How much do weddings cost?

Question

Is there a magic number out there? Of course the size will affect the cost, but on average, how much would a small wedding cost? Traditionally, who pays for what? If any of you out there have recently married, is there any advice you might have on where one can cut corners and where they shouldn't? What people notice and what they don't? Thanks!

Answer 1

We budgets $15,000 for my daughter and came in pretty close at about 17,000. We spent the most money on the reception hall. It was also where the wedding was, and included all food, and open bar and a coffee bar. The wedding cake, set up, clean up and service was all part of the cost, $8000. For 200. We also spent $5000 for the photography. It was a dark venue and I wanted to make sure I could see the pictures. She got the dress she wanted on clearance for 750, and we skimped on invitations, favors, and hired a DJ not a band. I got a deal on flowers by paying cash. It was the best wedding I've ever been to. I paid for everything but their rings, their honeymoon, their gifts to bridesmaids, groomsman and parents. The grooms family did hte rehersal dinner. We cut corners on transportation (they walked from where they dressed and took pics to the hall. Summer wedding), favors (we did bookmarks with an Irish saying on it) and the programs (her father designed and drew it in comic book style, we went to kinko's to print). They also paid for things I didn't want to spend the money on, their unity candle, cake top and knife/server.

What I notice at a wedding is this. I do not want to wait for dinner, particularly if there is a long time between the wedding and the meal. I do NOT want to be ignored by the wedding couple. I don't have to have them sitting at the table but there better be a visit. I notice bad music, I literally left the last wedding I was at because they were still playing disco (bad disco at that) by the forth song. I think people notice the food and the cake more than you think. It can be simple but make sure there is plenty, and its good.

Oh and depending on your situation, a cash bar is in such bad taste and reeks of we are too cheap to entertain you. If you cannot afford an open bar, then stick to soda, tea and coffee. However if you do an open bar, close it down early enough to get your guests sober enough to drive. Any good bartender will quit serving anyone too drunk to stand up.

Answer 2

I am getting married in April and my best friend is getting married in August. Our budgets are totally different. She is having a big church wedding and I am having a destination wedding aka elopement due to the fact that my fiance' and I are paying for it ourselves. My dress will be no more than 200 because I want a casual dress, 190 for the ceremony including pictures, Im making my own bouquet, 300 for a weekend of hotel, that is the main cost that I am paying. We want our wedding to be about US not everyone esle. Her on the other hand. Her dress and veil is costing 800 and that is just the beginning. Her cost are high but she has people helping her pay for it. Traditionally of course the brides family pays but both are helping with her wedding. The grooms family is supposed to pay for the rehearsal dinner.

Answer 3

The key to a successful wedding budget is picking a number and staying with it. An average wedding is going to run 25,000, but depending on where you live/where you're going to have it, then the price could go up or down...I would highly suggest getting a wedding planner to help you figure out what you can cut corners on and what you can't...there is no magic solution, it is all about who is paying and what they want to pay for. If you have any specific questions, feel free to email me jachekian1 at yahoo dot com...I am a wedding planner and I can help with more specifics if you get stuck.

Answer 4

my hubby and I had a fairly small wedding, just something nice and simple with a small reception at the church afterwards.

As far as who pays for what, traditionaly it's the brides family.

however now a days, everyone seems to share the costs.

with mine, I borrowed my best friends wedding dress

My mom paid for the flowers, nothing fancy, just enough

My dad made the food (he is a good cook) for the reception. it was all just finger foods, nothing fancy

My other best friend, got her brother to do the pictures for me just for cost of film and developing

My husband's granmother paid for the wedding cake and the church

My husband's mom and stepdad paid for the tux rental

I bought the flower girl dresses and had my maid of honor buy her own dress

I went to the local special stationary store and bought the paper and envelopes and made my own invatations on the computer.

The price of the wedding is not what is important, its that your friends and family are there to share your special day. If people are only there to notice how much you spent on what and how fancy it is, then you don't need those types of people there. Most wont' care that you don't have the most elaborate of receptions, or the biggest decorations of flowers.

good luck and congrats on your upcoming big day.

Answer 5

to cut costs, i bought a simple dress.... even though i didn't end up using it. i bought one from Frederick's of hollywood (they sell great ball type gowns) for $110. If you go to David's Bridal, they have the whole $99 thing, but I couldn't find a dress i liked well enough. No sense in going cheap if you don't absolutely love your dress--it is after all your WEDDING!!

secondly, we invited the people most important to us--my parents and his grandparents. we went to the justice of the peace and got married. not the most glamorous thing, but it was the best thing for us.

brookshire's and walmart actually have nice looking cakes for a whole lot less than bakeries that specialize in that sort of thing. you can always get a plain cake (tiered, of course, or however you want it), and add the decorations yourself--which is what i was planning to do. just add a small bouquet of flowers on top and place a few buds here and there. fruit works well also. if you want decorating ideas, go to the martha stewart website. there is a wedding section.

also, hobby stores sell veils that you put together--they look just as good as one from a bridal store.

limit your bridesmaides. if someone gets offended, remember that it is your day, not theirs. you can have them purchase their own dresses, but i think that's rude. it's your wedding, and they didn't ask to be in it. which is why i was going to have two girls and my neice.

shop around, and decide what you do and don't want at your wedding. if you don't want alot of flowers, then don't get alot. having it at a park makes things alot cheaper. small churches don't charge alot for the church and reception area. you don't have to get smething just because it is specifically for a wedding. the marriage is what is important, not the ceremony. because that is exactly what it is--ceremony.

a friend of mine got married several years ago and had her grandmother do the photography--she was very good. you may try to find someone who will be willing to do it for a small price, especially if they will be at the wedding anyway.

p.s. wedding planners cost too!! magazines and websites are a great free fountain of ideas.

Answer 6

I just got married last July, my wedding was pretty nice for the cost,the hall with food drinks tables and decor cost$2,000, my dress was 950,depending how many guys you have standing up in the wedding,sometime grooms tux is free,-$122, then there's flowers, I had fake ones,I payed for $60. Pretty cheap,they turned out nice. Dj was 375,photo guy was free,another close friend, brother in law got us a limo for $1400. my cake was only $100,close friend made it for me. You should do alot of shopping around ask people if they no people to give you a deal,friends & family members,co-worker,whats the worse they can say no,at lease you tryed. Also depends how big you want to go. All that matters is how you want it,its your day.

Answer 7

There is no specific amount that is normal. You can do it relatively inexpensively or spend a whole bunch. I would start with a figure of $5,000 to $10,000 and then make specific decisions about what you do and don't want. If you are going to feed people, the cost goes up astronomically. Do it in the afternoon and don't plan for supper; this saves money.

Answer 8

I got married in a park and had a reception at a friends home. One person did all the food and i spent about $1000. That included a cake, food for 100, chairs and tables, tuxedo rental, wedding dress and bouquet .

Answer 9

3 billion. na more like 35000 to be cozy, the reception is the rly expencive part.

Answer 10

a big wedding -$50,000
sorry its all i know