Did you know there were about 2 million weddings in the United States in 2019? Marriage is an excellent way to commit to another person, merge two families, and show someone you love them.
Since marriage is a major life event, people spend a lot of money on weddings. If you are in the early stages of planning your wedding, you may be wondering how much budget to allocate.
Do you want to learn more about the average cost of a wedding? Keep reading to discover the various wedding-related expenses.
Reception Venue One of the biggest wedding expenses to consider is the cost of the ceremony and reception venue. Generally, your wedding venue should account for about 20% of your total budget. Most people spend around $10,000 to $20,000 on the venue.
If you want to save money on your wedding venue, hold it on family property for free. This will allow you to put your money toward other aspects of the wedding.
If you do not have family land, you can host your wedding at a local church, on a beach, or outdoors to save money.
Wedding loans can help you get the venue of your dreams without having a large sum of money. If you want an elegant venue, consider a wedding loan from Plenti.
Food and Drinks Another major wedding expense is the cost of food and drinks. You want your friends and family to have a good time, so offer them delicious fare. The amount you spend on food and drinks will depend on the type of meal you choose.
If you hire a caterer to serve an elaborate meal, you can expect to spend around $50 to $100 per person. On the other hand, a barbecue-style dinner or a simple buffet could cost about $15 to $30 per person.
Most people allocate about 25% of their total budget to food and drinks. The amount will depend on the number of people attending, the caterer chosen, and your dietary preferences.
Photographer Since weddings are special events, many couples choose to capture the moment by hiring a photographer. Once the wedding is over, all you will have left are the memories and the photos.
The cost of a wedding photographer depends on your place of residence, the number of photos desired, and the photographer’s experience. If you have friends or family who are photographers, you may be able to get a discount.
Generally, you can expect to pay between $500 and $20,000 for a wedding photographer. Make sure to compare rates before choosing a photographer, and try to keep the cost at about 10% or less of your total budget.
Wedding Planner Weddings are fun, but planning them can be stressful. To avoid stress, consider hiring a wedding planner.
They can help you stay within your budget, choose the venue, arrange the caterer, and ensure your guests have fun. On your wedding day, you should be able to enjoy it without worrying about logistics.
If you hire a wedding planner, you will need to spend about $1,500. While that may seem expensive, know that hiring a planner can help you avoid overspending elsewhere.
For your wedding budget, about 3% should be allocated to hiring a planner.
Reception Music One of the best aspects of weddings is the party that takes place after the reception. If you want your friends and family to have fun, plan for music at the reception and a dance floor.
The cost of music will depend on your preferences. If you choose a live band, it can be expensive depending on its popularity.
You may also need to spend a lot if you want a DJ, a dance floor, and speaker rentals. When preparing your budget, plan for about 8% for music.
If you are on a tight budget, you can save money by creating your own playlist before the wedding. This method is less expensive but more likely to encounter technical difficulties.
Decorations Decorations are another costly part of a wedding. Like everything else on this list, the amount spent depends on your preferences, your style, the venue, and the decorations you already have.
If you choose fresh flowers for your wedding, decoration expenses will be higher. Work with a local florist to get the best price and choose seasonal flowers. Plan for about 8% of your total budget for flowers and decoration.
Attire When planning your wedding, do not forget to factor in the cost of outfits. Unless you have help from your loved ones, you will need to pay for the wedding dress, bridesmaid dresses, the groom’s suit, and those of the groomsmen.
Many brides also choose to have a pre-wedding party and a bachelorette party, which means budgeting for the cost of outfits for these events.
Fortunately, there are several options for renting your wedding attire, so you do not have to buy them. You can also ask members of your wedding party to contribute to the cost of their attire.
The average cost of a wedding dress is about $1,600, but you can spend as much or as little as you like. Try to allocate about 7% of the total budget to attire.
Hair and Makeup All brides want to look beautiful on their wedding day, which is why many decide to spend on hair and makeup. Hiring a professional can ensure that you and your bridesmaids look stunning.
The cost of hair and makeup is typically $50 to $150 per person, depending on where you live, the number of people to be made up and styled, and the person hired.
Wedding Gifts Did you know it is traditional to give gifts at a wedding? Most of the time, the bride and groom give each other gifts. These gifts are a great way to start your marriage and remember the special day.
The amount spent on gifts is entirely up to you. You can spend $10 or $1,000, as long as the gift has meaning.
In addition to giving each other gifts, it is common to give gifts to members of the wedding party. This does not need to be expensive, but it is a nice way to say thank you and show appreciation.
Common gifts for bridesmaids include bracelets, necklaces, or personalized tumblers. For groomsmen, consider watches, pocket knives, or mugs.
Invitations Before your wedding, you will need to send out invitations to invite your guests. Not only are invitations a great way to know who will be attending, but they are also a keepsake that many family members will hold onto.
The average cost of invitations is about $600, but the amount spent will depend on your wishes. You can create your invitations for less than $50 if you go the DIY route, or spend thousands of dollars on designer invitations.
Wedding Cake One of the best aspects of a wedding is the wedding cake! The average cost of a wedding cake is about $400. Although the average cost is not very high, some spend thousands on their cake.
To save on the cake, pay for a small decorated cake for you and your spouse, then serve the other guests a sheet cake. This will reduce costs, and no one will see the difference.
You can save even more if a family member makes the cake. This also adds a personal touch.
Rehearsal Dinner Many couples host a rehearsal dinner before the wedding. This allows the wedding party to practice the steps of the wedding.
While you do not need to pay for hair and makeup at the rehearsal dinner, you will need to budget for the cost of food. Most people spend about $1,000 on a rehearsal dinner.
Are You Ready to Estimate the Cost of Your Wedding? Marriage is one of the most special events in a person’s life. If you are planning to get married soon, you know that planning a wedding can be stressful. Keep these average costs in mind to estimate your wedding budget.
Did you enjoy reading this article about the average cost of a wedding? If you want to learn more about wedding planning, check out the Lifestyle category for more tips!
