How much did your wedding cost?

Question

And what did you do for your wedding? How long did it take you to plan it?

Answer 1

I was married back in 2001 in the Milwaukee area. I believe the bill by the end of the Wedding was about $15K. We had about 250 guests.

Our wedding was pretty traditional. We had a full Catholic service. After that, we had pictures at the park, and then we went to the reception. We didn't do a ton of decorating besides the center pieces and favors.

Chuch: this ran about $600 by the time we paid for the church, the organist, the cantor, and a gift to the Priest and the Deacon

Videograhper: This ran about $1k. This could be easily cut out, but if you can afford it, it is well worth it.

Photographer: I think this was about $3K. We spent $2300 on the photo package including 3 parent albums. We spend another $700 or so in photos as gifts for the people in the wedding party and extra pictures for ourselves

Reception (food): We had a buffet type meal with 3 meats at a corner bar in a Milwaukee suburb (the place looked like a dive from the outside, but it was cute inside and the food was excellent). The food, soda, and setup for everyone was in the neighborhood of $4500

Reception (beer): We went through 6 half barrels. I think the beer was $150 per half. I think we dropped about $800 to $900 in beer.

Limos: We got a deal on the limos through my brother-in-law. His friend rented us two limos at $100/hr for both. The limos ran us $600 (5 hours plus $50 each driver for a tip)

Rings: I think mine was about $500. My wife's wrap was about another $1500 for a diamond studded wrap

The DJ: I didn't like our DJ. I think he ran us about $500. The owner sent the workers we didn't agree on using. We didn't tip them for this reason as we paid a premium to have specific people.

Cake: The cake ran about $550 if my memory serves me right

Attendant gifts: I think we allotted $30 (a little more for best man/matron) per attendant for gifts. We had 7 couples standing, so that added about $250

My father paid for the rehersal dinner. My wife bought her dress without me, so I am not sure how much that was. There are other expenses I don't recall how much they were such as invites and associated crap that goes in the invite, printed napkins, books of matches, favors for the guests, programs for the ceremony (which we made ourselves), table decorations, etc...

Our wedding was quite nice. We didn't go high end on everything, but we weren't being cheap either. We checked out receptions at hotels and that would have added another $5K on the price.

Don't lose track of your expenses (I'm assuming you are asking because you are getting married yourself). When you get married, everyone has their hand out. Keep the wedding within your means. I travelled a ton and I had a good paying job, so I was able to save enough money to pay cash for the wedding ( I did take a loan for the honeymoon though..I ran out of cash and I had to book before the wedding).

Above all, ask people who got married to see what they did. That is how we found the cheap corner bar that was well worth it. Also, shop around and compare. Check at least 3 different people for everything you are having made or for every service you are hiring.

and the biggest thing I learned....IF IT IS NOT ON THE CONTRACT, IT ISN'T GOING TO HAPPEN. Verbal promises might as well not exist. Make sure any special requests or provisions you want are plainly spelt out in the contract. If it isn't, don't sign it.

Good luck!

Answer 2

My wedding cost us 150 pounds sterling (wedding license and a new suit) and my parents a further 600 pounds (cake, lunch) or so and we "planned" it in 10 days. We decided that the *marriage* was more important than the wedding and anyhoo, we had better things to spend our money on, like the downpayment on a house...

Essentially, we married in front of our close family and friends (12 people) in the registry office (equivalent to the court house) then had a sit down lunch in the private room of a good restaurant for those people. My dad then took some photos. Then we ditched all the old folks (parents) and had a huge party for our friends at our house in the evening. We told people not to bother with gifts.

It was marvellous, no fuss, completely stress-free and I have never regretted it even a teeny bit not even for a second. [We have been married for 8 years or so (together for almost 9 before that)]

Answer 3

Mine will be in April and I will be spending about $4,000.

I have been doing alot of searching trying to find great deals and it has really paid off.

I will be paying very little for my venue site.... It is a banquet hall at one of our city parks and it was built less then 3 years ago... very nice. They supply the round tables and banquet chairs. They even have a kitchen that you can use if needed. The capacity is 225 people which is perfect for me. It is only 250.00 for the first three hours and 50.00 each additional hour. There are no restrictions for catering so I can bring my own in or we can do it ourselves. It is extremely beautiful, clean, and CHEAP!!!

My Aunt has offered to pay for our cake :) So no cost here.

Catering.... I have a friend and I will be using her company for catering of about 150 guest for less then 1,000.00

My future father in law is a pastor and will be performing our ceremony. Free :)

I will be renting chair and table covers... $300.00

My dress is $700.00

Flowers $350.00

I will be having a large wedding party and will likely help out with some of their dresses...etc... budeting 200.00 for that.

DJ... family so its free. If I did not have this option I would just make a cd and put someone trusted in charge. I would also just buy a nice surrond sound system and either keep it afterwards or sell it.

Photographer.... $600.00 ... with rights to all pictures

We will be driving off in my soon to be hubbys baby... his big blue truck :) should be interesting climbing up into his truck with the dress on.

Basically that is $3,500 but that is not including alterations and any other additional items I purchase to decorate with.

Answer 4

I am starting out 2 years ahead for plans and our budget is $15,000 maximum. But my goal is to keep it close to or under $10,000. We're not going with a planner at this time, although we could change our minds.
We are having a good sized wedding, probably 150-200 people. Haven't decided on a venue, but are looking at nice reception halls or even renting a mansion or historic building and hiring a caterer.

Answer 5

Mine cost £2000, which is something like $4000 roughly. We had a small, intimate ceremony at a beautiful registry office, followed by a garden party at a private home, we had a big south African style BBQ and kept the reception very informal, we had so much fun and all of our guests enjoyed themselves, small is good in my eyes! Sorry almost forgot to add that we planned it for 6 months, not long really.

Answer 6

We had a very small destination wedding (14 people including us) and it was approximately $7,000 for the ceremony/dinner and our (bride and groom) travel to the location.
Then we had a reception in the town we live, which was approximately $13,000.
We had about 175 people attend (sent 150 invitations).
We served heavy appetizers and dessert. (It was a cocktail party).
We started plannng the wedding and reception right after we got engaged (approximately 14 months total).
I hope this helps!

Answer 7

My wedding cost around 100,000 philippine pesos. Planning takes about 6 months

Answer 8

right now I am planning and I am at about 4000 for 40 guest

I am all about one stop shopping

renting a southern plantation 550
room for one night 230
preacher 100
rings are about another 1000
my dress Lucky me 140-
last season Paula vasalona dress.
veil 50 On sale from 150
food was going to be about 2000
but their menu is awful so we are making it simple foods and that droped the price but it does include refresments but not beer/liq
D.j. 300
flowers were on sale 40.00 only the bridal party
centerpieces maybe 30
I know someone who does staging so i got really cool stuff.
FH mom is making the cake ........free
I have 6 months to go yet.

Answer 9

We got married in Cuba. we had 3 cars rented out with chauffeurs, we also rented a palace and and a restaurant. We hired a photographer and had two custom wedding cakes 150 people attended we had alcohol and food for everybody. All this and my stay cos ted about two thousand dollars. We were planing for a while but actual reservations were made when I landed in Cuba.

Answer 10

i am at the end of planning my wedding at the moment.. it will costing around $175,000 to $200,000.. i am having about 400 guests.. the ceremony will be at my church.. the reception will be at the addison park.. the website is theaddisonpark.com .... the centerpieces will be huge branchy trees that will have flowers placed randomly on them to look like they are blooming from the branches.. my wedding gown was sooooo inexpensive... it was only $750... i happened to fall in love with the cheapest one! i gave myself almost 2 years to plan it because i wanted to take my time and enjoy myself while doing it without getting stressed out about anything.. so that i could just look forward to it! if you have any questions at all let me know!