Unexpected wedding expenses are literally everywhere. In this episode of the Wedding Planning Podcast, we shine a light on 15 annoying + unexpected expenses that couples don’t plan for, so that you can adjust your budget early on and not be taken by surprise in the coming months.
Missed it? LISTEN NOW!
UNEXPECTED WEDDING EXPENSE #1: Service Fees & Gratuities
- Many venues and vendors charge service fees (often 15-25%) on top of quoted prices. This means that a quote for $200 pp at an all inclusive venue may actually add up to $250. Now, that’s a BIG difference.
- Tips for caterers, bartenders, DJs, hair/makeup artists, and other vendors. So do yourselves a favor, and plan for gratuities.
- When an all-inclusive venue quotes you: A flat rental fee of $2000, in addition to $150 / per person and you have 100 guests – that does NOT MEAN that your total line item expense is $2000 + $15,000 ($150 x 100 people).
- It’s critical to be aware of this during your venue shopping process! Let’s say your total budget is $15,000. Next, you receive a quote of $150 per person. You think, “we’re inviting 100, they won’t all come, so that will cushion the $2000 rental fee. We’re good!”
- Not so fast. If 80 people come, that’s $12,000 + $2000 flat rental fee. A mandatory 25% gratuity service fee brings you to $17,500 … nearly 20% over budget.
- And let’s go down one more rabbit hole: If 90 of your guests decide to come, then you’re at $19,000.
- Depending on your wedding budget, this might not be a huge deal, especially if you can save in other areas to compensate.
- But a series of miscalculations like this over months of planning can result in a big financial hit at the end.
2. Marriage License & Officiant Fees
- Costs vary by location, and some officiants charge extra for travel or customization.
- You might also be surprised by a separate ceremony venue expense.
3. Postage
Formal invitations with inserts will 99% likely require extra postage, especially if they’re heavy or oddly shaped. Also to factor in? Save the Date cards, RSVP cards, and thank you cards.
Going electronic, even for select components may be a good option for you. It doesn’t need to be all or nothing. For example, you could send paper invites, and ask guests to submit RSVPs digitally. Thank You notes are the exception, and should always be physically handwritten and mailed. Those won’t cost more than one forever stamp to send.
4. Alterations & Undergarments
- Your wedding dress and/or suit will likely need some alterations, which can cost hundreds of dollars.
- Special lingerie, shape-wear, shoes, and accessories are often forgotten. I would NOT recommend purchasing this stuff from your dress salon! Rather, shop for them at a department store, discount store, or good old Amazon. Chose a few different options that offer free returns, try everything out, and return what doesn’t work. (A $20 pair of shape-wear shorts on Amazon is $50 at David’s Bridal.)
5. Trials & Pre-Wedding Grooming, Health, Fitness & Beauty Prep
- Hair and makeup trials aren’t always included in bridal packages. Expect to pay separately for each trial, unless it’s specifically outlined otherwise in your package or contract.
- You may also want to do multiple trials with different artists before making a commitment, so expect to pay for those as well.
- BONUS! If you can piggyback a hair trial with your engagement photo shoot, that’s a great way to maximize your investment. You could do the same with a makeup trial (although wedding day makeup can be pretty intense, and may or may not be the looks you’re going for w/ engagement photos.)
- Manicures, facials, teeth whitening, and spray tans are all unexpected expenses that add up quickly. If you’re planning to join a new fitness studio, start a new vitamin regimen, new facial care products, this stuff adds up quickly. I’m always excited to try new facial stuff, new supplements, vitamins, and online pilates, barre, yoga studios. And then, every few months I freak out over how much everything adds up. So trust me, I can relate to this budget category, even in post-wedding life.
6. Guest Comfort & Extras
- Heaters, fans, or tents for outdoor weddings can be major unexpected expenses. Rental and assembly for a large outdoor event tent can run in the thousands of dollars. If you’re in an area that’s prone to rain and you’re 100% all in on an outdoor celebration, then this necessary contingency item to include in your budget.
- Also consider umbrellas, fans, blankets for guests in case of weather changes. (All totally optional items, of course.)
7. Transportation for Guests & Wedding Party
- Shuttle buses + limos = not cheap. You should already be thinking about transportation considerations early on in the venue shopping process. The less people-moving, the better. So if you can find a great venue that offers both ceremony and reception in the same location, that’s a huge bonus.
8. Corkage & Cake Cutting Fees
- Some venues charge extra if you bring your own alcohol and/or cake. Inquire about this during the venue shopping process. Being able to supply your own alcohol is a huge win. But if the venue charges a $20 corkage fee per bottle, that’s going to majorly dip in to those savings – and possibly even wipe them out entirely.
9. Overtime Charges
- Vendors like photographers, DJs, planners, and venue staff will charge overtime if the event runs longer than planned. On the fence about an additional 1-2 hours of time? Compare the price difference between adding the extra time to your contract at the beginning, versus paying an overtime fee / penalty at the end.
10. Day-Of Coordinator or Setup Crew
- Even if you don’t hire a full service wedding planner, a day-of coordinator is crucial to a smooth event. For an extremely broad range, a professional day-of coordinator or DOC will run you anywhere from about $1500 – $3000, dependent on your marketplace.
- This is a really unexpected wedding expense – if you have space in your budget to address it early on and hire someone, do that. It will save you lots of time & effort down the road, especially in the critical month and weeks before your wedding day.
- Do you have to hire a professional? Certainly not. But you DO have to have a plan in place for a designated point person who is NOT YOU, and ideally not someone who is not a VIP guest at your wedding. We’ve addressed this in past episodes, and we’ll actually talk about it again next week. If you’re just a couple months away from your wedding day, and you do NOT have a day-of-coordinator or point-person lined up, please do yourself a favor and prioritize that right now.
- Some venues require couples to handle setup, clean up, and teardown, which may mean hiring extra help or paying existing vendors overtime to facilitate.
11. Extra Meals / Food
- Some vendors, like photographers and DJs, will need to be included in your final headcount for meals at the reception. Check your individual contracts, and budget appropriately. A $60 plate of food times 10 vendors is $600, not including gratuity. This is not a fun surprise if you didn’t plan for it in your original guest count & catering calculations.
12. Honeymoon & Travel Costs
- Passport renewals, travel insurance, airport transfers, baggage fees add up. That’s to say nothing of airfare, hotel, meals, activities.
- Some couples keep their honeymoon budget completely separate from the wedding budget, and that’s fine. This is a major expense that can be delayed if needed. A one year anniversary trip for example.
13. Unexpected Décor Costs
- Extra floral arrangements for side tables, candles, lighting, additional signage, furniture rentals.
- Check the fees within your floral contract, and make sure you have a bottom line amount figured into your overall budget. Repurposing floral arrangements across the ceremony and reception is a popular move, but it comes with a fee.
- Also keep an eye out for fuel surcharges, service fees, gratuities for rental set and clean up crew.
14. Favors & Welcome Bags
- Small gifts for guests or welcome bags for out-of-town attendees can add up at the end. This is another totally optional expense, but something to be proactive about.
- If you want to steer clear of a last-minute surprise, then put $200 – $500 away in this category at the beginning of your budgeting.
15. Pre-nuptual Agreement
I am not an attorney, and this is not legal advice.
Lots of us think a pre-nuptual agreement doesn’t apply to us, for a million different reasons and excuses. I can tell you from a nightmare experience one of my closest friends from childhood has just gone through that she would turn back the clock and have a prenup done in a heartbeat if she could.
She’s on the hook for a disgusting sum of money every month until her young kids are 18, and a $1000 online prenup could have protected her against hundreds of thousands of dollars.
And no, she did not make a lot of money at all. The two of them literally had zero financial assets while married.
Prenups are not just for wealthy people. They can protect average, middle class working people against unfair court judgements and loopholes, and it’s something to seriously consider. There are online options, and of course you can consult a traditional attorney. Expect to invest anywhere from $1000 – $4000 and up.
16. Unexpected Wedding Expenses … Post-Wedding
- Cleaning fees for venues,
- Fees for lost or damaged rental items such as chairs, floral containers, suits or tuxedos
- Dress preservation, expect to spend anywhere between $250 and $1000 and up if you want to save your wedding dress,
- Bouquet preservation, I did a quick search on this and found options ranging between $150 – $600 and up,
- Photos, canvas prints, albums, additional video or photo footage from your photographer / videographer.
- Name change fees – specifically on your passport, which is currently $130 in the US
- Estate planning documents with your new spouse – whether you’re just getting started or updating an existing estate plan, plan for attorney fees in the ballpark of $1000-4000, depending on where you are in that process.
- The dreaded post-wedding credit card debt – make a plan to get that paid off ASAP with a lump sum using wedding gifts, or a monthly payment of the most you can afford
- Moving expenses – new house or apartment together, new furniture, purchasing items not received from your registry
Wedding questions, stories to share, or future show requests? Be in touch here!
