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Your budget is going to be determined by 3 factors: state location (ny v. anywhere else, for example), guest list, and expectations (fresh flowers v. fake, designer gown v. chinese replica, for example).
for me, budget is around 12k for 98 guests. no open bar, outside of the city, non-floral decor, no coloured linens. I try to keep each individual item to a point where I don't feel sick over the cost and with few exceptions, I've stuck with it.
Good luck!
We're a little over 2 months out right now and we're hovering around the $13,000 mark. It's definitely more than I planned to spend but things add up quickly...
Venue: Hotel ballroom. Includes the ceremony site, all catering (sit down dinner & full cocktail hour) and limited open bar. The venue is the bulk of our budget coming in at around $5500 (75 guests).
Photog & DJ: In terms of what other people spend on photogs we got ours for a steal ($900) but our DJ made up for that savings by being almost $1000.
The only thing we really splurged on was the cake ($600) for a 3 tiered with canoli filling.
Decorations are all fall themed and have been very inexpensive since I've been garage saleing to find the bulk of it. Everything else didn't seem very expensive on their own but when added together, there's some major sticker shock.
The thing you have to remember is budgets are highly regional. What I can pull off with $13,000 in my little town in Upstate, NY could pay for a black tie affair in some areas but hardly even cover a cake and punch reception in others.
Hello welcome to the Bee!!
We are getting married in rural TX at a recently opened venue with discounted prices. The venue is also responsible for the catering. Our wedding will be a afternoon luncheon with no alcohol and a guest like of 60 max. We are having finger sandwiches, various canapes, veggies, fruits, croissants, cheeses, etc. Everything in out wedding has been DIY. I purchased my gown from a Chinese replica maker for $200, I am making out cake. All table decor, flowers, aisle decor, favors, etc will all be DIY. Both our wedding and honeymoon came in under $5,000 including airfare. I am the budget-queen. I second what Bebefly said, stick with it once you have it in stone.
This is going to vary widely. So I actually tallied up this terrifying number a week or so ago. 37k for 100 people. Throw in the things other people gifted to us (Cake, Veil, my Bouquet) and the number is 38.2k
I'm not including our gifts to eachother, my engagement ring, rehearsal dinner or the honeymoon. It does include our wedding rings. We did pick one of the most expensive venues in the area and we had an open bar/fresh flowers/etc...
Thank you for your input! Yes it does factor in where you live. I live in California in the bay area, and found that many venues range from $10,000 to $30,000 in the areas we were looking at (bay area, napa valley, Tahoe). I am going to keep looking though to see what else is out there.
@LGenz: Oh wow that is what I scared of! The little sneaky items that catch up to you. One venue we looked at as a beautiful garden in a winery setting and there are so many flowers and greenery in the setting we would likely not have to spend much on extra flowers or none at all (maybe do a different type of center piece). this venue is $10,000 but we would have to rbing in own catering and alcohol and I wasn't sure if it is cheaper to bring in your own. I guess because I am in grad school right now the thought of a wedding budget is a little mind scary. My fiance is starting a wedding savings though because he has a career :)
Our budget was originally at $10k. However, it moved up quite a bit to $13k. Originally, we were going to have a brunch wedding on a Friday. However, we wanted to really do what we envisioned for our only wedding. So we moved it to the evening, which incurred greater costs all the way around. Still, much less than the national average. And were having it just outside of Denver.
ETA: We are having about 100 people.
$25k for 140ppl but could be doing it for a lot less. Everything has a price tag and it's really all about what YOU want to do, and what you're willing to spend on it. I chose one of the more expensive venues in the city, but got a great deal on my dress and awesome photographers thanks to a business connection. The venue's preferred catering's expensive as is the limited open bar. I'm also adding a few extra surprises that will cost some cash.
Everything just adds up, so I suggest using a budget tool from one of the websites and go from there. Things like hair and make up, tux rental, rehearsal dinner, honeymoon... it all costs cash :)
5k in Norcal, if it makes you feel better =) And I have a really expensive photographer- we're doing a lot of DIY stuff tho and the venue is free so that makes it really helpful. If you're looking for a cheaper vinyard than Napa/Sonoma to get married in try Lodi, the town SUCKS but the vinyards outside of it are cool =)
Well I live in Illinois (Kankakee area if you know where that is) and my budget for our wedding was only $1,500.00 It was the perfect budget for us because we are not doing a formal wedding...its is more of a back yard type. I am very happy with it and couldnt imagine spending more then that on a wedding! Please dont take offense to this. I am not saying a wedding isnt worth more money...its just the type of people that my FH and I are. We are the more laid back kind. I have been to several weddings that are in the thousand of dollars and they were BEAUTIFUL and fit the bride and grooms personalities! My younger cousin is getting married 13 day after we are and she is up to $11,000.00 for her wedding....but they are a very younger couple that love the party scene. I cant wait to see her wedding.
So basicly what I am trying to say...with this mumble jumble post is that it really all depends on what you are comfortable spending and how the wedding will suit you and your FH personalities!
@Nicoleeee18: Trust me, you can do it much cheaper than we did. FI was just set on our hotel the minute he walked into the lobby. We spent 60% of the budget on the venue/food/alcohol.
@Nicoleeee18: We live in the Bay Area as well, and were looking at venues that we could rent out for at least a night, preferably a weekend. Is that what you're looking for that you're finding venue prices that high? Ours was around 20k (though that includes a lot, including lodging for 24 and we're charging our guests who are taking those spots).
We found some rental-type places that were significantly less than that, but more rustic and more remote. Let me know if you want more specifics - I can see what notes I can dig up from when we were looking last year.
Our overall budget is around 40-45k, though it could go down if depending how many nights our wedding party stays on site and reimburses us for. Venue is the biggest portion of that, catering second (about 10k), photography third (7k including e-pics, second shooter, multiple items), and then liquor (around 3k?? it's byob which is nice). Other things are not even on the budget radar - our venue is outside so we're basically not decorating. We may buy a pack of paper lanters if we get ambitious. But no flowers or centerpieces or anything, and we're having friends do the music for the ceremony and reception.
oh, and food/alcohol costs (we're providing wine with dinner) is coming in at 45% of our whole budget. Of course, that's with everybody invited coming, which definitely won't happen (thank whew).
@murmur:Wow 5 k thats awesome! I go to school up in Chico and know that most things tend to be less expensive up north than here in the bay area....thanks for the Lodi tip I will have to look into that. I might have to look into some areas I was not considering or had even thought of.
@d_mari3: We are not over the top and unrealsitic for our means and wont be that way....I basically want people to just have a blast and dance the night away lol. I know there are are ways (such as lighting) to create the perfect atmosphere for your personality and make the space look amazing. Kudos to having a $1,500 wedding, will you be my wedding planner lol.
@LGenz: Good to know, that way I can try to be more frugal in areas such as centerpieces, and other decorations...maybe make my own or find deals.
@Entangled: Yes I would love some information on your venue if you have the time :) The places that tend to run more expensive are wineries in the livermore/pleasanton/san ramon areas
This is my projected budget...I have not actually spent any money yet.
$20,000 for 150 people. Free venue (family ranch), $10K for catering, $2,500 for photography, the other $7,500 for: wine, beer, champagne, limited florals, string trio, band, lighting, invites, STDs, no programs, no fancy cake (just doing mixed desserts)...probably forgetting something.
@lauramich: girl, are you going naked? lol I read this and I was like, "no dress?" haha
Hi, Welcome. Here's how our budget played out. We're from LA, but were married in upstate NY. Costs definitely depend on area. We were able to spend less on venue and food and drink in upstate NY vs the places we originally considered in LA. However, a lot of other things were more $$$ because of less competition and the lack of vendors with quality work. That's something surprising that I learned. Anyway, I hope this is somewhat helpful and not overload. . . We spent approx. $26K - $29K for 69 people on a Sat. night. This includes travel expenses, but does not include the cost of rings or the honeymoon.
In retrospect, I could have saved $$ on invites and floral. I could have spent a ton more on decor, but just stopped - I was done spending, lol.
@Mrs.ChubbyBunny: Yeah, we’re nudists. Ha! Just kidding.
I didn't include the dress, FH's suit, or rings in the "wedding" budget because they're personal items. I guess including all of that would bring it closer to $25,000...how did this happen?
I figured if we're going to have a wedding, we may as well do it right and make sure everyone has a great time.
I am going to echo what some of the other brides said. You can spend whatever you would like on your wedding. It's wise to only spend what you are comfortable with, not what you think other people think you should spend.
We are going to spend 5k on our wedding in Orange County, CA. Everyone said a wedding for 100 couldn't be done here for that price, guess what? They were wrong. All the decorations and centerpieces are going to be made by me, we are getting married at our local community center and having the reception there as well. We are having a sit down dinner, with open bar for beer, wine, champagne, coffee and soft drinks. Here is a basic breakdown of our budget:
Venue $1550
Food $1100
Drinks $700
Flowers $600
Decorations $200
Dress $159
Hair/Make-up $200
Rings: $250
Bridal Party gifts $200
Total: $4,959 However, a few numbers may change a little.
Original budget was $12,000; it ended up being $14,000 with all the little things that added up like WHOA (babysitter for kids that night, tips for vendors, gifts for participants, our hotel room for the night, rental car for that week, etc). Central MA, 55 guests.
My approach was to cut out a lot of elements, but not scrimp on the ones that were important.
Our ceremony and reception were both at my mom's house. The venue was free, but we forked out for AMAZING caterers, and my parents spent more than I would have on getting high-quality wine. (We supplied our own.) We provided free unlimited beer, wine, champagne, and pomosas, but no other alcohol. Food, wine, staff, and all rentals (chairs, tables, silverwear, glasses, dishes, linens) together were something like $7000.
I paid $1000 to have my dress custom made for me by a designer friend (if it had been from someone else it probably would have been more like $4000).
Shoes: $45, plus $35 to dye them.
Another friend (an artist/printmaker) designed and screen printed our invites at-cost as our wedding gift, so we got gorgeous ones for a total of $100. I made our STDs on zazzle with a pic I took myself for $40. I bought generic thank-you notes for $35. Total postage: About $70, I think.
We had minimal, but very beautiful flowers. They came to about $800.
We didn't do a limo or any kind of special transportation.
Materials for our chuppah came to $125, and a friend sewed the canopy for free. I gave her a gift card as a thank-you afterward.
Yet another friend made my jewelry for the cost of materials.
(I should add that the women who made the invites, chuppah, and jewelry all volunteered, totally unprompted and un-asked for. It was amazing and so generous.)
Our officiant was my husband's best friend. We paid for his hotel room and got him a nice bottle of Scotch, along with the $25 fee to get him licensed to perform the wedding, for a total of about $325.
A family friend who's a photographer shot the wedding for the cost of hotel, plane tickets, and a laughably small fee. Total of $1000.
We didn't have bridesmaids or groomsmen. This saved us having to pay for flowers/bouts, hair, jewelry, etc. We did give small gifts to each of the four people who held the chuppah. Total: $125
Splurge: Husband's suit was almost $1000 at Brooks Brothers. But it was totally worth it because he didn't have any that fit. He wore it to a job interview and got a job, so you could say it paid for itself!
Rings: no engagement ring. My wedding band was my grandmother's. FI's was $450.
We splurged for a nice salon for hair, nails, and makeup for me, makeup for my mom, hair and nails for my MIL and SIL. Total cost was around $400, I think, before tips.
Guestbook: $52 on etsy.
Music: Free. Burned cds, played them on my parents' very nice stereo.
Babysitter: $100
Brunch - this was a last minute addition that blew the budget, but I'm SO glad we did it. $800
Rehearsal Dinner - $800
That puts us at $14,302, if I've done my math right. Our honeymoon was small, and didn't cost more than $1000 (I'm counting the cost of the car we rented in this, even though we used it for the wedding too). So in all, we spent about $15,000, which includes every single thing from rings to the whole wedding weekend to the honeymoon.
Small destination wedding in Las Vegas, $12,000. Includes everything wedding related (dress, ceremony, photography, dinner, favors, etc) plus airfare and lodging to vegas from the east coast and a european honeymoon.
Venue, Food, Alcohol, Decor, Horse/Carriage, DOC: $12,500
Officiant/DJ: Trading him a weeks use of my parents cabin
Johnny Cash Tribute Band: $720
Hair for me and my girls: $450
Dress: $150 (includes alterations)
Ice Cream Truck: $500
Flowers: $100
Make Up and Nails: DIY
Rings: $420
Honeymoon: $2800
Gifts: $750
Guys Wear: All stuff they already had
Photography (includes engagement sesh): $1250
We're sitting at just under $20,000. This is double what I thought we would spend, but my parents aren't quite as DIY happy as I am. They appreciate paying for things and letting someone else do the work, and usually I don't agree, but for this wedding, I'm alright with it. :)
Oh yea, it's going to be 100 people and whie it's two hours outside of the city, most of our vendors are Atlanta based.
$6500 for an small intimate wedding for 40ppl. Original budget was 5000. My goal was to plan a DW wedding close to home.
Ceremony @ a local Dana Point park overlooking Capo Beach. Rented chairs only.
Wedding dinner instead of a reception; wine w/ dinner only; IPOD for music; cupcakes instead of cake;
MUA- Sweet Fuss
Hair-Normal stylist but she came in on her day off.
Photographer- Up and coming
Floral included bouquets for myself/MOH, bouts, and corsages
Dresses- Badgley Mischka sample dress and China made reception dress
We were gifted centerpieces for the wedding dinner and jewelry.
All the planning completed in the month of March for our July 7th wedding. And yes I did get married on a Thursday.
You can have a wonderful and memorable wedding in California as long as you do your research.
Our budget is $120,000. The ridiculous thing is that in LA you still have to budget and prioritize with that much money. Here's approximately how it broke down:
This budget was given to us by my very generous dad. We are paying for the honeymoon, rings, and next day brunch ourselves which will come out to about $15,000 total
My budget is $42,000. This is for a wedding in the Baltimore/DC area. Around 125 guests. Still in planning phases but this is what we have so far:
Venue: this includes ceremony, cocktail hour, 5 hour full open bar, 3 course sit down dinner, champagne toast, cake cutting service, wine service with dinner, seperate room for bridal party, suite for bride and groom on wedding night= approx $22500 for everything (taxes, service charges included)
Photographr: $3000
Ceremony/Cocktail Hour Music: $700
Dress: $1800
DJ: $2000
Officiant: $450
That is all I have booked so far!
I think I read somewhere (the knot?) that the average budget for a wedding nowadays is around $35,000. This number does not take into consideration your guestlist. Also, not everyone includes the same things into their budget. For example, I completely forgot to budget for a honeymoon. =P
Hi Ladies sorry htis response is so late, I started grad school and had a ton going on.....however thank you for all your responses it really helped me get an idea of where money goes and ranges in various areas. This will def help me start putting appropriate money aside for the specific areas. Thanks again ladies :)
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Hi Bees! I am new to the forum and recently engaged :) I am not planning on getting married for about another two years, however was just curious as to what an average wedding buget is these days. If you don't mind sharing (I know finances are personal) that would be great! (maybe some details such as venue, did you have an open bar, types of decorations, etc) Thanks everyone, have a wonderful day!