What Are The “hidden Costs” Of A Wedding?
Those who have planned weddings, been married, are getting married or know someone who is…what are some of the things that don’t come to mind right away when budgeting for a wedding? What were some of the costs that came up as “last minute” or you forgot about all together when planning? Thanks 
Tips and TAXES.
You see a price from a caterer — maybe it’s $15.00 a person. But that DOESN’T include the MANDATORY gratuity and MANDATORY tax (which is usully higher than normal sales tax, because it’s for entertainment). Then you may have to tip bartenders or servers ON TOP of that.
You have to tip the DJ, perhaps the minister; the driver(s), perhaps a planner…
Watch, also, the nikel and diming that gets done at a venue. You pay a price for teh venue, and maybe for the caterer, but that only comes with “standard” features. You may have to pay more for lighting, you may have to pay more for tablecloths, you may have to pay more napkins that are any color besides white and black; you may have to pay more for extra tables…
And don’t forget the cost of postage. Our invitations required an 80 cent stamp, and we had to use 42 cent stamps for RSVP. That’s over a buck for invitation stamps! Then add another 42 cents for the save-the-dates and at least 35 for thank yous, and you’re at $2.00 PER INVITATION for postage.
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Invitations, too, are WAY more expensive than we budgeted. We would have liked to have something professionally done, but it would have been upwards of $8.00 per invitation (with postage). Even with us doing all of our own printing (at Kinko’s), design, and assembly, we still spent $350.00 (plus $100+ postage) for them.
Thank goodness my fiancee found a dress for $300 instead of $750…
I just found out that since we are bringing in our own alcohol to the venue (they dont have a liquor license) we are also required to pay for a security guard for the night. Also tax added over $1,000 alone to the package price. Plus delivery costs for flowers, linens, chair covers etc. The venue provides the tables and linens, plus a patio for cocktial hour but no tables on the patio, so we will have to rent these plus linens as well from an independent company. My point is even if you go with the “all-inclusive” package like we did, there are still a hundred more little things you will need to add money for. I’m not just talking about wants like colored napkins, but requirements like tables and security that you have no choice but to pay. We are just starting planning, so I am sure there will be a lot more. I would just add a 5-10% item in your budget for unexpected costs, so you dont go crazy everytime you find out about another one
All of the above. I’m throwing a very, very low-key wedding and am still getting slammed with little things like alterations, beauty prep, transportation, postage costs for invitations, silverware (!), and all those stupid fees that people tack on once you mention the word ‘bridal’ (by the way, if you’re not wearing a veil, just get a regular updo- if you get the exact same hairdo but book it as a ‘bridal updo’ they tack on $50. Insanity.
Since we’re getting married in my future in-laws backyard, here are our “not in budget” items we’ve had to pay for:
-Yard work, including buying flowers to plant
-Outdoor lighting
-Makeup (I bought $250 worth of Mary Kay this weekend so I could have my brother’s girlfriend do it the day of, and I could keep it)
-Bra, Spanx, self-tanner
-Dress alterations
-Favors [read: distractions] for the children
-Lunch day of the wedding, as we’re having a lot of of family come early for photos
That’s all I can think of for now, but since we’re still a month out, I’m sure the hidden costs will pop up closer to the day.
I actually work for an event planner. I think the number one problem isn’t actually hidden costs. It’s when people are not realistic about their budget. You have to be honest with everyone you are dealing with and upfront about how much you want to spend, and realize you aren’t going to get champagne on a beer budget.
If you go to the knot.com and sign up, it will give you a wedding checklist. This checklist will include everything and anything you could possibly forget while planning a wedding. It really helped me when I planned mine. There are also tools on that website to help you keep track of your guest list, costs/budgets, vendor payments, etc. It was very helpful.
If you plan well, there aren’t any.
The biggest thing is to not give in to impulse purchases – those little things really add up. Like if you are shopping for a particular item you NEED, but see other things and want them because ‘oh, these would be so cute, or nice, or whatever…’. There’s a big need for LISTS, which are your best friend!
some minor details that slip most peoples mind include some of the following:
-flowers
-napkins
-thank you cards
-booking the band
-making SURE that your caterer is there on TIME(at my wedding my caterer was an hour late..it was a disaster. he thought i said 6 instead of 7)
etc.
have a nice wedding! and dont forget those little details!!
hope i helped =]
-Services fees, tips, cleaning fees and taxes
- Out of town guest bags, maps and entretainment
-Transportation to and from the venue for guests
-Extended family little gifts and flowers
-Vendor meals
-Decorating mantles, hallways etc.
-Undergarments, make-up, nails, coloring
I could go on an on
Getting your dress pressed and then cleaned after the wedding. I thought I had thought of everything. Apparently not those two things. $75 to get my dress pressed before the wedding and $150 to get it cleaned afterwards.
I did really well organizing and bucketing my budget. THEN I realized I forgot to budget one thing – - the cost of the rehearsal dinner!
We’re paying for the whole wedding ourselves so we really need to keep up with ALL the costs.
Napkins, plate, soda for the reception, all of the tips, gas for all the running around, gifts and asprin for all thge headaches.
Gifts for your attendants was #1 for us. Also, tips for limousine driver, alterations, shoe dying, thank you cards, STAMPS.
Tipping everyone involved in the wedding. The limo driver, the dj, the servers, etc.
I think things just add up quickly and you don’t realize how much everything will be. Like linens, hotel rooms, bridal attendant gifts, etc.
don’t forget to tip your vendors (caterer, dj, etc.), must buy a gift for your bridal party, should get a gift for parents as well
TIPS and TAXES haha.
Details for the wedding if you want them (coasters, cocktail napkins, parasols)
I am planning a wedding and thus far I haven’t come across any hidden charges or cost for the wedding.
The silly cake cutting fee! Some places will charge you around $1 per SLICE, just to cut and serve your cake!