Let’s make a little guess here… you’ve announced you’re getting married, and you’ve told your family and friends the good news. And although they’re happy for you, you can also see a look of fear in their eye, one which mirrors the thoughts buzzing in your head.
‘How am I going to be able to afford this wedding?’
Financial Freak-Out on the Wedding Budget
Okay… so we’re not going to lie. Weddings can be expensive, and deciding on a realistic budget can be a bit of a headache.
According to Easy Weddings 2023 Annual Wedding Industry Report, the average cost of a wedding is now just under $35,000.
Yes, that is a lot of money, but remember, that’s the average, and there’s many weddings which cost much less (there’s also many which cost much more, of course).
So we’ve got some ideas to help you plan your wedding budget, where to ‘cut corners’ and where not to do so.
How to set your wedding budget
Firstly, take a deep breath.
Secondly, set a rough estimate on what you’re prepared to pay for your wedding. Think about the following:
- Are others going to help financially? And if so, is there any expectations from them (such as parents who then wish to invite some of their friends as a result).
- Are you willing to go into debt for your day?
- Do you want to save and have it fully paid in time for your day, and in which case, how long will it take for you to save what you need?
- Be realistic about what kind of wedding you can have for your budget.
- Prioritise what is important to you. Frock? Food? Photography? Florals? Venue? Celebrant?
Now, open up an spreadsheet and let’s get started.
An example wedding budget
We would love to give you an example budget, but it’s truly so hard to provide because there’s so many variables.
If you look at Victoria Park in Brisbane as an example, who are a mid-range venue, and set the price for a wedding on a Saturday for 80 guests, you’d be looking at approx. $13,200 for food and drinks, plus $1,500 for ceremony space.
Add into that other costs, like florals, outfits for the couple and any of their wedding party, hair, make-up, celebrant, music, decorations, transportation, photography and videography, cake, stationary, wedding favours, photo-booth… well, you can see why it’s difficult for us to provide you with a budget. You may well be a couple who don’t want a photo-booth or favours. You may want a venue which is more affordable than the example we’ve used. You may want jugglers, dancers, and a festival of bands. So many variables.
Although we can’t give you an example budget, what we can do is give you some tips to save you a buck or two. Here we go…
DIY it - Do It Yourself Wedding Budget
If you have a family or friend, or even have yourself, an amazing property, then DIY can be a more affordable option. You can read a bit more about DIY weddings here. However, DIY can be stressful, and if the thought of sourcing plates, chairs, napkins etc stresses you out, it might not be for you.
We have, however, seen some incredible DIY weddings, with the couples friends and family coming together as a community to help pull it all off.
Look at non-traditional spaces for a wedding
Venues who specialise in wedding specifically tend to charge because they have things in place to make sure that everything goes smoothly.
However, if you feel like you’re a pretty organised person, and have the right support around you, then have a look at the following:
- Community halls
- Social and sporting clubs
- Air BnB‘s (though it’s worth noting that not all will allow weddings on site)
- Pubs and restaurants
- Parks (though always have a plan b if it rains!)
- Backyards, paddocks, fields or anything else you might have available
- Our wedding venue directory
Prioritise how your wedding will feel, not how it will look
In these days of Instagram, tiktok, Pinterest, and all social media, it’s hard not to get carried away with how your wedding will look.
And, in all honesty, for some people, planning this bit is the fun part. If you’re on a strict budget though, just remember that when you look back on your day, you’ll actually remember more about how it felt, rather than how it looked.
So we suggest prioritising those vendors who can create those feels: musician, celebrant and MC in particular. Though we may be a bit biased with the celebrant part of that statement…!
And final words on a realistic wedding budget...
We know of many a couple who wish they hadn’t spent so much on their wedding. We also know of many a couple who wish they had have spent more on certain elements like photography or their celebrant. So, be realistic with your budget, shop around, and remember: this is your day.
Any guests who truly cares about you would not want you to bankrupt yourself for your day.
