Planning your wedding and need a little help with your budget? Well we’ve asked Nods, the brains behind Daydreaming Bride Wedding Blog to give us her top tips about hidden wedding costs! So take it away Nods…
I’m a strong believer in setting a wedding budget and sticking to it, no matter how tempting it is to overspend. This can be hard. Especially with all that loveliness on Pinterest (15 bridesmaids with matching miniature dogs anyone?). We all know about the big wedding costs… the venue, photographer, flowers, cake and dress etc. But, what about all those little things you don’t necessarily think about?
Well, good news. I’ve done the thinking for you! I’ve found 13 hidden wedding costs which could add hundreds (if not thousands in some cases!) to the cost of your wedding. Now, that’s stress you definitely do not need, so read on and make sure you’ve got it covered.
1. The Costs of Making it Legal
Thinking about the admin of getting hitched isn’t very romantic. In an ideal world, you’d swan up to a beautiful venue on a whim and get married by a passing vicar. But, unfortunately, this isn’t the case in reality. You need to flag your intent to marry AND pay for the privilege!
For example, you have to pay a fee when you flag your intent to marry. And then another fee to register the marriage once the deed is done. Check what applies for your circumstances and include the costs in your wedding budget.
2. The Sneaky Costs of DIY
Assuming that it’s always cheaper to DIY vs. buy is a classic wedding planning fail.
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love wedding crafts. Getting your DIY on can be a great way to stretch your budget, BUT you need to be aware of all the costs involved.
Take a DIY wedding cake. You’d think this would just be the cost of the ingredients, right? Wrong. You’ll need two sets of ingredients to practise, not to mention the tins, dowels, boards and icing tools. That’s all going to add up! You can find out more about deciding whether to buy it, or DIY it here.
3. Accommodation Costs
Don’t forget that you’ll need to stay somewhere on the night of your wedding – be it your venue or a nearby hotel. The venue may offer free accommodation for the bride and groom, but be sure to check. You don’t want a nasty surprise when you’re settling up the day after.
4. The VAT Nightmare
This one has caught out many couples. Most venues and suppliers should quote including VAT, but always, always, ALWAYS double check. A surprise addition for VAT could be catastrophic!
5. Corkage Costs
Supplying your own wine and other alcohol can be a huge cost saver. But, don’t forget that many venues will charge a corkage fee per bottle. This can vary wildly across venues so it should be one of the first questions you ask your venue before you commit.
If the cost seems high then it can be an area for negotiation, especially if you get married off-season. Lower corkage fees means you can afford even more alcohol, which has to be a good thing, right?!
6. Postage Costs
Oh this one really hurts. I was DELIGHTED with myself when I handmade all our wedding stationery, which saved us a fortune. However, when we sent them out it became clear that the postage was double the cost of the invitations. Ouch!
So, don’t forget to factor postage costs into your budget. You can be canny about it. Utilise second class post and buy ‘make up value’ stamps so you don’t overpay for overseas postage.
7. The Hidden Costs of Online Shopping
I love online shopping. I could spend hours virtually window shopping for shoes. Yet, I’m also well known for buying stuff online, which turns out not to fit, and then failing to return it on time. What a waste of money!
This is something to consider if you’re buying a lot of things online for your big day. Bear in mind that things can look very different on screen than they do in real life. It’s particularly difficult to get a feel for colours onscreen.
Whenever you buy anything online double check the returns policy and the cost of returns. Buying from overseas can be a cost saver – but if you end up with the wrong dresses and can’t return them, it would be a giant waste of cash!
8. Extra Hair & Beauty Costs
Ok, so you’re unlikely to forget about the hair and beauty needed on the day of the wedding. But what about all those appointments before the wedding?
You may decide you need beauty treatments that you normally wouldn’t bother with. I had facials, teeth whitening and strongly considered having my arms waxed (I didn’t bother in the end!). That was on top of my ‘normal’ beauty regime, so that was hundreds of pounds that I hadn’t counted on spending.
Lesson learned? Add some cash in the budget for all the beautification that you’ll need in the lead up to the wedding.
9. The Wedding Day Survival Kit
Your wedding day is one of the most exciting days of your life. But man, it can be uncomfortable. From high-heeled shoes that rub, to heavy dresses that chafe.
So it’s worthwhile investing in a little ‘survival kit’ to get you through the day. You can include plasters, pins, sewing kit, heel grips, sole cushions, as well as fragrance free baby wipes for dealing with any errant dress stains. None of these items are expensive on their own, but they soon add up when you buy them all together.
You may also want a little makeup kit to keep you fresh for the day (your bridesmaids will lug all these around!). If you don’t own the makeup you’ll be wearing, you may have to buy it, which can be a pricey addition to your budget!
10. Costume Changes
If you’re having a weekend long wedding celebration, then you may end up buying a few outfits. After all, you need to look amazing at all times! Factor these into the budget or you may end up frantically trying to pull the money together nearer the time.
11. Pretty Nightwear
If you want the bridal party to swan around on your wedding morning in matching robes, is this in your budget? Make sure you add those costs to the kitty early on!
12. Feeding Your Suppliers
Any suppliers who’ll be with you for the whole day do need to be fed. A hungry photographer is an unhappy photographer! Even those suppliers who are only there for a few hours may expect some refreshment. Check these costs with your venue before booking and add them to your budget as soon as you can.
13. Thank You Cards
Your wedding stationery costs don’t stop once the wedding is over. Yes, you need to send thank you cards to your guests. Price these in, as well as their postage (see no. 7 above). You don’t want unexpected costs after the wedding to make the post-wedding blues worse!
Nods is the newly-married wedding obsessive behind Daydreaming Bride Wedding Blog. You’re likely to find her obsessing about helping brides plan their stress-free dream weddings. All whilst watching property programmes with a glass of Malbec in hand. Find her on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.
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