEDDING BUDGETS

22

© 2017 Southern Weddings

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Our Best Budgeting Tips In our opinion, the trickiest thing about budgeting for a wedding is that most people only plan one—and until you start nailing down specifics and requesting quotes from vendors and venues, it’s nearly impossible to know how much you might spend for your wedding given your unique set of circumstances. Weddings are not easy to generalize! Let’s start, however, with some universal tips—many from the Southern Weddings’ gals own experiences as brides and the experiences of countless readers we’ve profiled over the years—that will help you start off your wedding budget journey like a pro.

Start saving early.

This might be our single best tip, especially if (like us) you tend to have champagne tastes on a moonshine budget. Even if you might not know exactly how much your wedding will cost, it’s a pretty good bet that it will be expensive. Like all expensive things, the sooner you start saving, the smaller the amount per month you need to save, and therefore, the less painful the saving will be. If you know you’re going to want some of those amazing extras that a parent might not be as willing to splurge on, like a videographer, we highly recommend starting to save as far in advance as possible!

Set your budget.

Thankfully, even though it’s nearly impossible to know how much the wedding in your head will cost before getting engaged and talking to vendors, it’s still possible to set your budget, because your budget should be based on the amount of money you have, not the amount things cost. In addition to tallying up whatever you and your fiancé will contribute, check in with both sets of parents or grandparents (if they haven’t made the first move). See our worksheet on page 14 for our tips on how to approach this conversation.

What if I know approximately how much I can spend on my wedding, but I don’t have it all in hand right now (i.e. I’ll earn some of it throughout my engagement)?

Q:

A: That’s okay! In this case, we’d recommend being extra conservative with your total budget amount (or save the full 10% we recommend in a cushion). Also, be sure to read your contracts very carefully, and take note of when payments are due to make sure you’ll be able to cover them. Write every payment in one place so you can see all of them at once.

© 2017 Southern Weddings

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Prioritize your budget.

Once you’ve determined the pool of money available to spend, it’s time to begin slicing it up. Talk with your fiancé about what’s most important to you both (see our worksheet on page 11 for help), and reach out to vendors and venues with whom you’re interested in working. As quotes come in, you’ll start to see how your money might need to be allocated. Wedding quotes can be eye-popping and confusing at first, so don’t despair! It’s hard to generalize wedding services since you’re not comparing apples to apples, but we’ve included a general guide on page 20.

Build in a cushion.

In weddings, as in life, expect the unexpected. As tempting as it is to allocate your budget to the very last penny from the beginning, we recommend setting aside 5-10% of your total as a cushion. There WILL be unexpected expenses that come up throughout your engagement (for one of our editors, it was a very expensive generator two days before her wedding!), and you want to be able to cover them without panic. If you never end up using it? Splurge on your honeymoon!

Supplement your professionals.

While some things should ALWAYS be left to professionals, we think there are some amazing ways to cut costs while working hand-in-hand with the pros you’ve hired.

OUR FAVORITE WAYS TO SUPPLEMENT YOUR PROFESSIONALS

Hire florist to create all the floral arrangements

Supplement by providing the centerpiece containers from pieces you already own (family silver is great for this!)

a live band for the reception

by using their sound system to play a custom mix for cocktail hour

a calligrapher to create a digital file of your names

by using it across your paper suite instead of having everything handlettered

a cake baker to make a gorgeous, smaller cake for cutting

by baking (or asking family friends to bake) favorite desserts to round out the sweets table

© 2017 Southern Weddings

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Be wise about DIY.

We love when brides and grooms handcraft details for their weddings—these projects can result in some of the most beautiful and meaningful moments of a celebration. In terms of the budget, though, keep in mind that the DIY route is not always the least expensive, especially when a project requires buying tools, supplies that can only be bought in bulk, or techniques so complicated you need to pay for instruction.

Negotiate with care.

Generally, vendors set their prices with careful thought, and asking for a discount “just because” will usually not be productive. There are, however, ways to wiggle a price, and these are a few we’ve seen used with success: • If the price a photographer quotes you is beyond your budget, see if you can subtract something from what he’s presenting—an album, hours of coverage, number of prints— for a lower price.

• A florist will be able to show you which flowers are in season and which blooms will have the most impact per dollar.

• We’ve seen vendors who love to travel waive their travel fees for locations that they’ve always wanted to visit.

• Following vendors you love on social media or reading their blogs can be a great way to be the first to know about promotions they’re running or discounts they’re offering.

• If you have the luxury of a long engagement, you might be able to book vendors like photographers or videographers, at, say, their 2017 prices, even though your wedding is in 2018.

• Conversely, if you have a very short engagement, they might be willing to discount their price if the weekend you’re interested in is still open on their calendar.

• Some venues offer a discount for non-Saturday evening weddings.

No matter what, remember to go into any negotiation with a grateful heart, and without expectations or a sassy attitude.

Good to know!

Saving $5 a day over one year adds up to $1800 more to spend on your wedding wish list, like splurging on letterpress invitations or hiring a live band. © 2017 Southern Weddings

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If necessary, cut based on your priorities.

We dislike blanket suggestions on what to cut from the budget, because those decisions should be based solely on what’s most important to y’all as a couple. That being said, there is always something that can be cut.

See below for a few suggestions to get your wheels turning!

OUR FAVORITE WAYS TO CUT COST

Skip ceremony flowers (choose a beautiful location instead!)

Skip favors unless you can think of something that’s truly meaningful to you as a couple Buy a pre-loved wedding gown and/or sell yours post-wedding Borrow a car from a friend or just ride in yours instead of renting a limo or vintage car Skip a reply card and have guests email their RSVPs Ask your favorite restaurant to cater a buffet instead of plating a sit-down meal Order a simple cake design and crown it with a gorgeous topper (bonus points if it’s a family heirloom!)

Order a cake from Publix or another fabulous grocery store

HEART CHECK

Ask yourself these questions if you’re struggling over whether a detail is worth it: • • • • •

Is this detail truly important to me?

Will this detail be memorable?

Will this detail enhance my guests’ experience?

Will this detail enhance my or my fiance’s experience?

Is this expense one I can recoup after the wedding or reuse in some way?

• Would I rather have this detail or ____ amount of money to spend on a vacation/down payment/something else that matters to me? © 2017 Southern Weddings

Consider alcohol.

Though alcohol can be a big expense for a wedding, there are actually many ways to cut its cost. A few suggestions: cut the champagne toast; offer a limited bar (beer and wine) all night, or offer a limited bar at cocktail hour and then open it up to a full bar at the reception; or inquire about purchasing your own alcohol (especially if you have somewhere you can get a discount). Also, don’t assume that either paying by consumption or paying a per-person price is cheaper—here, it really helps to know your audience.

Borrow.

Not everything has to be bought new (or even old) for your wedding! Borrowed pieces can lend a beautiful air of family and heritage to your wedding day, and guests love having a hand in the celebration! Replacing expense with meaning is always a win in our book. We’ve heard of brides borrowing everything from accessories to clutches, jewelry, cake plates, toasting flutes, veils, wraps, display easels, lounge pillows, chalkboards, and much more.

Share.

Getting married close to a friend or relative? Look into purchasing things together and using them at both weddings! Decor pieces and accessories that can be used more than once are great candidates. So are simple supplies, like envelopes or welcome bags—you often receive a discount when ordering in bulk. We’ve also heard amazing stories of brides getting married on the same weekend at a venue using the same tent draping, for instance, or the same arbors for their ceremonies. See if your venue will put you in touch with your fellow brides, put out feelers on social media or through friends of friends to see with whom you might be able to connect, or use a service like Bouquet for a Day (a site that matches brides together who are getting married at the same location within a day of each other!).

Do not go into debt!

Perhaps we don’t need to include this tip, because y’all are sensible people. But just in case, here it is again: do not go into debt over your wedding! No one day, no matter how happy, is worth starting your marriage off on the wrong foot financially. © 2017 Southern Weddings

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Accept help.

We’re not going to tell you that using “friendors” is always a terrible idea—often, loved ones can contribute in amazing ways to your celebration, and offer a substantial cost savings, to boot! We love that letting your aunt bake your wedding cake or your nephew DJ your reception is a bit of a throwback to the way weddings used to be done. However, there are a few things to keep in mind if you go this route.

1. keep your expectations realistic.

If your aunt has never made a tiered cake or a sugar flower before, your wedding might not be the best place for her to take a stab at it. Or, she might want to spend months perfecting her technique, which is all well and good—but again, keep those expectations in check.

2. be upfront on the details.

Once they’ve made the offer or have accepted your request, be very clear about what is being offered and agreed on. We think a legal contract is overkill in most cases, but having the details in writing (say, through email) is crucial. Clarify who is doing what, when, in what manner, and who is covering what expenses. This step can save a lot of hurt feelings down the road.

3. make your relationship the priority.

Speaking of hurt feelings… if you think there’s any potential for your relationship to be damaged by working together or receiving this “gift,” it’s better to graciously turn down the offer and invite them to simply enjoy themselves at your party instead. Never let costsavings or your desire for a certain outcome come before your loved ones’ feelings!

Take care of your guests.

We like details as much as y’all, but at some point (especially when you’re on a limited budget), it’s time to stop worrying about what your wedding will look like in photos, and start thinking about how it will FEEL to you and your guests. Sometimes, $15 worth of bug spray at cocktail hour can be worth more than all the fancy linens and candles in the world. People will remember when you made them feel comfortable, included, and welcomed, and they will also remember when they had to wait in a line or eat cold food or trek a mile to the bathroom because you didn’t want to pay for a port-a-potty. They will almost certainly forgive you for those things, because they are your dearest friends and family and they love you, but wouldn’t it be better to avoid them altogether? For us, gracious hospitality is always a budget “do.”

© 2017 Southern Weddings

www.southernweddings.com

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We’ll leave you with perhaps our favorite way to sum up wedding budgeting:

It’s possible to have a wedding on any budget, but it’s not possible to have any wedding on any budget.

Your wedding will be gorgeous and meaningful and memorable because you two are at the center of it—blissfully happy and in love—no matter how much you spend or don’t spend. Years from now, that love and happiness is what you and your guests will remember above all else.

If you’ve started running your numbers and they’re ballooning before your eyes, whether or not you’re able to cover the costs, it can be disturbing to swallow the lump sum—especially when you’re constantly hearing from interested bystanders how insane the cost of weddings “these days” is. We’re the last to tell you you NEED to spend a great deal on your wedding—but if you find that you are, we want to also be the first to tell you that it’s okay. Weddings are worth celebrating. It’s worth it to gather your friends and family around you. It’s worth it to create an evening that’s unlike any other in your life, because you’re marking an event that’s unlike any other in your life. Not to get all cheesy, but you’re creating a memory that will last a lifetime, one that will glow in your mind for years to come— especially when the going gets tough. So, celebrate in a way that makes sense to you, and that you can afford… but don’t feel bad for celebrating. © 2017 Southern Weddings

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Our Priorities Identifying your biggest priorities early on will be a huge help in determining where to direct your attention, time, and budget. It can also help you delegate tasks—if you’re crazy about flowers, but he can’t tell a peony from a rose, you may want to take the reins on choosing a florist, while he can use his foodie prowess to interview caterers. Grab a pen and circle your top three wedding priorities below, and have your fiancé do the same. Overlap on anything? Great! Put extra care into the parts that you both value the most. Feel free to add categories if there’s anything we missed.

CEREMONY VENUE

RECEPTION VENUE

I N V I TAT I O N S A N D S TAT I O N E R Y

CALLIGRAPHY

W E D D I N G G OW N

HAIR ST YLIST

MAKEUP ARTIST

G R O O M’ S AT T I R E

C AT E R I N G

BAR

CAKE/DESSERTS

P H OTO G R A P H Y

VIDEOGRAPHY

WEDDING PL ANNER/DESIGNER

F LOW E R S

R E C E P T I O N TA B L E D E S I G N

D I Y D E TA I L S

CEREMONY MUSIC

C O C K TA I L H O U R M U S I C

RECEPTION MUSIC

T R A N S P O R TAT I O N

W E LC O M E B AG S

FAVO R S

DECOR

Notes

Splurges v. Saves Once you know your priorities, it’s a lot easier to begin figuring out where you might be able to save, and where you might want to splurge. Jot down some thoughts and possible options in each category to get your wheels turning.

S P LU R G E S

© 2017 Southern Weddings

S AV E S

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In addition to the individual wedding priorities we’ve listed on the previous page, take a step back and honestly think about your priorities for your wedding as a whole, as getting clear on this will help drive your decisions.

ASK YOURSELF

What is my main priority?

• • • •

Invite as many people as possible?

Be featured in a magazine?

Make our families really happy?

Throw the best party we’ve ever been to?

© 2017 Southern Weddings

www.southernweddings.com

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Contributions As you speak with each supporting party (parents of the bride, parents of the groom, grandparents, etc.), make a note of their commitments here. Once you’ve spoken with everyone and noted how much, if any, you and your groom will be contributing, you’ve got the beginnings of a budget!

C O N T R I B U T I N G PA R T Y

AMOUNT

NOTES

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

OUR BUDGET

© 2017 Southern Weddings

$

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Does the idea of asking for money leave you feeling totally awkward? We get it! But, if your parents don’t make the first move and you’re not set on paying for everything yourself, it’s a must-do. We think it’s helpful to start with the mindset that your families may or may not be willing or able to contribute, but that you are asking because it’s better to ask than to miss out!

HERE’S HOW YOU MIG H T S TA R T T H E C O N V E R S AT I O N :

“Hi Mama! Now that we’ve been engaged for a few weeks, we’re excited to begin planning our wedding!

We are really hoping to have a memorable celebration for all the people we love most. I’m not sure if you’ve given it any thought, so no need to answer today, but I was wondering if you and Dad are planning to contribute in some monetary way to our plans? We would be so grateful for whatever you’re able to offer!”

It could also be helpful to lead with what y’all are planning to pay for, so they understand you two are also invested in this experience.

If your parents are looking for further direction or aren’t comfortable giving a lump sum, suggest they pay for a specific item or portion of the wedding (bonus points if you know it’s one that will be meaningful to them!).

TRY THIS:

“Would it be possible for you to pay for the florist? We haven’t chosen a vendor yet, but the quotes we’ve gotten range from $1,500-$2,000.”

One Final Tip It’s best to leave comparison out of this conversation - either with your siblings’ weddings, or your friends’. Trust that your parents will do their best to make things as fair as possible! © 2017 Southern Weddings

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Tips for Tipping One of the more popular posts we’ve ever written is on tipping wedding vendors. (We wish it were something more exciting, but there you have it!) And with good reason—there are so many different sources offering advice, and so many different dollar amounts recommended for so many different vendors at so many different times, that your head can start to spin long before you start separating cash out into envelopes.

Plus, when you’re already shelling out thousands of dollars per vendor, you might find yourself feeling, ahem, a little less than grateful at the thought of tipping on top of your final bill. BUT, if you remember that tipping is never required, and should only be used to reward exemplary service, you might begin to feel a little differently.

Finally, remember that while cash or a gift is always appreciated, a grateful spirit on your wedding day; a genuine, thoughtful thank you note after your wedding; and personal referrals to family and friends are without a doubt the MOST valuable gifts you can give your treasured vendors. who ?

S hould I tip ?

Wedding Planner

Up to $500, or If your planner owns her own 15% of her fee, business, then no tip is expected, or a nice gift since it’s not customary to tip the owner of a business. However, if you would like to recognize exemplary performance, a personal gift or check is an option. If your planner has assistants on your wedding day (which most do), she will likely split the tip among them if she is the business owner.

Delivery and Set-up Staff

It’s a lovely gesture, especially if they were careful to set everything up to your specifications and without causing damage to the surroundings.

$5 – $10 per person

Drop off envelopes with your catering manager or wedding planner if they’ll be accepting deliveries on your behalf. Sending after the event is okay, too.

Wedding Photographer or Videographer

As most photographers and videographers own their own businesses, tipping is not expected or required in this case. If you are working with an associate photographer, a tip is customary.

Either way, a personal gift is always a lovely touch.

15% of his fee, or a gift

After the honeymoon.

© 2017 Southern Weddings

how much ?

when ?

We recommend sending a thank you note and your check or gift after you return from your honeymoon.

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who ?

S hould I tip ?

how much ?

when ?

Wedding Hair Stylist and Makeup Artist

Yes, this is one area where a gratuity is definitely expected.

However, the owning-their-ownbusiness exception is still in effect, so keep that in mind.

15-25%, just as you would for a normal appointment

On the day of your wedding, after she’s finished getting you prettified

Wedding Transportation

Check your contract, because a gratuity is usually included. If it’s not, then one is pretty much expected.

15-20% of the total bill if a service/gratuity charge is not included in your contract. If a gratuity is included and you’d still like to go above and beyond, a flat tip per driver of $5-10 per hour of service is commonplace.

When the driver picks you up or after the last ride

Wedding Ceremony Officiant

It isn’t necessary to tip religious officiants like a priest or minister (many of them, in fact, won’t accept cash tips). In lieu of a tip, a donation to their house of worship is a nice gesture. It’s not expected that you’ll tip a civil employee or non-religious officiant, either (and sometimes, in the case of civil employees, tipping can be illegal).

For all officiants, a personal gift, such as a gift certificate to a nice restaurant, would certainly be appreciated.

For an officiant associated with a house of worship, a donation of $100-500 is appropriate if there is no fee for the officiant, or $50150 if you have already paid them a fee. If you’re working with an independent officiant, $50-150 is appropriate.

At the rehearsal or rehearsal dinner or after the ceremony

Wedding Ceremony Musicians

This one’s definitely optional.

If the string trio you hired has arranged or learned a particular song for you at no additional charge, then a tip might be a nice gesture.

$20 – $50 per musician, or 15% of total fee

Before the musicians leave your ceremony site

© 2017 Southern Weddings

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who ?

S hould I tip ?

how much ?

when ?

Wedding Reception Band or DJ

It’s completely optional, but somewhat common. For bands that book their own gigs (i.e. separate from an entertainment agency), tipping is not customary.

If you choose to tip, set aside $40-$100 per musician or $50$200 for DJs

Before they leave the reception

Wedding Reception Staff

Oh boy, this one’s the big guy.

Yes, you should tip, but look to see whether a gratuity is not already included in your contract—it often is. (If gratuity is included, you’ll likely still want to make an additional flat fee tip on top of that - see below.)

If a gratuity/service charge is not included, tip 15-20% of the cost of your total catering bill. If it is included, and you’d like to add an additional thank you, go with flat fee amounts: catering manager, banquet manager, headwaiter, or maitre d’: $50-$150; head chef: $50-$150; kitchen staff: $20$50 each; bartenders: $20-$50 each; and servers: $20-50 each.

Before you leave the reception

One final tip One of our Blue Ribbon Vendors, Chelsey Morrison of Gather Together Events, says about 75% of her clients choose to tip beyond the expected vendors.

“On your wedding day, the last thing you want to worry about it money changing hands. It is a GREAT idea to put any final payments and tips in individually labeled envelopes to be handed out by your planner the day of the event.

“If you want to wait until the end of the event to see which vendors went above and beyond, trust your planner to make the call - we’ve worked hand in hand with them all day and see what goes on behind the scenes. In that case, I have my clients provide an envelope of cash in different bills (and keep it on my person at all times during the day).

If I see great service, I will hand out the tip amounts and write them on the envelope how much was handed out and to whom. I hand the envelope back to the father of the bride (or wedding host/financier) at the end of the night that shows the summary of what was handed out and any remaining cash.”

© 2017 Southern Weddings

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Budget Spreadsheet Keeping track of expenses and payments is the best way to make sure you’re sticking to your budget. We find that a screen-based budget works best for most people, given the large amount of adjustments to make and expenses to record over an engagement, so we’ve set up a set of three Excel spreadsheets you can download at southernweddings.com/weddingplanner. If you're more of a pen and paper kind of gal, we’ve also included a paper budget spreadsheet and payment tracker here. category

description

amount

who is paying ?

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ © 2017 Southern Weddings

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Payment Tracker D ate D ue :

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Š 2017 Southern Weddings

T o whom :

F or what:

Paid ?

N otes :

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Wedding Vendor Pricing Guide Quotes for wedding services can (and should!) vary widely—after all, they’re based not only on the final product delivered, but on personality, years of experience, level of artistry, and much more. Since we don’t tend to find “average” budget percentages very helpful, we thought we’d do a quick rundown of the range you might expect to encounter when booking wedding vendors instead.

Planner

Hair Stylist

RANGE:

RANGE:

$500-2,000 for day-of coordination, $3,500-20,000 for full-service planning and design variables: Hours spent working with you before the wedding and on the day of, staffing, hours spent working on any design elements, materials for design elements

Photographer

$3,000-15,000 variables: Hours of coverage, second shooter or assistant fee, film, film processing, equipment cost/ maintenance/insurance, time spent meeting with you, editing software costs, image rights, albums, engagement or bridal sessions RANGE:

$50-300 for bride, $35-150 for others variables: Time spent meeting with you, trial run, staffing, supplies, time on wedding day

Makeup Artist

$50-300 for bride, $50-150 for others variables: Time spent meeting with you, trial run, staffing, supplies, time on wedding day RANGE:

Ceremony Officiant

$0-600 Might include: Time spent meeting with you, time spent writing a ceremony and/or homily/message, travel time RANGE:

Videographer

Ceremony Musicians

RANGE:

RANGE:

$2,500-10,000 variables: Hours of coverage, multiple videographers, equipment cost/maintenance/ insurance, time spent meeting with you, editing software costs, post production, music licensing

Florist

$2,000-25,000 variables: Wholesale flowers, centerpiece vessels, bouquet ribbon, shipping, personnel, delivery, time spent meeting with you, design time, rentals, processing materials, number of centerpieces, number in bridal party RANGE:

Cake Baker

$5-12 per slice variables: Complexity of design, type of cake, type of icing, time spent meeting with you, delivery RANGE:

© 2017 Southern Weddings

$300-1,000 variables: Number of musicians, time spent learning new music, sheet music fees, instrument cost/ maintenance, time on wedding day

Reception Band

$2,000-6,000 variables: Number of musicians, time spent learning new music, sheet music fees, instrument cost/ maintenance, time on wedding day, uniforms, set design RANGE:

Reception DJ

$1,000-2,000 variables: Time spent meeting with you, equipment cost/maintenance, set up and break down of equipment, hours of reception time, dance floor lighting, custom song edits, travel RANGE:

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Catering

Transportation

RANGE:

RANGE:

$20-350 per person variables: Cost of food, staffing, amount of food (cocktail hour, dinner, etc.), bar, bar staffing, rentals, set up and clean up

$600-850 for 1-4 hours for a trolley or bus variables: Vehicle maintenance, time

Because you’ve asked, we’ve also included some industry standard percentages here - but know we’ve done so hesitantly, only because we do NOT want you to feel locked into these numbers! Adjust them to fit your priorities and your event. Getting married on your grandpa’s farm? Your venue now costs zero percent! Is your cousin playing the piano for your ceremony? Your ceremony music now costs zero percent! This is your budget and your wedding, so use these percentages as far as they’re helpful, and make adjustments as necessary.

P hotography and videography 1 8 -2 0 %

D ecor 8 -1 8 %

Attire and beauty 8 -1 0 %

V enue , food, and beverage 4 2 -5 0 %

E ntertainment 6 -1 0 %

P lanner or coordinator 5 -1 5 % S tationery and paper goods 3 -7 % C ushion 5 -1 0 %

C eremony details 2 -3 %

M iscellaneous (transportation, gifts, favors, fees, etc.)

2 -8 % © 2017 Southern Weddings

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Sample wedding budgets Curious how other couples spent their wedding budgets? We’ve collected actual numbers from a few of our readers to give you an idea of what different amounts can get you in different parts of the South!

$12,500

$19,000

$24,000

$26,000

A May wedding for 120 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee Venue (ceremony and reception): $850 Catering: $2,238 Bartender: $230 Alcohol: $600 Bride’s Gown: $190 Groom’s Suit: $200 Photography: $3,496 Videography: $1,500 DJ: $595 Day-of Coordination: $650 Flowers: $866 Linens: $702 Photo booth: $492

A March wedding for 150 in Mandeville, Louisiana Venue (ceremony and reception): $1,500 Food and beverage: $10,640 Cake and cupcakes: $300 Flowers: $1,013 Rentals (tent and chairs): $1,000 Photography: $3,400 Videography: $2,283 DJ: $1,000 Bride’s Gown and Veil: $2,000 Bride’s Hair and Makeup: $325 Transportation: $447

A Memorial Day weekend wedding for 100 guests in Savannah, Georgia Venue (restaurant): $0 Catering (three-course seated dinner): $5,400 Unlimited beer and wine: $1,600 Photography: $2,200 Videography: $1,000 Church facility fee and organist: $750 Paper Goods: $600 Flowers: $1,100 Dance Floor Rental: $530 Cocktail hour acoustic guitar: $500 DJ: $800 Bride’s Hair and Makeup: $700 Bride’s Gown and Veil: $1,300 Groom’s Attire: $400 Transportation: $1,300 Miscellaneous decor: $750 Tips: $1,000

A March wedding for 62 guests outside of Tallahassee, Florida Venue and Catering (including a buffet, unlimited beer and wine, chairs, tables, and place settings):

$10,636

Lodging (including paying for many guest hotel rooms):

$3,180 Videography: $2,000 Flowers: $1,000 Cake: $400 DJ: $800 Photography:

Bride’s Hair and Makeup: Bride’s gown: Suit:

$200

$1,270

Invitations and postage:

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$5,725

$180

$335

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$26,500

An October wedding for 150 guests in a rural Georgia town: Venue (ceremony and reception): $5,000 Day-of Coordinator: $1,350 Catering and dinnerware rentals: $7,600 Alcohol (provided their own): $1,500 Bridal Attire: $4,000 Groom’s custom suit: $800 Photography: $2,500 Bridal Hair and Makeup: $450

$28,000

A December wedding for 105 guests in a coastal North Carolina town: Reception (including venue, catering, rentals, and cake): $15,000 Photography: $3,600 Attire and Beauty: $3,200 Flowers: $2,400 Music: $2,400 Stationery: $1,440 Ceremony: $700 Beach House Rental for Wedding Party: $900

Paper Goods (invitations, save the dates, thank you notes, and postage):

$450

Ceremony and cocktail music (acoustic guitar): DJ for reception:

$1,200 Decor: $300

$1,200

$450

Flowers:

$30,000

An August wedding for 230 guests in Lexington, North Carolina: Venue: $3,900 Day-of Coordinator: $300 Catering: $7,800 Cake: $863 Photography: $4,000 Videography: $4,570 Rentals: $593 Flowers: $3,127 Music (ceremony and reception): $1,795 Attire: $1,218 Hair and Makeup (bride and bridesmaids): $540 Stationery: $744 Favors: $106 Miscellaneous: $496

Š 2017 Southern Weddings

$37,500

A May wedding for 150 guests in Gloucester, Virginia: Venue (an inn): $9,846 Catering (dinner plus a 4-hour open bar): $13,500 Photography (8 hours of coverage plus a second shooter): $4,897 Videography: $1,600 Invitations (invites, response and enclosure cards, addressing): $1,195 Dress (including alterations): $2,000 Cake: $492 DJ: $925 Flowers (bouquets, corsages, centerpieces, church flowers): $1,800 Day-of Paper Goods (signs, table numbers, programs): $550 Decor: $500 Bridal Hair and Makeup: $300

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$50,000 A January wedding for 125 guests in Naples, Florida

$68,500 A May wedding for 170 guests in Richmond, Virginia

Venue:

Catering:

$0 (no fee - private club) Food and Beverage: $20,500 Photography: $4,500 Band (cocktail hour and reception): $8,000 Flowers and Decor: $10,000

Bride’s Attire and Day-of Beauty: Transportation:

$1,000

Invitations and Save the Dates:

Invitations and postage (not custom):

$3,000

$2,000

Guest goodies (welcome bags, favors, reception extras, etc):

$39,000 Dessert: $800 Photography: $5,500 Linens and Chairs: $2,700 $4,705 Flowers: $4,117 Uplighting: $2,664

$1,836

Band:

$1,000

Wedding Dress and Shoes:

$2,000 Beauty: $1,500 Welcome bags: $450 Shuttle: $250

$3,075

Groom’s Suit:

$103,500 An August wedding for 225 guests in St. Louis, Missouri $35,000 Wedding Planner: $7,000 Food and beverage:

Ceremony (facility fee, officiant’s fee, rentals, musicians, beverages):

$3,772

Flowers (ceremony arbor, aisle clusters, bride’s bouquet, 6 bridesmaid bouquets, 15 boutonnieres, other personal flowers, extensive reception flowers, rentals):

$14,108

Paper Goods (custom save the dates, invitations, ceremony programs, place cards, signage, and welcome bags):

$5,790

$5,250 Photography: $5,351 Cake and Desserts: $2,894 Reception Band:

Rentals, Decor, and Lighting: Transportation:

$1,200

$10,497

Bride’s Gown and Alterations: Hair and Makeup:

$1,200

$6,300

$600 Fireworks: $4,500 Favors:

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feel

CO NF I DEN T and

E Q UI P P ED

to plan a

meaningful wedding

THE JOYFUL WEDDING PLANNER

BY SOUTHERN WEDDINGS

WWW.SOUTHE RNWE DDI N G SH OP.COM © 2017 Southern Weddings

www.southernweddings.com

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HAPPY PL ANNING!

© 2017 SOUTHERN WEDDINGS WWW.SOUTHERNWEDDINGS.COM © 2017 Southern Weddings

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