Cost for wedding venue

I'm a member of the church where my ceremony, rehearsal and rehearsal dinner will be held. Officiant, sound room and cleanup fees are zero dollars and zero cents. I don't go to church every Sunday but I am a member. So I think that fee is ridiculous. But every church is different.

Im the OP and I appreciate you all weighing in on this one! I was so surprised at the cost at first bc I have worked in churches for years, and was a little blind to the whole fact of the wedding industry, and how everything "bridal" comes with an upcharge. Church or other venues too.

I just thought churches up-charge would be more in line with their actual costs. As a person who made the annual budget at big and small churches, I know $1750 was a lot for an afternoon, all things considered that you all have mentioned, especially when the church was going to be open in the evening for mass afterwards. I don't think I am a jerk who thinks that churches should go broke for the sake of me having a wedding there, absolutely not. Just wanting something more balanced.

We have a budget of $5k total. I know some folks on WW get inflammatory when they read things like that, and want to call me cheap, but let me say that military life requires that for us, so please don't judge us! My honey is working for all of us and thats how we can make this work for us when he's home from deployment. Thanks for your support and encouragement.

So if you ANY more ideas about making weddings affordable, without being inhospitable, we sooooo appreciate it! But don't worry, I'm looking through all the other posts because theres lots of great info here on WW. Thx

We're getting married in a catholic church and they ask for a minimum contribution of $350 for active members ($500 from non-members of the church), $200 for the music director/instrumentalist and $125 for the cantor. $1,750 seems extremely high, but I don't have anything else to compare it to. Our church is in a small suburb of Boston.

Umm flagging the gofundme page. What?!??!

Ours is 400 but counts as a donation to the church

So Lucky.....how is your church surviving? Do you tithe?

Wow, just another reason i'm glad FH and I aren't religious. We are spending $250 on our ceremony space and $800 for our reception hall rental for the day.

I had the same sticker shock when I contacted my local church. My total fee is $2500 but that includes everything: the music, DOC who will also run the rehearsal, priest, and pre cana. I was ready to change the ceremony over to my reception location but it's very important to my parents an FH's parents to be married in the church so we're keeping it there for them. They also offered to pay for it, which was greatly appreciated.

I'm getting married shortly after Easter so luckily the church will still have all of their Easter flowers up, so additional decorations will not be necessary.

Our pastor is not charging us (we will be heavily tipping) and if we got married in his church he would not charge us either, however it is basically a warehouse and we wanted to get married in a historic church by me and will have amazing pictures - they charge almost $3,000 for the use of the church, organist, church bells, and the rights to take pictures on the property. At first we were shocked at the price but then realized that this is how the church makes most of its money to stay open since they don't have large masses and it costs a lot to keep the building running, up to date, as well as maintain the cemetery/surrounding land

ETA: Their price also includes flowers and a day off wedding coordinator and rehearsal

We are getting married at a family friends restaurant $0, $4,000 for food & 7 tables, not including drinks (we will be providing all the alcohol). Tips are not included yet.

It seems reasonable to me. We are getting married at a church in NH close to our venue. If we married at the church I belong to, it would only be $150 not including paying the organist, etc. Since we are marrying at a church we do not belong to it's $700 just for the ceremony, not including any fees for premarital requirements, etc.

Catholic here who just got married in my Catholic church. We had to pay $300 for the organist (who was paid even if you brought someone else in since that is his domain), $200 for the priest stipend (for all his time spent in meetings with us), $400 for the church (includes candles and day of coordinator who you must use), and $225 for the pre cana retreat. Also, in my diocese, you cannot get married in the church unless you are a member of that particular parish or have strong connections to that parish.

ETA: words

Find out what else that includes. That sounds about right for a Catholic church, especially if music and pre-cana classes are included in that total fee.

Are there any other Catholic churches in the area you can go to in order to compare prices? Being a former Catholic, I know priests don't typically marry you outside a venue that isn't the actual church.

Our venue is about 5,000 my mom will officiate for us.

Could be a regular thing. I've had brides who had to pay the officiant/their pastor (who wouldn't ) just as the rule. But if it was their church I don't remember them every having to pay for the facility. If I were having it at my church I would have to either....

Oh, that's a great idea Keke. So instead of being your mom, she can work.

That's way too much for a 30 minute ceremony, IMO!

We experienced something similar. We're getting married at a university chapel which is running us about 500$. Brining in a preist and we found our own organist.

Ouch! The prices I've seen around me range from 800-1000 and I'm in the east coast.