How Much Does a Wedding Cost?
Lots of websites will tell you the average cost of a wedding is $33,000. But an average price doesn’t help you that much. If you live in New York or San Francisco, the actual price of a wedding is probably even higher. If you live in a smaller town, the average wedding could be a lot less. Instead of an average price, you can do a bit of math and figure out how much your wedding will cost. If you take the time, your real number will be a lot more useful than an average price.
Remember, too: the price of a wedding is flexible. If you want to spend $33,000 you sure can. If you’d rather spend 10,000 or 7,000 or even 2,000 - that’s doable, too! If you want to plan your wedding on a smaller budget, you can find lower priced venues, catering and vendors.
Wedding Cost Breakdown
Use the prices below to start thinking about how much your wedding will cost. These are general, typical numbers for low to medium priced wedding venues and vendors.
If you live in a bigger city, like New York, San Francisco or Vancouver, your prices will probably be higher. You’ll need to do some research to find lower cost venues and vendors.
If you live in a smaller city or town, you might be able to find lower prices.
Use this breakdown as a starting point for your own budget:
Wedding Ceremony: $800
Technically, this is the only real “must-have” for your wedding. In order to be married, you need to get a marriage license. Then you need to have a recognized officiant perform your wedding ceremony. (Prices for a license are different in every city and state - google yours to get your actual cost.)
Marriage license $50
Officiant $150
Wedding rings $300
Venue fees $300
Reception Venue: $0 to $2,500 and up
Some venues will charge a rental fee and you’re allowed to hire any caterer or vendor. You’ll be free to choose low cost or DIY food and beverages.
Other venues will not charge a rental fee, but you’ll have to use the in house caterer. With this type of agreement you usually have to guarantee a minimum number of guests and spend a certain amount of money. The range for this agreement is typically $80 to $100 per person and you’ll need to guarantee 100 guests. (The numbers vary depending on the venue - check some of your local venues for exact prices.)
Bride with bridesmaids wearing champagne colored dresses and pashminas.
Caterer: $1,500 and up
A low price for a catered meal would be $10 to $15 per person. At that price you could get a breakfast, brunch or lunch. Or a casual type barbecue or buffet dinner.
Medium prices are usually $20 to $75 per person for a traditional wedding dinner. Banquet halls or upscale caterers often charge $80 per person and higher.
As well as the meal, you’ll need to serve drinks. If you’re on a super tight budget, you can serve punch or soft drinks. If you have more to spend, you can add a champagne toast. Or you can offer beer and wine, as well as non-alcoholic drinks.
The most expensive option is a full bar. If you’re using a caterer, they’ll offer a bar package on top of your meal package. Their prices can start at $18 per person or they can run high - some will be $30 or more per person, depending on your location and the venue.
You can save some money by planning to DIY your wedding alcohol. If your venue allows it, you can bring your own alcohol. Or serve only beer, wine and a signature drink.
DIY Food & Drinks: $1,000 and up
DIY is a lot less expensive than a caterer. But remember, it’s not free - you still need to buy ingredients and equipment. You can DIY by making a simple meal, like sandwiches and wraps. Or you can semi-DIY by ordering from a grocery store or deli. Then serve the food yourselves. There’s lots of other options, too. You can choose to serve barbecue, potluck or restaurant food.
Photographer: $1,200 and up
Depending on where you live, low priced photographers can be $1,200 to $1,600. If you’ve got a bigger budget, you can choose a better photographer or a bigger package. The prices for photography will go as high as your budget can stand! If you’re on a smaller budget, you can usually find a photographer for $2,000 or less.
Other Wedding Purchases:
Wedding dress & accessories $2,500
Hair and makeup $250
Menswear $500
Bouquet & boutonnière $350
Invitations $75
Thank you cards $25
Wedding cake $225
Optional Wedding Purchases:
Bridal party bouquets & boutonnieres $300
Wedding party gifts $200
Decorations $1,500
Centrepieces $350
Favors $175
Programs $45
Menus $30
Optional Wedding Vendors:
Wedding planner $1,200
Day of Co-ordinator $500
Limousine rental $450
Florist $1,500
DJ $750
Sample Wedding Budgets
If you’re wondering how it all fits together, here’s a few sample budgets. Each one is for 75 people and includes the wedding ceremony.
$2,000 Wedding Budget
Rustic wedding cake decorated with tea roses.
Two thousand dollars is a tight budget, but it’s doable. The easiest way to stay on budget is by planning a cake and punch reception at your church hall or community center.
If you want to have a meal at your reception, you can plan a DIY menu instead. Choose inexpensive food that’s easy to prepare yourselves. You could serve sandwiches or wraps with fruit and veggies. A potluck dinner is another great choice if you’ve got a small budget.
Wedding Ceremony:
License & Officiant $200
Wedding Rings $300
Subtotal = $500
Venue:
Church fees or room rental $500
Subtotal = $500
Food & Drinks:
Sparkling wine for toasting ($10 x 13 bottles) $130
Non alcoholic punch $25
Wedding Cake $175
Disposable dishes & cups $45
Subtotal = $375
Everything Else:
Decorations $50
Invitations $25
Wedding Clothes $500
Bouquet & Boutonnière $50
Subtotal = $625
Grand Total = $2,000
$7,000 Wedding Budget
With seven thousand dollars you can plan a traditional wedding dinner at a local community center or room rental. If you can find a low cost caterer, you can probably fit dinner into your budget. To get the right price, think about having buffet or lower cost food. If you can’t find a caterer in your price range for dinner, consider planning a wedding brunch or lunch instead.
Wedding Ceremony:
License & Officiant $200
Wedding Rings $300
Subtotal = $500
Venue:
Room rental fee $700
Subtotal = $700
Food & Drinks:
Catering ($28 x 75 people) $2,100
Bar package ($18 x 75 people) $1,350
Wedding Cake $125
Subtotal = $3,575
Wedding Vendors:
Photographer $1,200
Subtotal = $1,200
Everything Else:
Centerpieces $75
Invitations $25
Wedding Clothes $900
Bouquet & Boutonnière $75
Subtotal = $1075
Grand Total = $7,050
Rustic table set in a courtyard with fairy lights and a welcome sign.
$10,000 Wedding Budget
With ten thousand dollars, you could plan a catered dinner at a church hall, community center or civic center. If you can’t find a catered dinner for this price, think about serving drinks & hors d’oeuvres. You could plan a cocktail wedding reception instead of a full meal.
Wedding Ceremony:
License & Officiant $200
Wedding Rings $300
Subtotal = $500
Venue:
Room rental fee $1,200
Subtotal = $1,200
Food & Drinks:
Catering ($50 x 75 people) $3,750
Bar package ($18 x 75 people) $1,350
Wedding Cake $150
Subtotal = $5,250
Wedding Vendors:
Photographer $1,200
Subtotal = $1,200
Everything Else:
Centerpieces $150
Favors $50
Invitations $75
Wedding Clothes $1,500
Bouquet & Boutonnière $275
Subtotal = $2,050
Grand Total = $10,200
How Much Should You Budget For a Wedding?
Now that you’ve seen how to set up a wedding budget, think about how much you actually want to spend. Your wedding is important, but you might have other plans, as well.
Are you thinking about buying a house? Do you want to start a family soon? Think about how important your wedding is compared to these other priorities.
If you want to start on those plans right away, you might want to spend less on your wedding. If you have a few years, you might want to spend more on your wedding. It’s really up to you and your partner. Choose your priorities and set your wedding budget to suit your needs.
Remember, averages don’t matter. You and your partner aren’t average! And your wedding won’t be either. No matter how much, or how little you spend, you can plan a romantic, fun, sweet and happy day. Your wedding is about the two of you, so plan one that you - and your budget - will feel good about!
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