Planners Note: After starting this article and realizing it has WAAAYYY too much information for one post, I’m dividing it up into 3 parts. This first part help you figure out how to budget for your wedding, a percentage breakdown and specifics on venue, catering, planner, photographer and videographer. Stay tuned for part 2 and 3!

You’re engaged! Congrats! You’ve told everyone that you’re finally starting to plan the most magical day of your life with your person and the excitement and joy you have is unbridled! Then, someone asks you about your wedding budget. Like an 18 wheeler slamming on it’s brakes, the magical journey you’ve been caught up in suddenly comes to a screeching halt. Budget? What Budget? How do I do that? Who’s paying for all this? How do I even begin to understand where to start?

If you’re lost and looking for guidance, you’ve come to the right place. As a destination wedding planner of over a decade I’ve planned dozens of events all over the world for all types of clients, guest counts and you guessed it, budgets. Over the years I’ve seen a multitude of “budget recommendations” on various “wedding resource” websites that will tell you that you will spend an average of $30,000 on your wedding and then recommend a vendor who costs 80% of that.

Um…excuse moi? There’s a reason most wedding vendors you speak to will give you the ugly truth about these sites. Because the ol’ bait and switch method still gets them visitors which pays for their ads which in turn pays for them to stay out there pushing information so outdated and incorrect it makes tabloids seem like reliable news sources.

But I’m here to give you experience-based information on how to budget for your wedding based on a simple and trustworthy percentage-based system I’ve used for years. Of course, your totals may vary, just like your wedding dress will be different than another persons reading this, your color palette may change, your geographical region might compromise things and of course the number one thing, what’s important to you and someone else will vary. You may spend 10x the amount on one item and zero on another because it’s not important to you. That’s the beauty of this spreadsheet and why it works so well, customization is key!

So, let’s get started, shall we?

As stated before in previous blog posts, the very simple equation to figure out what you might spend regionally compared to other is with a per person spend. Your best friends blowout with 500 people will most likely have a very different budget than your intimate gathering of 50 guests so it’s important to put numbers into perspective so you’re not comparing apples to airplanes.

If you have access to a wedding planner who gives you free advice *cough cough like we do here* start by asking what they see as a range of per guest cost is in their are or rather what their clients spend on average per guest.

If you don’t have access to an amazing wedding planner who can make your dreams come true, ask some of your friends who have recently gotten married (within the last 1-2 years) what they spent. The key here is also to make sure you actually liked their wedding because it doesn’t matter if someone spent $100 or $100,000 on something, if you hate it, you don’t want to replicate that, right? Right.

So, first step is use this equation to figure out your overall budget number:

# of guests x Average $ per guest = $$$YOUR EXPECTED BUDGET$$$

If you come up with a number waaaay higher than you expected, it’s time to have a heart to heart with yourself about some things:

1. Do we really need to invite 300 people including our cousins we haven’t seen since we were kids, our bosses bird-sitter and my mother-in-laws second cousin who lives in Fiji? CUT. THAT. LIST. It’s the easiest place to not only cut your budget but also your stress and overwhelm when it comes to making your layout and entertaining small talk with practically strangers during the precious minutes you have to mingle at your wedding.
2. Are you willing to invest a little more on some items and save on others? I’m not trying to tell you how to live your life, but figuring out what is. truly important to you and your partner without anyone else’s input can change the way you see your wedding day taking shape. Want to elope on a boat? Do it! Feeling like a cozy restaurant dinner with vows as a toast is the vibe? We absolutely support you in that! Remember, your wedding doesn’t have to look like what anything you’ve seen before, but it does have to feel right.
3. Is there any way to get creative with the usual suspects? For example, does your extended family have a beautiful piece of bucolic property a couple states away perfect for hosting an open air celebration? Ask if they would be open to using it as your wedding venue and for gods sake make sure you hire professionals to take care of the land and respect it both before, during or after the event. Oh, also, invite those family members to the wedding, definitely.

Great, now that we’ve established your number (even if it’s scary) let’s go through an average spend and you can add or remove as needed. As you can see below on our trusty budget spreadsheet, there are many variables that can change things for you and your wedding budget. The nuance is layered like a buttered croissant but we’ll cover as much as we can.

This budget is based off of our clients average spend, yours might be quadruple this or 1/4 but the principles still remain the same.

Let’s start with the top 3 line items, Venue, caterer, planner.

VENUE

Most people overspend on their venue or end up what we call “venue poor”. It’s kind of like “house poor” when you overspend on buying a house and then realize you have no money left for furniture or utilities. You shouldn’t spend more than 10% of your overall budget on your venue. This includes the venue or site fee itself and anything the venue comes with (tables & chairs, venue for ceremony, cocktail hour and reception as well as a great rain plan for each.) Sometimes your venue comes with catering on-site which should be separated out into another line item. If you’ve already overspent on your venue, you’ll have to sacrifice in other areas of your wedding. It’s not the end of the world, but be prepared to cut from other things that might be important to you. Want to save money on your venue? Ask if less popular days like Fridays, Sundays and weekdays have smaller venue fees. Find out if there is a high season and low season rate or ask if they have sister properties that might be a better fit within your budget. Chances are they have similar aesthetics and service levels so you’ll feel right at home.

CATERING

Catering is a line item people always get overwhelmed with and that’s because multiple budget items tend to hide in the umbrella of catering! When you receive your catering proposal, you are receiving a proposal for

• typically a 2 or 3 course meal
• a full restaurant worth of waitstaff, bussers, kitchen managers, chefs, banquet captains, hosts etc.
• Set-up and teardown of a complete space for on average 150 guests
• An entire bar with professional bartenders, equipment, ice, soft drinks, beer wine and liquor
• Tables and chairs
• tabletop rentals including table linens, china, glassware, flatware, bread baskets, napkins
• full clean up and trash removal for a party of 150 people in usually under 1 hour

That 24% makes more sense when you realize how much your caterers are providing and doing. If you overspent on your venue and now you’re over budget, here’s how you can save a bit on catering:

1. Switch from full open bar to just beer and wine. Another option would be to just have beer and wine during cocktail hour and dinner and then full open bar during dinner. I don’t recommend reversing this and switching to a cash bar. It feels cheap and catches your guests off guard. Add later instead of removing and your guests will thank you.
2. Ask about alternate protein options. Is Filet too expensive? See about switching to a cheaper protein or even selecting a simple duo that will bring your menu costs down overall
3. Make your party just a little shorter. For every hour your vendors work, it’s more expensive for you. Instead of having 3 hours after dinner of just dancing with an open bar while your waitstaff waits to clean up and go home, try cutting your wedding early and redirecting everyone to an after-party with either a cash-bar or even offering to pay for drinks, one hour with a significantly smaller guest count will end up cheaper than your full open bar for 100% of your guests.

PLANNER

If you’re hiring a full service planner, expect to spend between 12-15% of your overall budget. We are involved in *everything* and guiding you through the nuance of wedding planning is a full time job. Many planners spend over 100 hours with each client before even getting to wedding day, full service can be significantly more than that and we are involved in every single piece from the major decisions to the tiny details that make a wedding so special. If a full service planner is out of your budget here are a few things you can do to save on cost:

1. Ask your planner if they have other services like partial or wedding management that still give you expert guidance but allow you to do the bulk of the work while having access to their knowledge base, vendor recommendations and tools. Our planning software saves our clients $720 on average and is a free tool we offer that’s jam-packed with bonus templates, courses and recommendations that are invaluable!
2. Join a free wedding planning resource group like our very own Wedding Planning 101 to help guide you through the items your wedding manager or partial planner might not cover. We do monthly lives covering many topics and it’s great to ask questions of previous clients and other people getting married just like you!
3. Ask your planner how much value and savings they can get you. Our wedding management service alone gives clients over $10,000 worth of value and savings for half the cost. If your planner has systems in place that help you but it takes less effort and time because they’ve built things in a way that automate, you’ll both benefit!
4. Inquire with your dream planner regardless and be honest with your budget. If they say they are over your budget, ask for recommendations that are similar to their style. We have an extensive network of planners we know all around the world and have taught and mentored many of them! My goal when I connect with a client but we are out of their budget is to offer them a referral. A planner I’ve trained and believe in gets an amazing client, you get an amazing planner within your budget and I got to play matchmaker. Everyone wins!

The next chunk of your budget we will discuss is Photographer, Videographer and rentals

Photographer

A talented photographer is worth their weight in gold. If you’ve ever seen an image and been moved by it, you realize the power that a photograph (and a talented photographer) holds. When it comes to your wedding day, you have one shot to capture memories in a way that you will cherish literally forever. I think of this whenever I see heirloom photos from great grandparents weddings and think how amazing it would be to have even more moments captured from those ancestral moments. Photographer costs vary depending upon a number of things including experience, time in the industry, artistic style, if they have been published or work internationally etc. Sometimes all you want is a photographer whose style and personality you love. If you are looking for ways to afford the dream photographer on your list, here are a few ways to adjust costs to fit your budget:

1. Ask about items you can remove. Some packages come with an engagement shoot, rehearsal dinner coverage, second shooter etc. If you really want to work with the best and can’t afford their top package, start here by removing anything you might not need. While we think you should always invest fully in a photographers services, some options may not be absolutely essential for you.
2. Ask about less hours on wedding day. If you can’t afford a 10 hour package to cover start of day through sendoff, consider a shorter package that gives you less hours but still covers the bulk of the day. Be sure to work with your planner and photographer to make sure you get everything you want covered!
3. See if you can work with a team member. If your dream photographer is at the tippy top of your budget, working with a member of their team or someone they have trained is a great way to get the brand and vision without the cost for the primary photog. Of course, if you want to work with that particular person, there may be a premium you’ll have to invest in!

Videographer

Here is where the controversy really begins. As a professional planner I believe every single person should have a professional videographer at their wedding to capture moments in a way still photos do not. The most popular addition to weddings this year? Content creators. Capturing moments and memories with video is another thing you’ll cherish forever. Picture all of the loved ones you will have together for one day and looking back on them dancing, hearing their voices again or just funny moments you would otherwise not be privvy to. Video is the way. However, many people getting married don’t see the value in a videographer and forego it for other wedding day elements. We have split the cost on this budget line item because we really think you should invest in one and worst case scenario if you can’t afford the one you want, hire someone to capture video! 4.5% is a place-holder if video is not important to you but for those that see the value in video, you should be investing a similar amount to photographer services.

Rentals included in Part 2 and 3 are on their way! Rentals are one of the most overlooked items on a budget and one of the most variable! We will cover this as well as officiant, entertainment accommodations and cake on part 2!

If you’re looking to jump ahead and get the free budget spreadsheet I use to write this article as well as plan all of our weddings, join our mailing list here! You’ll also get our free resource guide with partner programs and referral codes to help you start budgeting right away!

Feeling a little overwhelmed and need some guidance? Contact us today for a complimentary consultation to help you figure out where to go from here!