Wedding Blog

Today we’re jumping up a few budget brackets to bring you three different weddings in the $30 -$35K range, including one illustrated with photos!

- AL and her fiance are planning a Renaissance-themed wedding for 150 guests in Long Island, New York.  They’re splurging on entertainment (including a band, professional trumpeteers to announce them, and Renaissance dancers), but found ways to budget elsewhere, such as an all-inclusive photography/videography package for $3500, and makeup done by mom!  

- AA’s Houston wedding had some great details, like a string trio for the ceremony music, and catering by Marble Slab Creamery.  They saved on decorations and favors by designing their own flower centerpieces and having photo favors which were included in the cost of her photography package. 

- And finally, AS’s lakeside wedding in Milwaukee was celebrated by 320 guests (honed down from 500!).  The event was personalized with details such as high-top tables for the bar area, and adjoining hotel rooms for her and her bridesmaids the night before.  She made budgetary compromises in some areas (candlelight instead of professional lighting, prime rib instead of filet mignon), and spent money elsewhere (rented linens, Brewers tickets for the dads!).  You can see pictures of her wedding below.

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Submitted By: AL
City: Long Island
# of Guests: 150

Wedding Day Expenses:

Ceremony/Reception Site Fees: $500
Caterer/Food/Drink: $16,200 or $108/pp (including open bar and Viennese hour)
Service Charge/Gratuities: (included)
Bridal Gown/Alterations: $1816
Bridal Accessories: $751
Groom’s Attire: $0
Stationery/Postage: $500
Photography/Videography: $3500 (package including both)
Ceremony Music: $0 (included in ceremony site fee; family member will be singing, as well)
Reception Music: $2500 (band)
Flowers: $2885 (including decorations and centerpieces designed by bride)
Favors: $320
Cake: $0 (supplied by catering hall)
Officiant: $50 donation
Coordinator: $0 (none)
Hair/Makeup: $0 (mom’s a professional stylist/artist)
Wedding Party Gifts: $670 (nine groomsmen, ten bridesmaids)
Transportation: $1500 (stretch SUV that holds 24 people)
Hotel: $210
Misc: $1265 (including professional trumpeteers to announce the couple, traditional cake charms, and professional dancers from the local Renaissance fair to entertain)

Nonwedding Day Expenses:

Wedding bands: unknown, as of yet
Rehearsal dinner: unknown
Honeymoon: N/A

WEDDING DAY TOTAL: $32,667
COST PER PERSON: $217
NONWEDDING DAY TOTAL: N/A
GRAND TOTAL: N/A

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Submitted By: AA
City: Houston
Budget: $20,000
# of Guests: 210

Wedding Day Expenses:

Ceremony/Reception Site Fees: $1200
Caterer/Food/Drink: $16,090, or $77/ppm (including catering by Marble Slab creamer)
Service Charge/Gratuities: $0 (included)
Bridal Gown/Alterations: $470 (including a second, Vietnamese dress)
Bridal Accessories: $175
Groom’s Attire: $0
Stationery/Postage: $675
Photography: $4500
Videography: $0
Ceremony Music: $320 (string trio)
Reception Music: $450 (DJ and pianist)
Flowers: $2200
Decorations/Centerpieces: $0 (flowers)
Favors: $0 (included in photography package)
Cake: $900
Officiant: $250
Coordinator: $0
Hair/Makeup: $250 (DIYed makeup)
Wedding Party Gifts: $250
Transportation: $350
Hotels: $700
Misc: $1195 (including groomsmen and bridesmaids’ attire, rented linens, and a babysitter)

Nonwedding Day Expenses:

Wedding bands: $350
Rehearsal dinner: $700
Honeymoon: $5500

WEDDING DAY TOTAL: $29,975
COST PER PERSON: $143
NONWEDDING DAY TOTAL: $6550
GRAND TOTAL: $35,525

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Submitted By: AS
City: Milwaukee
Budget: $25,000
# of Guests: 320

Wedding Day Expenses: 

Ceremony/Reception Site Fees: $1350 We bought both of the permits for our outdoor location (a staircase on the lakefront owned by the parks department) so that we could have a mid-afternoon ceremony.  The way they have the permits timed forces you to otherwise have a late morning or late afternoon wedding.  There was no rain back up option here, so we had a tent on standby, which was owned by family members so we didn’t incurr any additional costs there.

Our reception hall accidentally double booked our original date and so by agreeing to change our date, we got a half price deal.  This was especially nice because this hall has nothing - we had to rent all of the tables, chairs, and linens.

Caterer/Food/Drink: $10,500, or $33/pp.  We had one hour of an open bar, and hosted beer and soda all night.  Plus, we had champagne for the head table.  We gave four entree options, shared bread and salad, and we served pizza at about 10:30 p.m. 

Service Charge/Gratuities: $1200

Bridal Gown & Alterations: $3140.  I splurged big time on my dress.  I had a hard time finding one because I never had the moment where I *knew*.  My alterations were done by a private seamstress instead of the bridal salon, which was a good savings.

Bridal Accessories: $252. My shoes were a sale rack find at $35.  My necklace was $185 from a local boutique, and my earrings were $20 from Etsy.  My veil was made by my mom and myself for $12.

Groom’s Attire: $120, plus $180 for ties and pocket squares and ties for groomsmen and fathers.

Stationery/Postage: $1600, all letterpress, with five components plus envelopes; I DIYed save-the-dates for about $100 in supplies.

Photography: $2300, We got ten hours of shooting the day of, part of which was two photographers.  We got all of our images on disk in full format, no albums, and no prints.  I wanted to choose a great photographer and not a great print package, so I refused to hire anyone that was trying to sell me on a print and album package.  Plus, I’m a photographer myself, so I feel very comfortable getting prints and an album made. Owning our images was very important to us. We also got a engagement session thown in for free. Our pictures are amazing and look every bit as wonderful as those from photogs who were twice the price that I shopped.

Videography: $100. I hired one of my students (college) to shoot our wedding.  She refused payment, but we handed her a “tip” that day anyway. We just wanted our ceremony on disc to show our kids and grandkids one day, we didn’t want anything fancy.

Ceremony Music: $695. We hired a sound company and had a violin, cello, and trumpet trio. Also, my father and one of my bridesmaids sang.

Reception Music: $895. We had a DJ with a lights package.

Flowers: $2500.  We had 10 tall centerpieces, two large pedestal arrangements, five BM bouquets, bridal bouquet, 12 bouts, and mothers & grandmother’s corsages.  We also had two cases of gardenias for use in the hall and dendrobium orchid blooms sprinkled among the candles.

Programs, Menus, Etc: $250

Decorations: $1300.  The hall had nearly 700 candles and glass hurricanes on every surface that stood still, fabric draped from the arches, and pearl letters and riboon on the banisters.  We also had three dendrobium orchid chandeliers, as well as six potted plants. 

Cake: $150. Our cake was fake.  The bottom layer was real, which we cut.  The top two layers were styrofoam.  Our guests were served tiramisu, so the cake was largely ceremonial.

Officiant: $150. What a deal!  We had a court commissioner marry us.  He helped us construct our ceremony, came to the rehearsal for fee, and was just top notch all the way.  We are planning to send him a nice gift certificate as a “tip.” 

Coordinator: $300. Day of only.

Hair/Makeup: $425 makeup for bride and bridesmaids.

Wedding Party & Parents Gifts: $1700 - My husband bought watches for all of the groomsmen and ushers, about $100 apiece.  I spent about $50 on each of the five girls, getting them makeup bags, and making jewelry (and my mom made them shawls).  I also gave them flip flops for dancing.  We gave each of the moms custom necklaces with our birthstones, and the dads got a trip to a Brewers game and a Brewers hat.

Transportation: $2100 - We had a limousine for the bachelor party and wedding, plus paid parking for our guests.

Hotels: $550 - I stayed in adjoining rooms with my bridesmaids the night before wedding.

Misc: $4450 - Includes chair, table, linens, and projector rentals, plus cab rides, hostess gifts, etc.

Nonwedding Day Expenses:

Wedding bands: $300 for his custom Tungsten band. I have no idea how much either of my rings cost, and I don’t want to know (though DH is dying to tell me).
Rehearsal dinner: $1500
Honeymoon: Hasn’t been taken yet.

WEDDING DAY TOTAL: $ 36,027
COST PER PERSON: $113
NONWEDDING DAY TOTAL: ~ $1800
GRAND TOTAL: ~$37,827 (before honeymoon)

note from AS: If I had to do it again, I wouldn’t spend money on…nothing.  Everything was worth it and I would do it all again exactly the same way, except that I would have started the DIY projects sooner.  There were several little things I wanted to do that I never even got to.  Thanks for letting me share!

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