Be on Top of Your Wedding Budget:
Prepare for Unexpected Costs
Article by | Jennifer Atkins & Ashley Blackwell, Perfectly Planned
Lead planners & owners of Perfectly Planned share the exciting and emerging wedding trends to ensure your celebration is stylish, fun, and most importantly – you!
Let’s face it. Weddings are expensive! Preparing for unexpected costs can save you a lot of anxiety over the final bills that come in. We’ve put together a list of things to consider when setting your wedding budget:
TRAVEL FEES
When considering vendors, keep in mind that depending on where they are located and where your venue is, there might be added travel fees. Vendors must account for the time it takes to travel and the expense of gas. Consider looking at vendors who are locally based near the venue to avoid or minimize these extra costs.
HAIR AND MAKEUP TRIAL
When figuring out the cost of getting your hair and makeup done for the wedding day, you will need to factor in the cost of a trial run as well. This cost is not included in the wedding day package. It might also require you to travel to their shop, which could be outside of your area, so factor in the cost of your own travel as well.
MARRIAGE LICENSE
This is not a huge cost, but every penny counts when planning a wedding. Your marriage license will come with a fee for the county to file and process the marriage license.
MEALS FOR THE DAY
This is one area that is often overlooked. You need to eat on your wedding day to avoid feeling ill and sluggish. Plan for a light breakfast and lunch to be brought in for the whole bridal party.
ALTERATIONS
You found the perfect dress, but it’s a little too long or needs adjustment in the bodice. Alterations will be necessary, and they are expensive! Be prepared for the amount the seamstress quotes as it may be hundreds of dollars.
INSURANCE
Most venues have a requirement for couples to purchase event insurance prior to their big day. This is to protect not only the venue, but the couple themselves in cases of unforeseen damage that may occur during their wedding. It’s a small price to pay for peace of mind, but it is an added expense to take into consideration.
DELIVERY FEES
The biggest area for delivery fees will be in your rentals – linens, china, flatware and glassware. Not only will rental companies charge a fee to deliver the items, but be prepared to pay late night pickup fees as well. Anything outside of their normal business hours will be at a premium price.
TAXES AND GRATUITIES
Some wedding vendors are required to charge sales tax on goods and services. And we all know that this can be more than 8% on the total price. In addition, you need to figure in any gratuities that you might pay up front to vendors or any tips you might want to give to your vendors on the wedding day as a token of your appreciation.
VENDOR MEALS
Any vendor that will be present during dinner service will need to be accounted for in the final catering meal count. This number is usually around 10-15 vendors. Feed your vendors and they will be happier and more productive on your wedding day. It’s also a contractual requirement in most cases.