I am a newlywed...it is almost 6 months to the day since I said "I do" to my handsome. I have a background in the wedding industry as well as a sister who married three years earlier, so there were not many financial surprises for us when we were wedding planning. However, not every bride has the inside scoop to how much a wedding is REALLY going to cost.
This post is dedicated to helping brides plan financially for their big day. Everyone knows to plan for the obvious: the dress, the photographer, the floral, the food, the music etc. but there are so many less obvious items you have to have (or really want) but do not necessarily think of when budgeting. Most don't appear pricey alone but everything adds up so it is better to be prepared for the unexpected.
Here are 20 things I think you should know when budgeting for your big day!
1) Beauty Treatments:
Leading up to the big day you may want to have a couple things done. Before you panic...I am not talking about surgery. Some things to keep in mind are waxing, spray tanning, hair and make-up trials, getting your roots done, your split ends trimmed, mani and pedi and even a nice massage the day before. Sound reasonable? This can end up adding on over $600 to your budget and if you treat your bridesmaids to any pampering, this could double depending on how many and what you do for them.
Side Note: I Love Essie's Colors...they have great nudes, neutrals and blushes for brides.
2) Marriage License:
This is something you do not want to forget and that you need before the ceremony. This will cost you anywhere from $20 to $100 depending on where you are getting married. Also, after the wedding, you will need copies to legally change your name and this is usually an additional fee.
3) Paper Products:
The invitations are not all you need to think about. You still need the programs for the ceremony, the escort cards for the reception, the menus for dinner and don't forget stationery for all those thank you cards. Even if you keep this category pretty basic you will still be adding at least an extra $400 depending on the size of your wedding and how detailed you want things to look.
4) Postage:
Don't blow your entire invitation budget on the actual invitation. Be sure to set aside enough money to send the invitation to your guest and for your guest to reply. Keep in mind, the heavier the invitation the higher the postage. If you are having a smaller wedding (less than 150) you can expect to pay at least $300 in postage...don't forget, thank you notes need stamps too. One of the 2014 wedding trend perks is that smaller invitations are in!
Fun Fact: This was our wedding invitation. I love feathers and had them throughout our wedding decor and style. We bought these at Paper Source on Santana Row. See our wedding here.
