GO?WE ASKED WEDDING PLANNERS AROUND THE COUNTRY

WHERE
DOES THE
BY DANIEL P. SMITH
s
MONEY
GO?
PHOTOGRAPHY: AVERYHOUSE.
WE ASKED WEDDING PLANNERS
AROUND THE COUNTRY TO GIVE US
THE BREAKDOWN ON HOW COUPLES
ARE SPENDING—AND SAVING.
000 BRIDALGUIDE.COM month/month
NORTHEAST
BUDGET BREAKDOWN B
they envision for their wedding day.
• FOOD AND BEVERAGE: 55%
• VENUE: 11%
Looking to capture the city’s picturesque
skyline and customize a blank palette,
Sojourner Auguste, executive director of
New York City-based Erganic Design,
says many local couples turn to New York
City’s abundant “raw” venues, namely loft
spaces, to host their wedding, directing
additional capital to the necessary lighting, decor and other rentals. While raw
spaces—be they urban lofts or vast country barns—possess a compelling energy,
Auguste suggests couples on a tight budget consider a fully furnished space that
already claims the style and character
Auguste finds many caterers are willing to
customize packages at or near a couple’s
budget. Her money-saving tip: “Beware
of too many specialized cocktail hour and
dessert stations, which increase staffing
and rental costs.”
• PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO: 14%
Auguste advises brides to map out a
timeline of the day they can then share
with the photographer and videographer.
“From that timeline, you can then determine the moments you want captured and
discern how long you need the photographer and videographer on site.”
• ENTERTAINMENT: 5%
Rather than booking live musicians for
the ceremony and cocktail hour, Auguste
urges brides to limit live music to the reception and to add an extra hour or two to
the DJ’s contract to cover those segments.
“In many cases, you can negotiate a discounted rate for the DJ’s additional time.”
• RENTALS: 9%
Rental fees can add up quickly. Auguste’s
budget-friendly tip: “Make sure you see
exactly and only what you need from the
caterer, so you don’t have to pay for extra
utensils or glassware that won’t be used.”
• FLOWERS: 6%
“Think beyond flowers,” Auguste says, and
ask florists about “fillers” that will lower
costs without sacrificing beauty. “Many
florists provide candlelight or centerpiece
decor items that will match your theme at
a more cost-effective price point.”
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PHOTOGRAPHY: (TOP) ; BELATHÉE PHOTOGRAPHY; (BOTTOM) KIM GRAHAM PHOTGRAPHY.
• VENUE: 13%
A number of Southern brides turn to distinctive landmarks, such as historic homes
or museums, as their wedding venue. By
booking in off-peak months—generally,
January, February, July and August—Tara
Skinner, co-owner of Savannah, GA-based
Posh Petals and Pearls, says brides might
secure the venue of their dreams on a slimmer budget.
• FOOD AND BEVERAGE: 33%
Skinner advises couples to monitor the
rental costs required to outfit special locations like mansions and museums. In some
(but not all) cases, an all-inclusive, hotelbased reception might be the more economical move. “Do your homework to find
out which option is best for you and your
budget,” Skinner says, adding that, regardless of one’s venue, Southern couples can’t
forget to account for another local tradi-
tion—the groom’s cake—in their food and
beverage budget.
• PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO: 16%
Many photographers and videographers
offer packages providing complete files of
images or raw footage. While that option
might intrigue couples with a creative bent,
Skinner urges brides to be realistic. “If
you choose a disc of images over a finished
wedding album, you will save money initially, but will you actually see your DIY
album or video project through?”
• ENTERTAINMENT: 9%
Though many couples view entertain-
ment as the place where they can trim
the budget, Skinner advises her clients
to consider the entertainer’s talent and
service alongside the cost. “It’s essential
to have an entertainer who understands
a wedding’s flow and tone as well as one
who can emcee the celebration with poise
and professionalism.”
• RENTALS: 17%
Some of the most unique Southern venues
are blank canvases requiring rental of both
specialty and basic items, including linens.
If you find must-have (but pricey) linens,
Skinner suggests using them only on highvisibility areas, such as the cake table.
• FLOWERS: 12%
Skinner’s tip: “Consider repurposing your
bridesmaids’ bouquets for later use at the
reception. It’s a great way to save money
without sacrificing style.”
>> BRIDALGUIDE.COM Don’t forget about these unexpected wedding costs at bridalguide.com/unexpected
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• VENUE: 10%
With a short window to accommodate
outdoor weddings, most Midwest brides
take the show indoors to places like
historic hotels, country clubs or loft
spaces that once hummed with machinery. When searching for a venue, Lauren
Housley, owner of Chicago-based Ryan
Alexander Events, says you shouldn’t neglect key details, such as lighting. “The
more natural light a venue has, the better
it is for pictures.”
• FOOD AND BEVERAGE: 46%
Housley calls food an oft-overlooked way
to add personalization. “You can work
with your caterer to recreate signature
family dishes or to create twists on famed
Chicago dishes, such as an Italian beef
pizza with a giardiniera topping.”
• PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO: 12%
Creating a detailed shot list is critical. Not
only to ensure you get the photos
you want, but also to streamline the
photographer’s work and make efficient use of his or her time—and
yours. (Why pay extra fees if the shots you
want are already taken?)
• ENTERTAINMENT: 15%
While many guests love hearing the classics at weddings, you can add a touch of
distinctiveness to your day by asking the
band or DJ for some interesting songs that
are not wedding-day staples. Chicagoans,
for example, might request the beloved
Chicago Bears fight song or Sinatra’s
“Chicago” to add a spirited local flavor
to the event. “Add in your favorite nontraditional songs to make your day more
memorable for your guests,” Housley says.
• RENTALS: 8%
You can save on rental fees by asking the
venue manager if they would be flexible
with the post-reception pick-up time. By
arranging a Monday pick-up, for instance,
Housley says you can save $100 to $300.
And in an effort to minimize delivery fees,
“Consolidate tables, chairs and other rental
orders from just one or two companies.
• FLOWERS: 9%
Need to slim down the floral budget? Look
to the ceremony location and leverage
its inherent beauty as the backdrop. The
Chicago area, for instance, is home to some
of the nation’s most ornate churches, locations featuring stained glass, murals and
other elegant architectural hallmarks. “If
you are already getting married at a stunning church, go for a really simple ceremony arrangement that can be repurposed
at the reception,” Housley says.
SOUTHWEST
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• VENUE: 5%
Janet Finden, event planner and owner
of Cause for Celebration in Phoenix, AZ,
urges couples to select a venue that has a
food and beverage minimum fitting their
budget; When the minimum is met, she
says, the site fee is often waived. Couples
might also want to consider a non-Saturday
wedding, which should result in reduced
site fees and, frequently, less stringent food
and beverage minimums.
• FOOD AND BEVERAGE: 64%
Since portions are planned out and
controlled, plated, sit-down dinners can
166 BRIDALGUIDE.COM May/June 2014
actually cost less than serving your guests
buffet style. When working with venues
or caterers, Finden says “You can trumpet
the planning and portion efficiencies that
come with plated meals to negotiate a
lower cost.”
• RENTALS: 3%
• PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO: 12%
• FLOWERS: 8%
Finden urges couples to review the photographer’s contract to ensure they are receiving a DVD or flash drive of all their photos
with print rights. You can later use that disc
to order low-cost prints from any retailer.
According to Finden, you can reduce
your financial outlay for flowers simply
by selecting a venue with eye-catching
traits, such as a ceremony location with a
beautiful natural backdrop or a reception
space with rich architectural elements.
The southwest is, in fact, well known
for rich and lively natural spaces full
of depth and dynamic colors. To further
reduce flower costs, “Think about using
more candles and fewer flowers for evening receptions.”
• ENTERTAINMENT: 8%
Finden says you can maximize your entertainment budget by using a DJ for both the
ceremony and reception. She says many
DJs can easily add extra sound equipment
to accommodate the ceremony location.
By selecting a venue with well-maintained
facilities, Finden says rental fees should
be minimal because chairs and linens will
often be made available to you at little or
no expense.
PHOTOGRAPHY: (TOP) PHOTO BY JAI GIRARD PHOTOGRAPHY; (BOTTOM) CRISTI OWEN PHOTOGRAPHY.
BUDGET BREAKDOWN B
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PHOTOGRAPHY: ©SUTHIPICOTTE.
• VENUE: 10%
With water on one side and mountains
on the other, West Coast couples enjoy
a diverse array of vibrant sites for their
wedding, including lush vineyards,
ranches and beachfront resorts with endless ocean views. Before visiting any
potential venue, Melissa Barrad, owner
of San Diego-based I Do…Weddings &
Events, recommends that you thoroughly
research it online. “Doing so will save
time as well as provide key insights on
what budget items can be reduced because of the site’s existing characteristics
as well as what expenses, such as decor
or floral, might need to increase.”
and liquor, either as a part of the rental
agreement or through corkage fees. With
that go-ahead, couples could then bring in
local favorites, such as craft beer from one
of the region’s many breweries—Portland,
for instance, has more breweries than any
city in the world—or wine from Sonoma
and Napa Valleys.
• PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO: 10%
Barrad says couples on a tight budget
might consider hiring a photographer
for a “shoot only” package that provides
high-resolution images. Then, later, when
the bank account bounces back, you can
make an album.
• FOOD AND BEVERAGE: 50%
• ENTERTAINMENT: 10%
Food and, particularly, beverage can
quickly consume much of your budget.
Barrad suggests investigating venues that
will allow you to bring in your own wine
Barrad suggests looking for multi-faceted
musical professionals who can play live
music for the ceremony and cocktails—
and perhaps even dinner and the first
dance—before switching to recorded music for the evening.
• RENTALS: 10%
“Ask caterers and venue hosts for a comprehensive and itemized quote covering
all the necessary materials, such as flatware, glassware, portable restrooms and
lighting,” Barrad says. In some cases, you
might be able to forego or reduce certain
items; in others, you might secure items
from a different vendor—or even provide
them yourself—at a lower cost.
• FLOWERS: 10%
While flowers contribute to the bride’s
vision and the overall wedding-day vibe,
Barrad urges couples to embrace novel
approaches that can reduce costs. “Hire a
florist who is flexible and will even allow
you to either provide your own containers
or rent his or hers,” Barrad says. �
May/June 2014 BRIDALGUIDE.COM 167