Budget Breakdown?

Posts like this make me thankful FH and I changed our $12k budget plans. We're looking at places in Upstate NY because it's a halfway point for our family and friends to travel to, but our estimates presently would leave us with $1k for everything else (outside of venue, food, and drinks for a current estimate of 115 guests). It makes me a bit nervous for when we're able to book a venue and vendors as to what our final budget estimate will be!

I'm going to watch this thread. Thank-you for posting this! I think it'll be helpful to see what's in store and maybe I'll see a posting for that area!

Location: Bronx, NY

(Marina del Ray)

Guests: 250 (if they all come) $35,000

Ceremony: (included)

Cocktail hour 1 1/2 hours: (included)

Open Bar: (included)

Viennese Hour: (included)

Cake: (included)

DJ: 3,300

Invitations: 350

Officiant: 600

Marriage license: 40

Photo booth: 500

Photographer & Videographer: 9,000

Rings 5,000

Hair & Makeup: 0 (I'm a hairstylist)

That's all that's booked so far!

We are inviting about 85 people and out budget is $15K in northern NJ.Does that sound doable?

No judgment @GreeneBunny. I think I know your venue.

Not married yet, but here is where we are at today. We are working on bringing down the guest list to 125-150 people. FH has 63 friends on the list with their SO’s. Ummm NO.

Nassau County (Long Island)

Venue

Ceremony space - $912.45 (includes flowers)

Reception (173 guests including 9 kid/vendor half-priced plates) - $15,731.78. This includes everything (chairs, linens, etc., open bar, cocktail hour, 4 course meal, 2 desserts, cake). Thank you Thursday night.

Florist

$1740 (this was based on fewer guests, with 170 we would need to increase the # of centerpieces)

Videography

$3440.45

Photographer

$3675

DJ

$2k

MUA/Hair

Hair/MUA trial: $190

Day of: $450

Dress/Alterations (Demetrios by Macy’s)

$0

Veil (Demetrios by Macy’s)

$0

Wedding Bands

$2k (approximate)

Officiant

$500

Not included:

Marriage license ($35?)

Honeymoon (budgeting $2k)

Wedding party gifts (MOH, best man, 2 flower girls, 1 ring bearer, 1 jr. groomsman) (budgeting $350)

Jewelry (hairpiece and earrings only) (budgeting $50-$75)

Shoes (purchased 3+ years ago)

Groom Tux/Shoes (budgeting $300)

Stationary (budgeting $415)

Hotel the night of the wedding ($0 – included with the venue)

Nails (budgeting $60)

Total: $34k (rounded)

GreeneBunny I live in Westchester NY but our venue is in the Bronx.... Marina del Ray

@Alina if you can find a place for about $100 per person you can probably pull it off, may be tricky though (NJ is expensive in general). That is about $8500 for venue/food/alcohol and you can spend the rest on decor and vendors. I'd look at Thursday/Friday/Sunday weddings, also brunch or lunch weddings instead of Saturday night dinners. Also you may be able to rent a private room at a restaurant if it holds 85 - but that may be a little tricky to find too. Just have to do thorough research, and if you can cut your guest list down even a little to 70-75 that would help you out =)

Kalamazoo, MI - 150 guests. Most prices approximate.

Ceremony Venue: $2000 (received $500 damage deposit back) (Stetson Chapel)

Ceremony Venue Insurance: $53

Officiant: $150 (family friend who is a pastor/ discounted steeply)

Ceremony Pianist: $150

All inclusive Reception: $16,500 (Cityscape Events)

(included rental, tables, chairs, flatware/dinnerware, linens, passed hors d'oeuvres, plated dinner, late night snack, open bar with liquor, beer, wine, DOC)

DJ: $1425 (uplighting included) (Alpha Omega Entertainment- DJ Scott Herriman)

Florist: $3,000 (Dorothy Hochmuth - 18 centerpieces, all bouts/ bouquets, delivery. etc. )

Photographer: $2,800 (Evelyn Vaughn Photography- 10 hours/ 2 shooters)

Cake/Cupcakes: $350 (Amy's Cakes)

Party bus: $425 (Elite)

MUA: $80

Hair Stylist: $315

Trials: $200

Bridal Gown: $2000 (Essense of Australia)

Bride Accessories (shoes, veil, earrings, garter): $300

Alterations: $450

Suit Rental: Free

Hotel rooms night before/ night of: $300

Hotel's Hospitality suite to get ready in: $400

Nails: $70

Paper (STDs/ Invites/ Thank yous): $500 (Wedding Paper Divas)

Marriage License: $25

Decor: $500

Wedding Party gifts: $1000

Total: approximately $33,000

Things some don't include in wedding day budget:

Rings: $1700 (James Allen)

Rehearsal Dinner: $1600

Bachelorette Flights: $600

Honeymoon Flights: $500 (Miami)

Honeymoon Hotel/ food/ etc.: $2000 (Key West)

Total including EVERYTHING: approximately $40,000

Location: "The New Yorky part of Jersey" (getting a lot of mileage out of this, thanks Celia!)

Guest Count: 11-13 guests

Initial Budget: $4,000

Current Estimated-Get-Real Budget $5,000

Breakdown:

Dress: $250 (modcloth)

Fancy Headband: $50

Jacket: $60

Shoes: $315

Decorations: $300

Officiant: $0

Hair & Makeup: $150 (or possibly $0)

Photographer: $1300 (3 hrs, 800 images)

"Reception": $2,000 (This is an estimate as we won't know til we pay the bill at the end of the meal.)

Ubers for all guests: $200 (another estimate. Will probably be closer to $150.)

Rings: $120 (two plain titanium rings.)

Mini Cocktail Hour: $200 (includes 2 signature drinks, beer and meats & cheeses)

Groom's Suit: $200

Invites: $50 ($0 for art school friend to design and $50 to print at paperless post)

So that puts me at $5,195. The reception will be considerably less I think, we're taking our guests to a restaurant for dinner (no private room) and I've averaged prices of entrees and drinks and assumed 5 rounds of drinks per guest which puts me at around $1500 but I feel way more comfortable with that $500 buffer.

Ceremony is taking place at our home and I was surprised how much I spent/am spending on decorations. Also, I wanted to budget at least $400 for FH's suit but he is adamant about not spending that much. (We'll see what happens when we actually go get the suit though..)

All told I should be within 4-5k but knowing me I'll probably drop more $ on more decorations by the end of it..

Wedding will be 45 minutes north of Pittsburgh at Armstrong Farms.

ETA: 100-125 guests.

My numbers are a mix of booked/estimates. Current budget is right around $21,000 but I have a feeling we may go over a little bit.

Booked:

Church: $200

Organist: $200

Venue: $6,000 (includes DOC, chairs, tables, decorations)

Photographer: $2430

Videographer: $1,000

DJ: $600

Dress: $900

Tux: Free with groomsmen rentals!

STD: $80

Pre-cana: $85

Estimates:

Caterer: $5,000

Bartender: $200

Beverages: $1,400

Flowers: $300 (estimate)

Cake: $500

Favors: $200

Gifts: $450

Dress Alterations: $400

Hair/Makeup: $300

Invites/programs: $300

Rings: $400 (probably will go up)

Transportation: unsure on this one

Also I am not including rehearsal dinner or honeymoon.

Yeah I'm glad I live where I do also! We are in North Carolina and here is our breakdown:

4300-weddingmoon includes honeymoon suite, flights for the two of us, officiant, cocktails and food for 8, cake, music, venue. We are going alone so no real need for all that but it is included in case we meet friends while there lol.

Dress-150 with alterations(I bought from a lady off of offerup that had just gotten married for 50.00....yes 50.00-I was shocked also-I am not too proud to say I got an amazing deal and it fits so well-the only issue is she was a lot taller than me so I will have to have it altered in length)

100.00-groom's attire

Wedding bands-1100

Photographer-560.00

Videographer-500.00

Flowers-250.00

Hair/makeup-310.00

Bridal attendant-85/hr

When we get back:

Celebration party for 135 guests:

Venue-1300

Dj-650

Caterer-1600(amazing Greek food and then also bbq choice for my ever picky family-we are in the heart of bbq country lol)

Bartender-350

Alcohol-850

Decorations-450

Dress for celebration 33 at Macy's

Haven't gotten shoes for either event yet and some of this is estimates such as decorations, but most is already confirmed, contracted rates.

Comes to $12,523 without shoes.

Some details/ my reception/My DH and I in the church I haven't received most of my photos yet (80 out of 450+)

We are getting married in Aptos, CA at Seascape Resort. 150 adults and about 20 kids. Pricing for kids is less.

Budget was $30,000. At about $45,000 now.

Ceremony & Reception including appetizers for cocktail hour and dinner- $24,000

Open Bar (consumption) $6,000 so far

Flowers- $2,795

Photography- $2,713 8 hours. No video

DJ-$2,195

Photo booth-$895

Decor-draping, uplighting, etc.- $2,800

Cake/dessert bar-$1,200

Fmk those are beautiful pics!!!

Philly for 115 people

Budget: $50k (spent $52K)

Church: $1000

Reception venue: $3600

Baldwin School

Catering: $13000 (this included 2 bartenders, open bar, and 13 vendor meals)

Williamsons

Band: $6000 (10 piece party/wedding band)

Partywave

Photobooth: $600 through band.

Hair/MU: $1900 (trial, day of for me, 6 BM's, and my mom)

Mack Stylist

Cake: $1000 for 125 pp, 3 tiers and a sheet cake.

Velvet Sky

Wedding Decorator: $1900 (ceiling draping and hanging lanterns/tissue flowers over dance floor)

DFW

Dress, Shoes, Veil, Accessories: $2500

Alterations: $550 (hem, take in bodice, 9 point bustle, add cups)

Priscilla Costa

Favors: $600 Ghirardelli chocolates (pre assembled boxed favors)

Flowers: $3800 (2 alter arrangements, pew decor, 5 corsages, 8 bouts, 7 bouquet, 13 centerpieces, and cake)

ValleyGreen

Invitations: $1550 (gold foil EVERYTHING) (Invited 220 pp-needed 120 invites)

April Lynn

Save the Dates: $160

Magnet Street

Postage: $200

Photography: $6800 (9 hours, two shooters, with owner as primary, engagement shoot)

Tyler Boye

Videography: $1600 (one shooter, 9 hours)

Lexoria

Charis: $1000 (gold chiavari)

Transportation: Guest shuttle $650 (6 hours) Limo $900 (3 hours)

First Altantic (yellow bus) Celebrations

Tips: $2000

Misc: (toasting flutes, candles, pre cana, DIY decor, etc.) $1000

Would ABSOLUTELY recommend any of our vendors. All were amazing and totally awesome to work with.

Getting married in less than 34 days and here is how my budget has worked out.

Getting married in Pittsburgh, PA, on a Monday.

Guest List: 80 invited(13 children 10 and younger). Count so far: 34 adults and 7 kids under 10.

Venue: all inclusive, includes Buffet dinner, cake, linens. $45 per adult $25 per kid 10 and under. (Got a discount for having no alcohol and a Monday wedding.)

Total Estimate for Reception if all invited come3250

Rings: $98

DJ: Free ( friend of FH family)

Dress: $1657

Veil: $150

Alterations: $315

Shoes: $30

My bouquet: $52

My Hair: $50

Officiant: $175

Marriage Lisence: $95

Ceremony: $300 (at the same venue as reception)

Chair Covers: $4 per chair

FH outfit: $95

STD Announcments: $29

Invitations: $118

Stamps: $65 (people always forget to budget postage)

Centerpieces: $75 (for all 8, DIY)

Candy & Cookie Table: $80

Bridal Party Gifts: $123

Guest Favors: $150

Guest Book: $42 (DIY)

Other: $80 (includes cake knives, glasses, garters, flower girl basket, ect.)

Doing makeup and nails on my own and a lot of the decorations for the venue were made by my MOH.

All in all we budgeted about $9000 we have spent $7044.

Location: Orange County, CA

Guest Count: 120

Venue $1500

Food /Alcohol $8000

Photography $1350

Dress $955

Shoes: $250

Alterations $350

Tux $200

Flowers $1450

Bridal Party Gift $300

DJ/Photobooth $1255

Cake: $623

Invites &STD $80

Officiant $300

Hair $100

Wedding Bands: $450

MakeUp: $75

ETA: Not married yet. Budget was $25k and currently close to $18k.

Portland, OR metro-area January off-season wedding with 85 guests:

We are at about $16,500. Original budget was 10K, but we originally grossly underestimated costs.

Venue: $2900 - incl Wedding Coordinator, setup and tear down, all tables and chairs, tablecloths, napkins, etc.

Extra linens: $130 (we wanted a specific color the venue didn't offer)

DJ: $650, got a winter wedding + venue discount

Photographer: $1100 for 7 hours, again got a winter wedding + venue discount

Videographer: $1000, originally $2k, got a discount.

Catering: approx $4k, includes food, waitstaff, bartender, dishes, glassware, etc.

Booze: estimating $650 (we are buying our own)

Hair/MU and nails for two, incl tip: $700

Dress, alterations, shoes, accessories: $1694

Grooms tux: $212

Groom's accessories: $100

My wedding band: $750

Insurance: $180

Hotel (night before + night of): $517

His wedding band: $390

Transportation: $400

License: $60

Flowers: $135 (bouquet only)

Decorations: $200 (thank lawrd for my mom's Michael's discount)

Cake: $330

Gifts: $250

Officiant: free

@Mrs. CK Thanks for doing this! I'm in the Boston suburbs and looking at a total of around $35,000. Judging from some posts they were making me feel like I might be spending too much, but this makes me feel better knowing many others are spending that and more. It's not out of our budget, but have had thoughts like "am I really getting out of control with this?" it really does depend on where you live and the type of wedding you want to host.

Location: South FL. Guests: 80.

Original budget: $10k (ha ha ha!)

Venue: $3,500

Catering: $5,200

Photographer: $1,200

DOC: $1,200

Alcohol: $1,200

Dress: $2,500 (w/ alt)

Hair & Makeup: $975

Hotel: $625 (2 nights)

Groom/groomsmen suits: $750

Guestbook: $80

Invitations: $200

Save The Dates: $40

Postage Stamps: $85

DJ: $700

Flowers: $700 (DIY)

Linen/Dinnerware Rentals: $700

Favors: $67

Cake: $300

License: $100

Officiant: $160

Vendor Tips: $400

Hair & Makeup trial: $175

Flower girl dress: $100

Guest Parking: $400

Extra decor: $1,000

Veil & Shoes: $200

Hopefully we'll have some extra cash to hire a clean-up service.

We're at about $23k roughly.

@Heather. you could take that extra $2,000 you didn't spend and buy some alcohol for your guests.

eta- spelling