Before reading this blog post, if you haven’t already, please read Setting A Wedding Budget. That post will give you insight to initial steps of setting your budget which will help you to better understand this post. In the post below, we will break down a wedding budget, clearly showing you how to spend your money wisely.

One of the most important things we do for each of our clients is manage their wedding finances. We break down each client’s budget, line item by line item. When we are done configuring a client’s budget, they know the exact dollar amount they are able to spend on their invitations, photography, catering, etc. Knowing these numbers from the beginning of the planning process is key to staying within your budget.

There are two different types of wedding venues that affect the percentage amount you will spend on certain items. One venue type provides food and beverage service at their venue (i.e., resorts, country clubs and hotels). The other venue type does not provide food and beverage service (i.e., privately owned estates and wineries). In this blog post, we will help you to understand the difference between the two when it relates to your budget.

Getting married at a resort has its perks. The biggest perk is that they provide items such as chairs, tables, flatware, glassware, etc., at no extra cost which can save a lot of money on the cost of your rentals. On the contrary, resorts typically charge more for their food and beverage, especially alcohol, as this is where they make a lot of their money. Here is the percentage break down of your budget when getting married at a hotel or resort.

• Resort/Hotel (venue space, catering, beverage and all resort fees): 40 – 50% of your entire budget
• Wedding Planner: 5 – 10% of your entire budget
• Printed items (save the dates, invitations, menus, programs, etc.): 3% of your entire budget
• Attire (brides dress, shoes, grooms tux, etc.): 5 – 10% of your entire budget
• Entertainment (Band, DJ, ceremony music): 10% of your entire budget
• Flowers: 10 – 12% of your entire budget
• Upgraded Rentals and lighting: 5 – 10% of your entire budget
• Photography and videography: 10% of your entire budget
• Miscellaneous: 4% of your entire budget

Getting married at a privately owned venue has it perks as well. You can bring in any caterer, which can save a lot of money on food. You can also buy all your own alcohol from Bevmo, which saves tremendously on alcohol prices! From a design perspective, you have an open slate to work with and you can create anything! On the contrary, the venue rental fee for a privately owned venue includes nothing but the space. You have to spend a lot more of your budget on rentals as these venues typically do not provide tables, chairs, flatware, glassware and sometimes believe it or not, they don’t even have kitchens! We’ve built many kitchens in the years of planning events. Here is the percentage break down when getting married at a privately owned venue:

• Venue Rental Fee (for the space only): 5 – 10% of your entire budget
• Catering and Beverage: 20% to 25% of your entire budget
• Wedding Planner: 5 – 10% of your entire budget
• Printed items (save the dates, invitations, menus, programs, etc.): 3% of your entire budget
• Attire (brides dress, shoes, grooms tux, etc.): 5 – 10% of your entire budget
• Entertainment (Band, DJ, ceremony music): 10% of your entire budget
• Flowers: 10 – 12% of your entire budget
• Rentals and lighting: 20 – 25% of your entire budget
• Photography and videography: 10% of your entire budget
• Miscellaneous: 2% of your entire budget

Many people think getting married at a privately owned venue can save them money however, that’s not necessarily the case. We are more than happy to help you further understand the difference in pricing for these venues. Please visit our contact page and inquire to chat with us further! We are excited to hear from you!