An anonymous person asked last week in a Facebook wedding group, “Is $30,000 enough to pay for a 100-guest wedding?” The poster lamented she had been watching TikTok reels and now worried her budget was too low. At least 20 people responded: indeed $30,000 would be enough, but she might need to consider a higher budget or compromise on a few things. What are your priorities … photography? décor? music? food? … and where can you cut costs? I thought about the costs associated with the venue I manage .... a boutique winery in Essex County, across the Rappahannock River from the Northern Neck of Virginia. We specialize in elopements and micro weddings with an upper guest limit of 40. A $30,000 budget would pay for an “over the top” wedding at Caret Cellars, but I digress.
What does the average wedding cost?
An article by Aly J. Yale published Feb. 21, 2024, at wsj.com, says, “Couples reported paying about $30,000 on average to get hitched last year….” Yale says a survey of 7,000 couples planning to marry in 2024 “are budgeting between $30,000 and $50,000.” Four percent expect to spend more than $100,000 and 3 percent plan to spend less than $5,000. Yale cites a second survey of 9,300 people nationwide who married in 2023. The average cost of their weddings was $35,000. A Memphis, Tenn., wedding planner said, “All combined, venue rental, catering, bar and rentals of chairs, tables and linens typically take up a little more than half of the overall wedding budget.” Yale quotes another wedding planner as saying, “Your venue, photographer and planner are the holy trinity of wedding splurges….”
As people on Facebook noted, weddings are as much about budgets as they are about romance. How can you balance your vision with creative ways to stretch your dollars?
Host a budget-friendly wedding
Be savvy. What do you want guests to remember about your wedding? If making them feel special is important, don’t skim on the personal touches that reflect your style. Newly married couples recommend not cutting costs on photography, catering or cocktail hour.
Creative ways to cut costs without compromising style
First, opt for an off-peak wedding season and a weekday wedding instead of an in-demand weekend wedding. Most venues and vendors offer mid-week discounts and off-season rates. Caret Cellars offers deeply discounted rates for weddings held Monday through Thursday. The winery isn’t open those days, so we don’t need to close our tasting room and turn away our regular customers. We pass along the savings to our couples.
Second, minimal décor can be elegant and beautiful. Many venues have a treasure trove of chargers, candles, and centerpieces they permit couples to use at no extra charge. Some venues are so elegant they don’t need extra décor to be beautiful.
Third, go digital. Send electronic invitations to tech-savvy guests and send printed invitations to aunts and uncles who might be reluctant to R.S.V.P. on a computer.
Fourth, skip the favors. Unless you plan to hand out delicious cookies as guests leave, save your money. Sadly, venue staff throw away tons of cute little boxes filled with items stamped with your names and the date of your wedding. Your guests don’t want them.
Fifth, create your bouquets using silk or wooden flowers. They are easy to craft, easy to repurpose, and easy to sell to another thrifty couple. Many brides say they bought their flowers from big box stores.
Sixth, think about your taste buds. Since catering is one of the most expensive line items, consider a less traditional menu. Perhaps a pasta bar, a baked potato bar, barbeque, pizza, or food trucks would work for you. Have you considered an afternoon wedding with appetizers instead of a plated or buffet meal lunch or dinner? Afternoon tea or a brunch might be more your style.
Seventh, buy your wedding gown from a boutique reseller … a business that sells sample gowns or sells gowns on consignment. Facebook Marketplace and local wedding buy/sell groups might have a few bargains. Even if the gown needs alterations, it still may be a great option.
Eighth, cut your guest count. Smaller weddings are less expensive and less stressful.
Ninth, limit the number in your wedding party. Fewer people, fewer gifts to buy and not as many people needing hair and makeup.
Tenth, Purchase wedding liability insurance, liquor liability insurance and wedding cancellation insurance. I will write more about this in a different blog post, but most venues now are requiring couples to buy insurance. I allowed $400 in my sample budget, but the premiums in most areas of the country will be considerably less expensive. Don’t skim on this necessary expense!
The article I mentioned at the beginning of this blog includes a chart that lists the average 2023 costs. You can download the article and the chart here. I also developed a chart you can download: page 1 and page 2. My chart gives you a range of prices I found while scouring the Internet. I used those costs to make a sample budget that comes in right at $30,000 for a wedding with a guest count of 100. Keep in mind both charts are not inclusive of all costs associated with weddings. For instance, they don’t include your wedding rings, your honeymoon, your marriage license, tips, and gifts. The two charts also do not account for the cost of living for different areas of the country. Prices in Washington, D.C., are much more expensive than the prices in my rural area of Virginia. Use the charts as a starting point in your wedding planning process.
Keep an open line of communication with your wedding planner and be honest about what you and your future spouse can afford.
Drop me a line and let me know if this blog post has helped to ease your stress. If you find yourself in the neighborhood, let me know. I would love to enjoy a glass of wine with you and learn all about your love story!
Contact me at carolyn@caretcellars.com or text/call 804.750.4796.
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