Wedding Vendor Costs
Common sense will tell you that a smaller guest counts means a smaller budget. The catch is, this is only true for some vendors and not others. For example, when you reduce guest count the cost of catering may go down, but the cost of photography would remain the same. To understand your budget costs, it is important to know what factors affect each vendor and how pricing overall works in each category. We are here to help.
Here is an outline of how different wedding vendors typically price their services. This will help you to know when guest count affects pricing and when it does not.
Prices per person
Venue - the 'event service' category. Priced per person. In this scenario there may be a room charge, but the majority of the cost is done on a per person basis. Often the venue includes services like tables, chairs, linens, staffing, drinks, food.
Caterer - Priced per person.
Rental company (tent, linens, chairs, other) - Priced per item, which for many items is per person.
Cake - Priced per person.
Favors - Priced per person.
Price per Service
Bus/ Shuttle/ Transportation for guests - Priced per trip OR priced by the hours of coverage.
Hotel - Priced per service (meaning per room)
Hair + Makeup - Priced per service.
Horse/ Car (for Indian Wedding's Baraath) - Priced per service.
Performers/ Entertainment - Priced per service.
Price per Event
Venue - the 'room only' category. Priced per hour. In this scenario the rate is for the room rental alone. The number of guests and activities you do are up to you and have no influence on price.
Decorator/ Florist - Priced per event AND priced per table for centerpieces.
Officiant/ Priest - Priced per event. (Ceremony fee, Rehearsal fee)
DJ - Priced per event.
Lighting - Priced per event.
Musicians - Priced per event (base cost) + Priced varies on the number of band members / performers
Wedding planning - Priced per event.
Price per Hour
Photographer - Priced per hour.
Videographer - Priced per hour.
Photo Booth - Priced per hour.
Limo - Priced per hour.
The main factors in wedding budget are duration (number of hours), size (number of guests), support (staffing for each vendor). This list should help you breakdown how each vendor category typically works.
When looking for guidance on your wedding budget, a personalized budget is going to be 10x more accurate than a spreadsheet you found on google. We recommend a personalized review of your wedding budget by yours truly. Benefit from a service that shares insights, industry standard costs, and suggestions on how to get the most bang for your buck, so you successfully budget for your big day. Your wedding planning experience (often a year of your life!) will be much smoother, easier, and more fulfilling when you know what to expect, how much you want spend, what to expect at your investment level, and how to get what you want in each category. We'll get you there asknehanow@gmail.com ask about our Budget Blueprint meeting.
Here is an outline of how different wedding vendors typically price their services. This will help you to know when guest count affects pricing and when it does not.
Prices per person
Venue - the 'event service' category. Priced per person. In this scenario there may be a room charge, but the majority of the cost is done on a per person basis. Often the venue includes services like tables, chairs, linens, staffing, drinks, food.
Caterer - Priced per person.
Rental company (tent, linens, chairs, other) - Priced per item, which for many items is per person.
Cake - Priced per person.
Favors - Priced per person.
Price per Service
Bus/ Shuttle/ Transportation for guests - Priced per trip OR priced by the hours of coverage.
Hotel - Priced per service (meaning per room)
Hair + Makeup - Priced per service.
Horse/ Car (for Indian Wedding's Baraath) - Priced per service.
Performers/ Entertainment - Priced per service.
Price per Event
Venue - the 'room only' category. Priced per hour. In this scenario the rate is for the room rental alone. The number of guests and activities you do are up to you and have no influence on price.
Decorator/ Florist - Priced per event AND priced per table for centerpieces.
Officiant/ Priest - Priced per event. (Ceremony fee, Rehearsal fee)
DJ - Priced per event.
Lighting - Priced per event.
Musicians - Priced per event (base cost) + Priced varies on the number of band members / performers
Wedding planning - Priced per event.
Price per Hour
Photographer - Priced per hour.
Videographer - Priced per hour.
Photo Booth - Priced per hour.
Limo - Priced per hour.
The main factors in wedding budget are duration (number of hours), size (number of guests), support (staffing for each vendor). This list should help you breakdown how each vendor category typically works.
When looking for guidance on your wedding budget, a personalized budget is going to be 10x more accurate than a spreadsheet you found on google. We recommend a personalized review of your wedding budget by yours truly. Benefit from a service that shares insights, industry standard costs, and suggestions on how to get the most bang for your buck, so you successfully budget for your big day. Your wedding planning experience (often a year of your life!) will be much smoother, easier, and more fulfilling when you know what to expect, how much you want spend, what to expect at your investment level, and how to get what you want in each category. We'll get you there asknehanow@gmail.com ask about our Budget Blueprint meeting.
