Weddings are expensive as f*#k
Welcome back. Part two of my wedding starts.... NOW
We left off with my incredibly original insight that weddings are expensive. Even if you try to keep things chill and not go crazy, they cost money. And once you say something is for "your wedding", 15% more $$$ are added to any price. Automatically.
The first step of any good wedding is making a budget. In Google Docs and then inviting your fiance to be a contributor. I believe Emily Post was the first to mention shared Google Docs.
I think Matt and I threw out a number that sounded reasonable and then worked from there. Then we spent roughly 40% more than that. You're welcome to use that formula. Lucky for you, I entered all of our expenses into said Google Doc and included a category for each one so I can tell you how much we spent on each category. It was a great use of my time then as my motto is "control the things you can control, freak out over the rest".
I'm not going to tell you exactly how much cash we spent because this is the internet and not matter what that number is, it's wrong. So here's the percentages of total cost:
Food and beverage: 42%
Photography 14%
Wedding rings 12% (does not include engagement ring, obvi)
Venue: 11%
Decorations: 7%
Gifts: 7%
Miscellaneous: 6%
Invites: 1%
If you can't tell by now, I've spent the last 9 years in non profit fundraising and event planning. I also like budgeting and data. But only when it's not for work.
This breakdown is probably fairly different for each wedding, but the one thing you won't be able to save much money on is food and alcohol. Unless you're having your wedding at a venue that allows you to bring in your own food and alcohol. The benefit of this is that you'll probably save a lot of money. The downside is you might end up making everything yourself (or your mom and future mother in law will).
Most "traditional" wedding venues (e.g. hotels, event spaces, convention halls) won't let you bring any of that in, so this is only really an option if you're having your reception in someone's backyard or a park.
If I've lost you already, it's time for you to get a wedding planner.
We left off with my incredibly original insight that weddings are expensive. Even if you try to keep things chill and not go crazy, they cost money. And once you say something is for "your wedding", 15% more $$$ are added to any price. Automatically.
 |
| "This is for a wedding. Just take all my money. I guess." Image source |
The first step of any good wedding is making a budget. In Google Docs and then inviting your fiance to be a contributor. I believe Emily Post was the first to mention shared Google Docs.
I think Matt and I threw out a number that sounded reasonable and then worked from there. Then we spent roughly 40% more than that. You're welcome to use that formula. Lucky for you, I entered all of our expenses into said Google Doc and included a category for each one so I can tell you how much we spent on each category. It was a great use of my time then as my motto is "control the things you can control, freak out over the rest".
I'm not going to tell you exactly how much cash we spent because this is the internet and not matter what that number is, it's wrong. So here's the percentages of total cost:
Food and beverage: 42%
Photography 14%
Wedding rings 12% (does not include engagement ring, obvi)
Venue: 11%
Decorations: 7%
Gifts: 7%
Miscellaneous: 6%
Invites: 1%
If you can't tell by now, I've spent the last 9 years in non profit fundraising and event planning. I also like budgeting and data. But only when it's not for work.
This breakdown is probably fairly different for each wedding, but the one thing you won't be able to save much money on is food and alcohol. Unless you're having your wedding at a venue that allows you to bring in your own food and alcohol. The benefit of this is that you'll probably save a lot of money. The downside is you might end up making everything yourself (or your mom and future mother in law will).
Most "traditional" wedding venues (e.g. hotels, event spaces, convention halls) won't let you bring any of that in, so this is only really an option if you're having your reception in someone's backyard or a park.
If I've lost you already, it's time for you to get a wedding planner.
 |
| I'll wait while you check if J Lo is available Image source |
Now that you've looked up a wedding planner (or event coordinator if we're being P.C.) and realized they're expensive as f*&k too, welcome back.
Normally the venue is going to be one of your next biggest expenses. We went with photography and rings because pictures (and rings) are forever. Also, we got our venue fairly cheap. This is all relative, but despite getting married close(ish) to Washington, DC, we got a pretty good deal.
A good photographer is going to be expensive. This is partly due to the fact that they can charge that much. And partly due to the fact that a good photographer is going to work pretty hard and cameras are expensive. Personally I would have been ok if there were no photographs of the whole event (I'm shy... and anxious) and my husband was sort of on the same page. However, family likes pictures and I can (reluctantly) say that it is nice to have some pictures.
Most people spend a lot of money on decorations. Because florists also can charge a lot of money. Here's where I saved a lot of money. And added so much anxiety. I did most of it myself. It was great. And the worst. I had help and I'm pretty creative, but this is not for everyone. You have been warned.
Then we have gifts. This included gifts for our wedding party, family, our officiant, and anyone else that helped us with the big day. You don't have to spend that much on gifts, but people are spending a lot of money to be in your wedding, so keep that in mind.
Next you have miscellaneous. Based on our budget, we included: marriage license, equipment rental, Matt's tux, gas, outfits for the dog (more on that in a future post) and "some lady". "Some lady" was my husband's entry for the officiant. He wasn't as excited about updating the Google Doc as I was.
Finally, invites. 1% of our budget went to invites and postage. You could easily spend so much more here, but I designed on a website and stuffed and mailed them myself. I got to make another spreadsheet and do a mail merge and make labels. It was fun. I also forgot to put "Save the Date" on the postcards we mailed out so people could save the date.
So maybe spring for someone professional to make them? Or at least two other people to proofread them.
Next time: I'll actually get to the wedding part (assuming you're still with me) and show you some of the things we spent all that money on.
Normally the venue is going to be one of your next biggest expenses. We went with photography and rings because pictures (and rings) are forever. Also, we got our venue fairly cheap. This is all relative, but despite getting married close(ish) to Washington, DC, we got a pretty good deal.
 |
| I guess you could say things are getting pretty serious Image Source |
A good photographer is going to be expensive. This is partly due to the fact that they can charge that much. And partly due to the fact that a good photographer is going to work pretty hard and cameras are expensive. Personally I would have been ok if there were no photographs of the whole event (I'm shy... and anxious) and my husband was sort of on the same page. However, family likes pictures and I can (reluctantly) say that it is nice to have some pictures.
Most people spend a lot of money on decorations. Because florists also can charge a lot of money. Here's where I saved a lot of money. And added so much anxiety. I did most of it myself. It was great. And the worst. I had help and I'm pretty creative, but this is not for everyone. You have been warned.
 |
| Image Source |
Then we have gifts. This included gifts for our wedding party, family, our officiant, and anyone else that helped us with the big day. You don't have to spend that much on gifts, but people are spending a lot of money to be in your wedding, so keep that in mind.
Next you have miscellaneous. Based on our budget, we included: marriage license, equipment rental, Matt's tux, gas, outfits for the dog (more on that in a future post) and "some lady". "Some lady" was my husband's entry for the officiant. He wasn't as excited about updating the Google Doc as I was.
Finally, invites. 1% of our budget went to invites and postage. You could easily spend so much more here, but I designed on a website and stuffed and mailed them myself. I got to make another spreadsheet and do a mail merge and make labels. It was fun. I also forgot to put "Save the Date" on the postcards we mailed out so people could save the date.
 |
| I caught it before I sent them out |
Next time: I'll actually get to the wedding part (assuming you're still with me) and show you some of the things we spent all that money on.
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