5 Things Couples Forget In Their Wedding Budget
Creating a budget is such an important part of planning your wedding. You need to know how much you can reasonably spend on your wedding, including how much you can spend on individual items. You need a comprehensive wedding budget that covers all of those big and little things. You don’t want to get to the couple of weeks before your wedding and realize that you forgot to budget for some important items! We’ve compiled five items that couples tend to forget when making their wedding budget.
Credit: Mountain Peak Studios
Wedding party gifts
You’ll definitely want to treat your hardworking wedding party. But if you have a large wedding party, this can add up fast!
Luckily, there are ways to save some money. For starters, skip the robes/PJs and ask them each to wear a specific color scheme for aesthetically pleasing photos without the additional cost. You can simply pay for hair and/or makeup as a gift. You also don't personalize everything. It’s always an additional cost to personalize something since it’s custom. Shopping on Black Friday or major sale days can help you to save as much as possible.
At the end of the day, a handwritten card with a personal photo collage is always a thoughtful gift and costs next to nothing, but it but means so much!
Feeding your wedding party and the rehearsal dinner
The average cost per person to feed a wedding party is $8-10 per person. Our go-to is Panera if you're in a pinch. It’s easy to accommodate allergies and food sensitivities. Plus, they will deliver and set it up for you! Be sure you don't forget about drinks, alcohol, and any mixers for champagne.
When it comes to the rehearsal dinner, you may also need to factor in dates if you're allowing your wedding party to bring their significant other.
Postage
This is a little detail that’s often left out of people’s wedding budget. When choosing save the dates and invites, be aware that postage will vary depending on their thickness and weight. Take into consideration how many guests you'll have and how many you'll need to send. If you have a stationery designer, they can help you figure out what you need. But if not, you can always take your save the date or invite to the post office and ask.
Gratuity
When booking vendors, automatically put aside a percentage for gratuity. This way you aren't hit with it all at once the week of your wedding. Wondering who and how much to tip? We’ve got you covered!
Credit: The Fox & The Hare
Vendor Meals
Although a small part of your larger catering expense, this is something couples tend to forget when creating their wedding budget. But you need to feed your vendors! Vendor meals are typically at a lower rate than a regular guest meal, but you'll want to ask about that as well when meeting with your venue.
Typically, you'll be feeding 2-3 DJs (most DJs have 1-2 people with them on staff that evening), two photographers, two videographers, a Photo Booth attendant, and a wedding planner. That's average on vendor meals for a New Jersey wedding. However, if you have a band with ten members, that will add up quickly! Be aware of those costs when booking vendors and prepare in advance.
Your wedding budget is a crucial part of your wedding planning, so you’ll want to make sure you’ve got everything covered. If you feel like you’re overwhelmed and unsure where to start, don’t worry! We can always help you bring your vision to life. We’d love to hear from you and learn all about your dreams for your New Jersey wedding!
