One of the first steps many couples take after getting engaged is making a wedding budget. First-time couples do their best to account for all necessary expenses, but the truth is, there are costs associated with having a wedding that most people just can’t anticipate.
When I got engaged, I did my best to research how to allocate my budget and even where to leave some wiggle room. But at the time, very few helpful articles or websites existed on this topic. And even if I did find helpful resources, they never included hidden wedding costs — which are usually the areas that ultimately push couples over their budgets.
Creating a wedding budget can be stressful enough without having to imagine hidden wedding costs that could possibly exist. So, our team created the list I wish I had when I was engaged. This list of 11 potentially surprising (but absolutely crucial) hidden wedding costs will hopefully help you set the most realistic budget possible — and even anticipate the unexpected.
1. Tips for Vendors
This one might seem obvious, but you would be surprised by how many couples actually forget a physical tip for their vendors on the day of their wedding.
The amount of each tip is absolutely at your discretion; 20% is standard across most industries. But we also recommend considering the personal relationships you develop throughout the wedding planning process. For example, many wedding planners end up becoming like part of a couple’s family, so you may want to consider how that factors into gratuity as your formal partnership comes to an end.
Tip: Make sure to talk with your wedding planner about who will handle actually giving the tips to each vendor. Many wedding planners are happy to gather and distribute the tips on your behalf, but some couples prefer to deliver them personally.
2. Transportation
No, we’re not talking Ubers and metros. Providing convenient and comfortable transportation for your guests, your wedding party, and yourselves as the couple is an important cost to consider when making your budget.
To start, if your ceremony and reception are in two separate locations, you will want to consider how you and your guests will get from one location to the next. If the journey is (quickly) walkable, you can skip this step. Otherwise, consider buses, trolleys, or similar types of transportation.
Transportation should be considered throughout your wedding weekend, as well. Out-of-town guests appreciate transportation from their hotels to the wedding venues. For couples who choose to take wedding party photos before the celebration and in multiple different locations, we recommend booking a bus, limousine, car, or trolley to get your group around. Factor in the size of the group that you’re transporting when choosing the format.
3. Hotel Room Blocks & Bookings
If you’re having a destination wedding, you should absolutely include at least one block of hotel rooms for your guests. We recommend reserving multiple hotel blocks at multiple hotels in similar locations but at different price points to give your guests options.
Most hotels are amenable to this type of request, whether you are getting married at that property (we love a hotel wedding venue for ease and elegance) or just looking to leverage it for hotel rooms.
Tip: To avoid unexpected costs in this scenario, make sure to ask for a “courtesy block”; this option means you are not responsible for the cost of any rooms not booked.
Even if your wedding is local, it is still nice to reserve a block of rooms at a hotel. You may still have some out-of-town guests or local guests who want to enjoy a staycation.
You and your family will also want to consider where you will get ready for the big day, set up a home base for hair and makeup appointments, and stay the night of your wedding — and even your rehearsal dinner the evening before.
4. Service Fees & Taxes
Yes, fees and taxes exist, even in the wedding industry. Think about it this way: If you’re signing a contract, there will more than likely be service fees and taxes associated with that purchase. We recommend looking into your wedding location’s tax rates, as well as your venue and each vendor’s service fees, to estimate the total cost you should account for. This is another area where your wedding planner can be especially helpful.
5. Rentals
Most venues have gorgeous wedding rental options — linen, place settings, lounge furniture, tables, chairs, and so on. But many couples wish to upgrade their wedding ceremony and reception rentals or bring in custom options. In most cases, this comes at an additional cost.
Tip: Make sure to ask what’s included in the quote when narrowing down your venue options!
There are also some venues who don’t include any rentals within their wedding packages. This is when you will want to partner with an expert rental company, a vendor that can supply all the rental items and décor elements you might need for your celebration.
When prioritizing rentals, don’t forget about your cocktail hour. Bistro tables, stools, and other details can really facilitate conversation and mingling for your guests ahead of your wedding reception.
6. Lighting
Think you can do without lighting? Think again. We’ve talked about how lighting can be one of the most overlooked wedding décor elements in the past, but it’s the one item that can really bring your design to life. Need convincing? See our article: 30 Photos That Prove Wedding Lighting Should Top Your To-Do List.
Lighting can be included in some décor packages, but more likely than not, it’s an upgrade or add-on option that you have to ask for. Some décor companies offer various lighting options, from uplighting to string lights and dance floor spotlights, but we also recommend partnering with a lighting event company. These vendors specialize in all different types of lighting that can set the mood and create your ideal ambiance.
7. Personalized Details
This is an area I wish I had prioritized more at my own wedding. We had custom cocktails, we had an epic dessert table, but we overlooked so many details that would have made our reception that much more special and memorable.
Yes, these personal touches come at an additional cost, but we recommend prioritizing one or two areas that are important to you as a couple. Things like interactive photo booths, late-night snacks passed on the dance floor, and a custom monogram incorporated throughout your wedding design can create such memorable moments for both you and your guests.
8. Postage
No, your invitation designer does not cover the cost to actually mail your invitations. And if you’ll also be mailing save the dates, you’ll want to account for the cost of double the postage.
9. Vendor Needs
Your vendors work hard for you on your wedding day (and usually, for months in advance), so it’s only right that you take care of them, too. To start, make sure that you provide quick and easy meals for your vendors on the day of your wedding. You can arrange this directly with your wedding caterer, or order them something quick and easy for delivery to your venue. Partner with your wedding planner on this task.
Even things like vendor parking need to be factored into your wedding budget. Will your vendors need parking permits while at your wedding venue, or is there enough available parking?
10. Ceremony Details & Accessories
Ceremony costs go beyond the aisle and arch (although make sure to prioritize those in your wedding budget, too!). You can’t get married without a marriage certificate or license, you must hire an officiant, and no ceremony is complete without adorable accessories for ring bearers and flower girls, if they’re part of your wedding party.
The other aspect of your wedding ceremony (and also your reception) to consider is if and how you incorporate cultural details. For many couples, a culturally significant wedding arch, like a chuppah or mandap, is meaningful, while others would like certain rituals that might require accessories. Discuss the cultural details of your wedding ceremony with your partner as far in advance as you can, in order to make space in your budget for these unexpected costs.
11. Post-Wedding Items & Services
Wedding-related costs don’t stop after the last dance. Will you want your wedding photos curated into a beautiful keepsake photo album by your wedding photographer? What type of thank you notes will you use to thank your guests for gifts? Will you get thank you gifts for family members, wedding party, and more wedding participants?
Perhaps all of these are not important to you as a couple, but more likely than not, you will want to account for some post-wedding costs to complete (and oftentimes, preserve) your memories.
People Also Ask…
Where do I start with creating my wedding budget?
Our best advice: hire a wedding planner. In fact, we wrote an article on What a Wedding Planner Can Save You (Hint: It’s More Than Money) because not only will your planner help keep you on budget, but they will also save your time, reduce your stress, and help you sidestep tricky situations.
These experts can help you navigate all of the details of planning your big day, including how to allocate your budget, what to prioritize, and more. They will guide you in every step of the process.