Budget Breakdown?

Wedding is in Detroit, MI we are from NYC Metro area:

We have 51 guests invited, with 10 declines so far

We also have the issue of FMIL being in a nursing home and not being able to really walk or use the bathroom on her own so we are paying for her transport to and from the wedding plus two home care aides to assist.

All apparel for bride, groom, and flower girl (my daughter): $2,200 (This includes dresses and shoes for DD and me, all my jewelry, hosiery, headpiece and veil, wedding rings, faux fur shrugs for DD and me, FH is using a suit and shoes he already owns, buying new shirt and bow tie)

Reception (this includes 3 course plated dinner, 1 hour cocktail hour with 6 different passed hors d’oeuvres, hard liquor and beer only by consumption. We are bringing in our own wine and it is being gifted by MOH) $5500 (approx. includes $25 per bottle corkage fee.)

Cake: $200

Save the dates and invitations (including postage): $350

Photographer: $3745

Flowers: $831

Gifts for MOH and BM: $300 (budgeted)

Rental car, airline tickets, and hotel: $3100

Transportation and home care aides for FMIL: about $500

Officiant: $375

Marriage license: no clue. FH is in charge of this

On location hair and makeup for me, MOH, mom, aunt, and BFF: $800 (includes tips)

Gift bags for hotel guests: $250 (budgeted)

Total (if my math is right): $17,351…we are way over budget!

Massachusetts... Getting married on a Saturday.

Venue rental, food, alcohol - estimated at about $7500

Flowers - $1300

DJ - $850

Photographer - $1600

Ring bearer suit (groom was free!) - $155

Wedding dress - $183 w/o alterations factored in yet

Shoes - $40

Veil - $200

STDs and Invitations - $250

Officiant - $200

Hair for everyone - $350

Ring bearer pillow and flower girl basket - $25

Favors - $80

Miscellaneous decor - $75

Gifts for parents/bridal party -$300

Honeymoon - $1500

Rehearsal dinner - TBD

I think we'll fall between $15,500 - $16,000. We knew we could cover the big stuff from the get go... I've been purchasing the odds and ends as we go over the past 7 months to lessen the blow...

Also, based on 100 guests. And I excluded cake. That's in with food.

Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL (area)

Guest Count: 100 (current list is 140 and plan to cut it down to 100 if not enough saved)

Venue about $9,000 (includes catering/$65 per plate, beer/wine all night, linens/chairs, cake, bridal suite for 1 night, venue coordinator, ceremony fee-I guess to flip the room, gratuity and taxes)

Photography-2,500 (includes 2nd photographer)

Videography-free (gifted to us)

Dress-$850

Accessories-will eye ball this one

Alterations-unknown at this time

Suit-$500 budgeted for FH and our 2 boys' outfits

Flowers-$1000 (will include sparkly tealight holders I saw displayed at the shop and table numbers)

Wedding Party Gifts-$300 budgeted (may be less if I end up paying for hair and makeup for the girls)

DJ-$750 (disclaimer, friendor rate)

Invites-about $250 WPD groupon and Cards & Pockets panel pockets

Hair-$150

Make Up-free (gifted to me)

Wedding Bands-$150 me, $40 FH

Marriage License $90 ($30 off for pre-marital course: $60)

Officiant-about $250 for hotel stay (uncle/pastor traveling for wedding)

Rehearsal dinner-about $550 (depending on if everyone attends)

Miscellaneous/just in case funds-$2,000

Approximate total: $17,450, original budget was 15k (which I hope we still end up at since I added the 2k misc funds to the total budget).

San Diego Honeymoon is not part of our budget but we are planning around $2,000 for the trip. FFIL is gifting us flights and we plan to spend about 1k on the hotel for a week and the rest is spending money for activities/food/car rental...

Location: Tulsa, OK

Guests: 125

Budget: Original budget $12k (badly underestimated costs, some of fiance's priorities).

Current and likely budget: $20k for wedding only. $25000 including honeymoon and value of 'gifted' items (listed separately)

Venue rental: $3,000 Includes tables/chiavari chairs, setup/breakdown, linens, tableware, some decor, bridal and groom suites, honeymoon cottage

Food and drink: $10,000 for apps, buffet, open bar, kid and vendor meals

Photographer: $1900

Decor: $100 (mostly DIY/borrowed from friends with HGTV addictions)

Flowers: $600 Florist: Bride bouquet, 5 boutonnieres, FG petals, ceremony arch decoration. DIY: BM bouquet supplies.

Hair/Makeup for bride plus 4: $900

String trio: $300

DJ: $700

Bistro lights: $400

Dance lessons: $100

Officiant: $350

Event insurance, $300

Invitations and STDs: $300

RD: $600

Honeymoon: $3,000

Luxury cabin rental, Colorado, off-season: $1500 for 1 week

Food: $500

Activities: $500

Travel: $500

'Gifted' items: wedding dress (from mom), bride's wedding band (family rings), cake (mostly in trade from fiance's client), babysitting (groom's coworkers, refused payment)

Location: Nassau Bahamas via Carnival Cruise

Guest Count: 13 confirmed guest with no more than 20 Max

Budget $8,000

WeddingMoon Cruise $1400.00

Wedding Planner $2200.00 which consist of

- Planner Services

- Officiant

- Preparation of marriage certificate / Pickup and mail Certified Copy

- RT Bus Transportation for 25

- Bridal Bouquet & Groom Boutonniere (probably won't use)

- 1 hour of photography (probably won't use)

- Marriage License with extra fee

Photography $1500.00 (Estimate)

Save the Dates $110.00

Invitations $300.00 (Estimate)

Postage $100.00

Hair/Makeup - Free (Hair stylist going on cruise)

Pre-pampering Stuff - 250.00 (Nails, Toes, Massage)

Dress $ 1150.00

Shoes $ 100.00

Alternations $ 150.00 (Estimate)

Groom Tux and Accessories $400.00

Personal Flowers $ 50.00

Ceremony Fee $750.00

Ceremony Music $300 (Steel Drum Players)

Ceremony Decor $900.00 (looking to cut this back)

Reception Fee $200.00

Reception Food and Beverages $1,000 (Estimate)

Reception Decor - $1,000

Cake $ 100.00 (Estimate)

Gas to Miami $200.00

Parking $ 60.00

Not married yet Estimated Total $12,220.00

GREAT IDEA CK!!

Married in: Mobile, AL(Thank you Alabama prices)

Church and officiant- $900

Singers for full Catholic mass- $400

Reception venue- included tables and chairs and some decor- $1,800

Food and alcohol for 140 people- $8,000

Dress- $1,800

Alterations- $300- simple bustle, cups added, lining let out a bit, length shortened

Shoes-$1,000- my splurge

Other accessories- $75

Hair and makeup- $80

Grooms attire- $200

Invitations- $60 from Vistaprint

Calligraphy printing for invitations- $50

Transportation for wedding party, and guests- $1,500

DJ- $700 for ceremony and 4 hour reception

Photographer- $2,000 for 2 photogs for 10 hours

Cake- $500 for 140 people(cake baker is family friend)

Flowers- $1,200 for church doors, centerpieces, bridal bouquet and bridesmaids bouquets

There are some other things I'm forgetting like hiring a police officer, hiring bartenders. Forgot how much they were.

Location: Toronto, ON, Canada (costs in CAD)

Guest Count: 105

All-Inclusive Venue: $10,810

Photography: $3,100 (11 hours with 2 photographers and 2 hour engagement session)

http://www.saikit.com/

Dress: $1,420 (made to exact measurements; includes 2 fittings and minor alterations)

http://www.theonebridal.ca/

Tux: $418

http://www.4menunited.com/

Ties: $164 (DH and 2 GM)

Men's alterations, shirts, and pocket squares: $636

Flowers: $476 (my bouquet, 2 BM bouquet, DH's boutonniere, 2 GM's bout., 2 corsages for moms, 2 bout. for dads, and 7 bout. for sponsors [Filipino tradition]

http://www.secretsfloral.com/

Bridal Party Gifts: $405

DJ: $904

http://tremendo.ca/

Venue's audio plug in fee: $452

SOCAN and RESOUND fees: $96.95

Photobooth: $875.75 (4 hours)

http://soundxent.ca/

Cake: $424

Groom's cake: $200

http://cakecreationsbymichelle.com/

Invitations: $60 (vistaprint)

Church: $500

http://www.st-bonaventure.ca/

Hair & Makeup: $775 (me, 2 BM, and MOG; includes hairstyle change and makeup touch-up; MOB decided to book separately with a different HMUA)

http://www.bridalsecretary.com/

Hair & Makeup trial: $200

Church Musicians: $400

Wedding Bands: $1,000

http://www.thejewelcase.ca/

Transportation: $914 (4 hours and late night pickup)

http://www.luxedrive.ca/

Rehearsal Dinner: $645

2 nights stay in Hotel Suite: $360

Favours: $320

Marriage Licence: $140

Vendor tips: $2,652

Miscellaneous (tea set for chinese tea ceremony; DIYs for decor, place cards, programs, fans; food and drinks throughout the day before reception; photobook guestbook; stamps): $399.30

Thank you cards for vendors: $9 (Michael's)

Thank you cards for guests: $128 (Optimal Print)

Photobook for parents: $86

Trip to California to visit and have dinner with relatives who declined to attend the wedding: $975

Honeymoon: $3900

TOTAL: $33,845

Minneapolis, MN at Aria

(both ceremony and reception)

Guests: Inviting 225ish

We didn't start with an official budget, but I was aiming for under $40k.

Venue: $7500 (to rent the space, not inclusive of anything)

Caterer: $13000

Alcohol: $4000

Dress: $1750

Band: $1800 (they will play during ceremony, cocktail hour and reception)

Veil: Free

Shoes: $100

Photographer: $1500

STD/Invitation/Thankyous: budget is $1000 for these

Cake/cupcakes: $1000

Flowers: $2250

Security: $750

Decorations: $2000

Hair for me/BP: $550

Makeup for me: $150

Officiant: $200

Alterations: $200

Photo Booth: $850 (which includes a really nice guest book)

Groom's Suit/Shoes: $250

Bridesmaid dresses: $300 (I'm helping them a bit so they don't have to spend over $150)

Favors: $500

DOC: 750

$40400 before rings/honeymoon

Location: Pigeon Forge, TN

Guest Count: 40

Venue: $4350 (includes catering, cake, DJ and some decor)

Officiant: $0 FH's minister from when he is younger will be officiating

Marriage License: $35?

Photography: $1,500 if we decide forgo the one at the venue

Flowers: $100 (thinking about buying hydrangeas from Sam's to do bouquets)

Decor: $0 Friend's mom owns a venue and they are allowing me to pick some stuff out for my wedding

Dress: $650 not including alterations

Accessories: Haven't even thought that through

Hair: FMIL is a hair dresser and has offered to do my hair

Makeup: Have no idea what I am doing yet

Lodging: $775 (we haven't really been including this in our budget)

Stationary: $100ish? haven't purchased invites or stamps yet but our STDs were only $17

Favors: $50?

I haven't looked at much else but our budget is only $5,000 and I am pretty sure we are going to be around $10,000 not including rehearsal dinner, rings or honeymoon.

Ugh...the budget! We originally planned for 25k but at the end for everything I think we were around 40k (including honeymoon) I didn't add all of the little things up at the end.

180 guests outside of Milwaukee

Ceremony including musicians, license, pre-cana, decorations, officiant: $1300

Venue with open bar, cocktail hour apps, plated dinner, late night pizza, table and linen: $15,000

Chavari Chair Rental: $1600 (Such a waste of money but I'm so glad I did it! I really loved how they looked)

Photography/Video: $7,000

DJ, Photobooth, Lighting: $2500

Dress, Alterations, Veil, Shoes: $1300

Groom's Attire: $100 (he wanted a white coat to change into)

Party Bus: $800

Rehearsal Dinner: $900

Bridal Party Gifts and Groom's Gifts: $1800

Paper Goods: $900

Flowers: $900

Misc. Decor: $800

Hair, Make Up, Nails: $300

Rings; $310

Honeymoon: $4000

Random things like tips, alcohol for the party bus, day of food and random things I felt like I needed: $1000

Spent so much money but don't regret it at all. If you really want to have something, go for it! I'm so glad I splurged on little details.

Oh gosh I haven't added all of this up in a long while...We haven't gotten down to the final details of flowers, decorations, cake, officiant, invitations, stamps etc. But here is what we have so far for around 260-275 guests.

Venue Rental- $5,500 (ceremony and reception)

Food including appetizers for cocktail hour- $15,000

Open bar for 5 hours- $9,000

Photographer- $4,500

Videographer- $3,500

Dress- $3,000

DJ- $1,500

Hair and Makeup for bride- $450

Hair and Makeup for Bridal party of 6- $900

No clue about bridal party dresses or the tuxes or any of that stuff yet. I feel like we have so much done, but there is still so much more to do!

Baton Rouge, LA 100 guests $8,900

Ceremony: Our church

$600

Harpist:

$275

All inclusive Reception (Food, alcohol, venue, cakes, DJ):

$4392

Photographer engagement photos and wedding

$1450

Invites-Vista Print, Stamps, response card

$112.80

Flowers:

$400

Attendent gifts: (I only had one BM and one GM)

$200

Dress;

$218

Alterations;

$220

Jewelry

$20

Makeup/hair (this was with trials even though I ended up doing my own makeup)

$225

tux, new shoes, shirt, ties for GM and fathers

$385

Guest Book frame:

$60

Hotel room:

$210

Chesterfield, NJ - 75 guests including us and a few vendor meals - $16,000

Venue: $8,200 (includes ceremony, catering, beer & wine, tables/chairs, cake with Sunday discount)

Chiavari Rental: $375 (waste of money but I love them)

Photographer: $2,000

DJ: $875

Ceremony Violinist: $275

Dress: $960 (no alterations yet)

Website domain and hosting: $35

Shuttle: $500

Hotel room: $130

I heard on the radio recently that the average wedding in NJ is $50k so I'll be really proud of myself if I can pull off $16k.

Washington, DC - 170 Guests

$50,500 - Ceremony and reception (this includes all tables, linens, food, open bar, cocktail hour food, pre-ceremony champagne bar, & vendor meals)

$7,000 - floral

$1,000 - invitations

$2,200 - wedding dress

$3,500 - photographer

$3,000 - hair & makeup (for myself, both moms and all my maids including my trial)

$850 - officiant

$6,500 - live band

$1,000 - Chair rental (opted to not use conference chairs)

$225 - FH tux

May be some misc. things in there but that makes up the bulk of it. I've come to learn that DC is SUPERRRR pricey.

Not married yet...but we're a few days away!!

We have about 70 confirmed guests in Oxnard, CA

Right now we have:

Venue: $500

Venue Insurance: $250

Dress: $125

Dessert: $75

Bouquets: $75 (1 for me and 3 for my BMs)

Catering: $450

Linens: $120

Centerpieces: $40

Table/Chair Rentals: $120

Cutlery/Tableware: $200

PA System Rental: $280

Booze: $450

Invites: $60

Makeup/Hair: Free

Transport: Free

Accessories: Free

Marriage License: I think like $60?

Bridesmaid Dresses: Self-Purchased by BMs

Groom's Gear: Still need to F****** get.

Shoes: See groom's gear lol

No photographer...no DJ (spotify)...low key family type of deal (BIG family, yes, I know)

@Mrs. CK can you share how you feel about your pictures? So much of what I read is about getting a great photographer, however when I looked at my priority list it was low which means budget wise it will be low. We have someone to do it, but they aren't a solidified pro. I'm just wanting to hear from someone who went without one.

Edit: really anyone with this kind of experience would be great to hear from!

@LosForTheWin I do wish we had a professional photographer sometimes, but I'm okay with it. My BIL brought his camera and took high quality pictures. We weren't allowed a professional photographer because we actually got married in a hotel suite and the resort has a contract with another photographer for any photography taken in the the resort. I planned my wedding in less than a month, so I didn't have any time to find another venue.

Seeing the comparisons against what we are spending is priceless - thanks for sharing will post mine when I get home!

Guests: 75

Location: Gatlinburg, TN

Original bidget$ 5000

Actual cost $6600

Venue: $600

Dress: $860 (includes alterations)

Catering1050 (includes cake)

Minister: $400

Photographer: cost of film/tbd

Videographer: $800

Florist: $550

DJ250

DOC: $360

Men's attire: $100

Alcohol: $250

Make up: $70

Hair: $30

Rentals: $275

Decor:??? $500???

Stationary150

Marriage License $100

Bridal party gifts $200

S'mores Bar100

Not yet married and most of these prices were after early booking (18 months ahead) discounts or a lot of negotiating. This is for a wedding with 55 people (including us) at a bed and breakfast in the Hudson Valley, NY. ETA: We initially thought $5k was enough for a wedding so I guess that was our original budget. The day we started calling venues our tune changed, obviously. We're estimating like $25k(ish) at the end of everything.

Hair: $125

Makeup: $150

Cake: $400

Catering/Open bar: $7,200

Administrative fees, taxes, service costs, etc at the venue: $3,300

Venue: $2,500

Videographer: $1,800 for one person

Photographer: $2,500 for a team of two

DJ: $1,500

Dress: $1,100 plus $350 alterations

Cultural dress for reception: $300

Favors of mini jars of Honey: $30

Flowers: TBD but it's looking like $600

Paper goods from Vista print: $100 total for STD's and the invitation suites we have in mind

Our stay at the venue for two nights: $900

Decor (a ton DIY): About $100 total

FH's suit: Around $450

No idea yet on rings, tips, and bridal party gifts.