(Closed) NYC Prices…

• Mrs. Bee
• 9 years ago

• Wedding: March 2005 - Westside Loft, New York

We hired Ronnie Gesser as our band, and also got our dj (we paid a little extra to have a dj spin at the end of the night) and ceremony musicians through him.  I can’t remember exact prices, but I remember it being around 5k for 2 vocalists and a 5 piece band.

We paid around $4300 for our photographer Cappy Hotchkiss (this was 4 years ago though), and that cost did not include albums.

And we spent way too much on flowers.  I won’t divulge the number , but they were beautiful and over 5k from Belle Fleur.  If I were to get married again, I’d spend less on flowers and use that money towards video.

Hope this helps.  Good luck!

• Teeners
• 9 years ago

Hi! I got married in July 08, so my prices are relatively recent:

 -music, the awesome popshop DJ, Colleen Crumbcake -1600

– flowers – bargained our face off with Flowers of the World – 3000

– photography – the unbelievably talented Julia Newman, we did the all in package for about 4000.

 We loved our vendors and wouldn’t change a thing. And don’t forget there is always room for manuevering. you just have to ask. Like, the flowers, i think she ended up calling it a cocktail reception instead of a wedding so we could get lower prices.

• Habibi
• 9 years ago

From my research I would use the following as a guideline

Bands: I’ve seens some as low as 4K but the more popular well known bands (NYC Swing, Hank Lane Productions) start around 8K depending on which band you hire, how many band members you want and when your wedding is (low & high season pricing applies to bands too).

Photographer: The lowest I found was 4K but that was for day of coverage and files only (no albums, no engagement shoot, no proof book). We’re paying 7K for a very comprehensive package.

Flowers: This is a tough one b/c it completely depends on how many tables you have and what type of flowers you go for. 30 centerpeices of carnations are going to cost much less than 30 centerpeices of roses. We haven’t booked our florist yet but I fully expect to pay way over 5K for what we want done.

However, if I didn’t have room in my budget, flowers or alternate type centerpeices would totally be something I would DIY. There’s tons of inspiration on here if you decide to go that route.

For specific vendors and pricing feel free to PM me!

• Mrs. Bee
• 9 years ago

• Wedding: March 2005 - Westside Loft, New York

mrs. butterfly posted her real nyc budget here: http://www.weddingbee.com/2007/06/27/lets-talk-money/

and you can see her flowers from flowers of the world here:

Wedding Photos Part II

• clee1128
• 9 years ago

I’m not married just yet, but I’ve been doing a ton of research in the NYC area and this is what I have found:

• Venue with catering onsite:  $125/pp+  (This was Battery Gardens rate past May2008)  Of course, this does not include the 8.75% tax and 22% gratuity, so whatever number they give you multiply by guests then multiply 1.3 and you get a realistic figure.
• Venues with no catering i.e lofts etc.:  $2500+ just for venue fee, but you can find a cheap caterer, say like crave in brooklyn and keep costs somewhat low and rent from classic party rentals since they rent out to individuals.
• Music:  If you look outside the box, say a 4 person jazz band, you can get one for around $2000 for 4 hours.  If you’re looking for full on band with like 10 members, you’re looking at $4000 and up.
• Photographers:  You can always find a cheaper photographer, but if you’re going to splurge on anything in a wedding, it should be a photographer, bc photos are the only things to remain.  With that said, you can find a photographer who will shoot 6-8 hours for as low as $2000, but again, it’s all at your discretion.  I feel like any of the top photographers in NYC will cost you $4500+
• Flowers:  Depends on what you want really, but ceremony and reception can be done pretty lavishly for $5000 and under using a reputable NYC florist, or you can go outside to NJ/Queens and find a florist and do it for $2500/less. 
• STATIONERY:  I feel like ppl forget that stationery can cost thousands too!  DAMN me for discovering letterpress, but this can also be done relatively cheap, if you know where to look

If you want to know specific rates for certain venues, bands, photographers, florists…etc, you can just email me at [email protected] and I can give you specifics, bc to type this all out on this can get pretty long and it’s much easier to help you if you let me know exactly waht it is you’re looking for.  Hope I’ve been somewhat helpful.

• fubabee
• 9 years ago

• Wedding: March 2010

There’s a fantastic party designer/columnist by the name of Shiho Masuda. She’s done parties and window designs and is just plain talented at making your affair look fantastic without spending a lot. (Below is a photo of a college student lounge that she turned into a real lounge)

[attachment=102086,938]

• venusfueri
• 9 years ago

• Wedding: October 2009

So far:

Photographer: Bella Photographers – we got a really great deal of about 8 hours for $2200? My fiance found them on The Knot.  The reason we got it really cheap was because there was this deal back in October where you get 8 hours for the price of 6 I believe and since his dad is a professional photographer, we don’t need prints or photo albums so we just got the basic package with the DVD of all the images that we keep. 

DJ:  Hmm about another $2500 – we need a Greek DJ because my side of the family is Greek so we need that music as well as the other stuff. We went with DJ Savas who is based in Astoria and is really nice and good to work with. He is even getting a brand-new DJ booth. If I remember corectly, we get 2 DJs? Not sure.

Venue: We are having at at The Yale Club which is about $180-195pp..yes it’s a bit pricey but there is a ton of food and the site is amazing and there is a (relatively) cheap site fee, which is $500 (compared to other places we checked out that was nothing!). We are not having the ceremony there so it was a bargain; there are also some pretty neat perks like cake included (and we can work with the baker to have some sort of customized design or alter one of their own) and a bridal suite for the wedding night. They also include a coordinator for the whole day (Jaime is ours, I have heard alot of really good things about her which takes the need for a DOC out of the equation. 

Flowers: that’s tricky – because we signed with The Yale Club we have to use one of their "preferred florists" and only one out of 8 was nice enough to talk to my fiance at an event The Yale Club had for prospective and current event holders (it wasn’t until Jaime introduced my fiance – I couldn’t go because I am in Philly – to the florists as anevent holder that some finally paid attention to him). We are going to see how it goes with that one florist – some things we definitely don’t need (like flowergirl baskets and toss bouquet – DIY –  and my mom’s corsage, she refuses one) and she said she was accomodating to all budgets.

 Invites – damn me for being a stationery snob. That is a work in progress. 

• FrillyLilly
• 9 years ago

• Wedding: August 2008

I used a freelance photojournalist.  I wouldn’t recommend him but that’s something to consider because pictures are so important.  I paid about $2,000.  What a waste!

Aside from venue, the flowers make such a beautiful backdrop in the pictures.  I used a amazing florist, Rachel Cho Floral Design, she was reasonably priced and very acomodating.  I swear by this girl, she saved my life!  http://www.rachelchoinc.com

It really depends on the type of flowers and the look you are going for though.  I used calla lillies, which are on the pricier side. She made the most amazing centerpieces for my wedding last summer. It was in a industrial warehouse in LIC, she filled up the space and scaled it down so it was intimate. 

I forget what the total amount was but i remember pricing out centerpieces and bouquets against other florists (from queens no less) but i remember her being the most reasonable and willing to work within my budget parameters.

Good Luck!!

• bloo
• 9 years ago

• Wedding: July 2009

habibi – i’m still working my way thru the florists. there isnt many out there who isnt expensive anymore – i’m so close to tears! sigh! if i find anything, i’ll post it up!

• travelchick
• 9 years ago

• Wedding: July 2009

Flowers: Flowers in Bloom. We had to choose from a florist from a list (requirement of our site) and we checked out the prices for all of them – the prices varied so much!   They are located in Mount Kisco (Westchester) but they are doing our flowers and didn’t have a transportation fee.  We really liked the owner because he really listened to what we envisioned and had some great suggestions that will work within our budget.  I think because they are located outside of the city, they aren’t charging an arm and a leg!!

• Bunnylove08
• 9 years ago

• Wedding: October 2008

We used these Vendors

 Yun Gen Yang yangphoto.com -$1800 his prices are slightly higher for 2009

DJ – FM entertainments – $900 one man DJ/MC

Flowers – Flowers by Brian – $3000 

• ilovenycmissie
• 9 years ago

• Wedding: August 2009

1. Venue was the priciest for me, but I have only 50 guests half of which are my family and its once in a lifetime, I spent $246/head at the Waldorf (originally 303/head including tax an dtip, I bargained hard), quality over quantity I wanted  a beautiful elegant wedding with the most important people in my life not  a huge one where the quality was lower; included is a honeymoon room, cake, dancefloor, champagne, open bar all 5 hours, candles were thrown in, I bargained and pitched as hard as possible. I had no time to deal with vendors or bakers or doing it in Long Island or some other far place, I’m a busy professional.

2. Photographer: $1000,  a friend who freelances on the side I’ve already seen his work and love it, includes all proofs, free photoshop of 20 shots, he has an assistant, and he’s throwing in the rehearsal, I said I’d rather have the bachelorette party shot instead; unlimited shots, all day long

3. Hair and make-up: $80 for an updo $30 for makeup

4. Gown: hopefully as low as $300; I have a $500 gift certificate at Kleinfeld and the sample sale the designer dresses go down as low as $800, if cross finger I like something I may be able ot get something as low as $300 for a designer dress, cross fingers

5. Flowers: $360-$460 depending on how many guests come in; I’m doing my own bouquet of 25 roses; I’m having a whole saler floral shop do a dome of roses; I want to keep it simple bec. the room is already elaborate and the tables will be smaller than the usual and I already have votive candles; Iwant it simple and elegant and my favorite flower ofred roses.

6. $50 for my own car, I hired a co-worker ot drive us around in my red BMW, its always been there for me may as well include it in my wedding, I’ll put fancy ribbonsit.

8. Veil, tiara, cathedral veil: free my mom is gettin it for me in the philippines

still working on transport of guests need  ashuttle bus

so my biggest expenses are venue, church and photographery, everything else I’m penny pinching so I can afford a grand reception at the Waldorf–I’m so excited!

• tatrifon
• 9 years ago

• Wedding: February 2010

1) Venue – pricy :-/  $21,000 for 100 guests.  That includes an hour ceremony time, an hour extension (so we have the place from 5pm until midnight), open bar, and a 4 course meal).

2) Photographer- $4,500.. We’re using Mantas Wright, who are aboslutely amazing.  We loved them from the very beginning and we knew we would book them, regardless of what they cost.  

3) DJ – $1,250 for the entire time.  We’re using DJ Gaza.  He’ll get there at 2pm to set up, and is playing the ceremony, cocktail hour and the reception.

4) Dress-  $700… probably another $350 in alterations.

5) I’m still looking for flowers.  We’re hoping to do something simple in under $1000-$1500.

• cindyjohnsonphoto
• 9 years ago

There are still reasonably priced photographers in the New York area, it may just take a little more research. Ask your friends and faimly, and their friends and famiily… and go with someone you trust, whose photos AND personality you like!

Please contact me if you have any photography related questions, it can get confusing!

Cindy