A Wedding Costs WHAT?!?! Hidden Costs of a Wedding

A Wedding Costs WHAT?!?!

The Hidden Costs of a Wedding

As a bride and or groom to be, I’m sure you've thought about the costs of your wedding. Exactly how much thought have you really given it though? Have you considered each and every aspect of your special day?  You need a gown, he needs a tux, they need dresses, and the others need tuxes. Don’t forget the venue, and the food, oh, and the DJ, and the flowers and…and…and…STOP! Are you aware that most of those elements of your wedding have hidden costs?

For example, you've flipped through dozens of bridal magazines, clicked through hundreds of photos on countless websites and visited every bridal boutique and specialty store in the area, (and maybe even out of the area) and finally you've found THE PERFECT GOWN, and as a bonus, the price is perfect as well….or is it? Have you considered alterations? Yes, it costs to get your dream gown to actually fit like a dream. Alterations can be costly. According to David’s Bridal a bride should expect to spend between $100 and $500 for alterations to her gown.

Let’s think, just for a minute about the venue. You've chosen the grand ball room at that luxurious hotel for your ceremony and reception. It’s perfect, everything you imagined your wedding venue to look like.  Now let’s consider the hidden charges. Exactly, how much time with the location is included in the cost? (Remember, you may want to have a ceremony rehearsal the day before the big event.) Does the hotel have a catering service? Will you need servers to tend to the food, making sure its hot and replenished as dishes become empty? Or will you have a sit down meal where your guests are served? Servers? Will you have a bar? Bar attendants? During the cocktail hour between the ceremony and the reception to take photos and change the room over from wedding to reception will there be actual cocktails and hors d'oeuvres served? 

I could go on, trust me; I could go on, and on, and on. I cannot tell you how many couples are blindsided by the additional hidden costs of their special day.

After years of experience planning, I checked out Cost of Wedding to get an average cost of weddings in the Hampton Roads and found that their information is rather accurate.

Below, you will find a breakdown of the average costs of a wedding in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. I hope you find this helpful as you possibly reevaluate the costs of your wedding. 

Wedding Cost Calculator

Attire: $2,137 to $3,450

Bride accessories: $272 to $438 
 Groom accessories: $143 to $231 
 Groom suit/tux: $196 to $317 
 Hair/makeup service: $143 to $231 
 Headpiece/veil: $255 to $411 
 Wedding dress: $1,128 to $1,822

Ceremony: $2,462 to $3,975

Ceremony accessories: $159 to $257 
 Ceremony decorations: $474 to $765 
 Ceremony location: $554 to $895 
 Officiate/pastor/priest: $199 to $321 
 Rehearsal dinner: $1,076 to $1,737

Entertainment: $2,743 to $4,431

Ceremony/reception band: $1,617 to $2,612 
 Ceremony/reception DJ: $617 to $997 
 Ceremony/reception musicians: $509 to $822

Flowers: $1,726 to $2,785

Boutonnieres/corsages: $151 to $243 
 Bride bouquet: $129 to $208 
 Bridesmaid bouquets: $206 to $332 
 Ceremony flowers: $368 to $594 
 Flower girl flowers: $41 to $67 
 Reception flowers: $831 to $1,341

Gifts and Favors: $866 to $1,398

Gifts for attendant: $401 to $647 
 Gifts for each other: $323 to $522 
 Gifts for parents: $142 to $229

Invitations and Stationery: $816 to $1,319

Bridal shower invitations: $85 to $138 
 Guestbook: $41 to $67 
 Invitations & reply cards: $362 to $585 
 Personal stationery: $114 to $184 
 Save the date cards: $140 to $225 
 Thank you cards: $74 to $120

Jewelry: $5,246 to $8,472

Engagement ring: $3,904 to $6,304 
 Her ring: $787 to $1,272 
 His ring: $555 to $896

Honeymoon/Planning: $4,272 to $6,899

Honeymoon: $3,143 to $5,076 
 Bridal consultant/planner: $1,129 to $1,823

Photographer/Videographer: $2,977 to $4,807

Photographer: $1,724 to $2,784 
 Videographer: $12,53 to $2,023

Reception: $13,258 to $21,411

Reception beverages/bartender: $1,879 to $3,034 
 Bride/groom hotel: $236 to $381 
 Cake: $454 to $734 
 Cake knife set: $36 to $59 
 Cake topper: $35 to $56 
 Reception decorations/centerpieces: $908 to $1,466 
 Favors: $303 to $489 
 Reception food service: $6,396 to $10,329 
 Reception location: $2,080 to $3,359 
 Reception rentals: $931 to $1,504

Transportation: $821 to $1,326

Car rental: $256 to $414 
 Limo rental: $565 to $912

Invite Intimacy and Simplicity:Keep it Small

Invite Intimacy and Simplicity

A Few Reasons to Keep Your Wedding Small:

• You get to celebrate one of the biggest days of your life surrounded by people who love you.

• You will be more relaxed on your wedding day. Because you’ll be surrounded by friends and family, you’ll feel more at home with your guests. Your wedding will feel more like a celebration when you share it with your closest family and friends, than a production.

• You get to spend time with all of your guests. When the guest list is small, the bride and groom can spend more personal time with each of their guests, making them feel special.

• You can make your guest feel relaxed and welcome because you will be able to spend some special time with you as well as other guests that they may know.

• You can get your guests involved. A small wedding will give you the opportunity to get your loved ones involved in your special day. Maybe someone makes your favorite dinner rolls, asking them to make them for your special day won’t feel like much of an imposition when they are making them for a smaller guest list. Also, it’s much easier pulling off a Do-IT-Yourself wedding with a guest list under 50, than an over the top event.

Beautiful setting for intimate wedding

• Your freedom to customize your wedding to fit your personal style is limitless. A small wedding gives you the opportunity as creative as you wish and make your special day a reflection of the two of you.

• You have a wider selection when choosing a venue. Because you won’t need a large space to accommodate your guests, many small wedding venues will be options for you. Smaller venue options mean more creative venue options like bed and breakfasts and restaurants, museums or art galleries.

• You can save money. You can save thousands of dollars by having an intimate wedding, making it easier to stay within your wedding budget.

• You can splurge. Creating a small guest list can allow couples to out all the stops and have a truly lavish wedding. You get more ‘wow’ for less wallet with a small wedding. When you have fewer guests, you can splurge on the things that really matter to you. For example you may want a truly lavish gourmet dinner; others may desire a live band or a couture wedding gown.

• You can have a wedding that people will remember. Because your wedding won’t be typical – the kind your guests have been to over and over again – your wedding is more likely to be remembered.

Can you think of other reasons to keep your wedding small? Do you have ideas for how to do it? Leave your comments below.