Whichever way you cut it, weddings are expensive. You can cut corners and save pennies here and there, but some things just cannot be done cheaply. These things have to go into a wedding budget to cover wedding expenses at the earliest opportunity to give yourself plenty of time to save up and avoid any heartbreaking decisions down the line.

Here are seven wedding expenses that don’t come cheap and send husbands and wives to be digging through savings accounts and filing for small personal loans.

Wedding Expenses

Invitations

The wedding invitations and save the dates are the first impression guests have of the wedding. Couples want to make a statement. They want quality paper, handmade components, customized lettering and calligraphy. These all cost money.

Dress

Most couples expect the bride’s dress to be one of the significant wedding expenses. But they forget about alterations and accessories. Sizing alterations and custom modifications cost a pretty penny, then you have all the jewelry, belts, shoes, and a veil to factor in. It is easy to see how the dress can come in wildly over budget.

Hair and Makeup

Hair and makeup don’t just mean getting the bride and bridesmaids ready on the morning of the big day. It isn’t unusual for the bride to have her hair and makeup done several times in the run-up to the wedding to try out different styles and make a decision on how she wants it to look on her wedding day. This means springing for multiple hair and makeup appointments in the preceding months to get everything just right.

Flowers

The lavish and stunning flower displays at weddings don’t happen by accident. They take time, hard work and dedication from a team of florists. This doesn’t come cheap. Nobody is using gas station flowers.

A Live Band

Of course, you could just hook up your Spotify and hope for the best. But most couples will want a live band or a DJ at the wedding. This can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be, but for more quality bands you will have to part with a little extra cash.

Food for the Wedding Party

This is often the most commonly overlooked expense. Nobody thinks of what the wedding party is going to eat on the day of the wedding. Everyone will be rushing around getting ready and food might be the last thing on most people’s minds. But unless you want bridesmaids and groomsmen dropping like flies and fainting during the ceremony, it is best to make sure there is some food on hand throughout the morning and afternoon to keep everyone fuelled.

Rentals

Again, many couples overlook the various rental items that are required. Unless your venue provides a full service, you will likely need to provide silverware and plates for everyone to eat off of. There are plenty of outlets that allow you to rent these, but they don’t do it for free. Then there are any décor rentals that might be required, including vintage furniture, photo booths, linens, sculptures, and anything else you may want to be featured in the wedding décor.  

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Girl on Fire

Photographer at Loudmouth Photography

Brandy is the wife to a carpenter/musician and the mother of 3 amazingly awesome homeschool/unschooled girls. Brandy is a Photographer as well as a Coach for the Weebellion as part of Rolling Rebellion Jr. Roller Derby. Brandy is passionate about many things and suffers from a very painful and degenerative neurological disease called CRPS/RSD.

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