Surprise Costs with Weddings and How a Planner Can Save You Money

 Weddings are an investment and can come with a pretty hefty price tag depending on your style and location of choice. I want to make sure you are prepared on what to expect when it comes to budgeting and how you can use those precious dollars the most effective way possible. As a Pensacola Wedding Planner and Month of coordinator we get to see it all. We review all contracts and invoices, so we know all the ins, outs and in-betweens of our client’s events. Over the last four years we have spotted a few areas that almost sound hidden and our clients were surprised when they went back over their invoices.

Labor fees: Typically, most rental companies, florists, some bar services and some wedding venues will charge a labor fee. Your labor costs will go up if you are having a beach wedding or ceremony, because sand is involved. Beach weddings require more hands-on deck and further carrying distance of the rented items.

Additional Meetings/ Cancelled Meetings: Have you thoroughly read through your contract? In many local wedding venue contracts, you will find fee clauses for extra meetings or meetings that have been canceled last minute. I don’t necessarily think to many vendors follow through with these clauses, but they are not items to ignore.

Vendor Meals: You have finally gotten your final RSVP and now you can relax and get that number to your catering company…. But did you remember the extra meals you promised your vendors… in their contracts? Most wedding vendors ask that they are provided with a meal on the wedding day typically these vendors include the (DJ or Band, Photographer, Videographer, Bartender, Wedding Planner, Photobooth and any assistants they might have) This could be adding an additional 5-15 meals depending on your vendors. A way to save money would be to ask your catering company if they specifically offer a vendor meal option; most of the time they do, and they are at lower rate than a typical guest.

Taxes and Gratuities: In the state of Florida, specifically Escambia county there is currently only a sales tax on tangible items like rentals or flowers or printed photo etc. Services are exempt from taxes which is why it is great to double check all of your invoices. For example, your DJ will not charge you tax on their service of playing at your wedding, but if you rented their up lighting package you would be charged for the rental of the lights; which are tangible.

   Another area that can surprise my clients might be when I mention that their catering bill or bar bill contains a gratuity. Most of the time you will find this with wedding venues who provide catering or bar service and it is to help compensate their servers or cover the venue manager’s salary. On average we have seen this number range from (18-25 %). This should be a major factor to review before you book your venue, because the food and beverage is one of the highest line items for weddings. If your adding an additional 25% to your total food bill… that affordable $1000.00 venue just got a lot pricier.

These are just a few areas we see overlooked on the final line items in the wedding budget. We want to make sure our clients fully understand the contracts they are signing and are aware of all the charges and fees listed in the clauses. As a Pensacola Wedding Planner and Month of Coordinator we strive to educate our couples and give them the most enjoyable wedding planning experience. Our services go beyond just planning a wedding, we create relationships, remove the stress of the unknown by educating on today’s wedding industry, and empower our clients to fully embrace their wedding to the fullest.

3-hour reception vs. 4-hour reception to 5-hours…. What’s the big deal?

Baliey Allision Photography

 So you have decided on a ceremony location and now you are sitting down with your perfect wedding venue and they ask you “how long will your reception be?”

At that current moment the Bride will ask well what’s the big deal???

An average wedding ceremony is about 22 minutes, add in some travel time and then your reception begins:

Cocktail hour is 60 minutes of Hors D’ouerves and mingling guests and signature cocktails. Followed by your newly married self- grand entrance into the reception which will kick off the festivities. Formal dances- 15 minutes- followed by dinner-45 minutes and cake and people saying nice things about you-15 minutes, lead to the epic dance party where your guests will have the time of their lives shaking it to Ed Sheeran- 1.5. But how long does that take?? 3 hours and 45 minutes and 15 minutes for a grand exit.

If you are doing a heavy hors D’ouerves more cocktail style reception a 3-hour party will be perfect!

Events do inherit more cost the longer they run. Specific items like the bar and entertainment can rack up quickly. There is a chance you might have to sober your guests with a satisfying late-night snack adding to original catering quote.

Personally, I feel that that 4 hours is the perfect amount of time for a reception… if you are not having a plated 3 plus course meal. It leaves just the right amount of time for guests to enjoy dinner and become lively on the dance floor. I have seen it time and time again where the bride and groom go ahead and decide to add on the extra hour- the 5th hour- and the only one left on the dance floor are the over tired living off cake icing children whose bedtime was 3 hours ago.

I recommend to my clients to let your event leave on high note, making them want just a little bit more.

Circling back around, I just want to educate my clients in all their options and what each one of those options will look like when it comes to their budgets and to their guests.

Bailey Allison Photography

Things to Consider:

• Type of dinner that will be served

• The amount budgeted for the bar

• The hours you have your entertainment booked

• Is this a Sunday wedding? Do your guests have work the day?

• Is there a noise ordnance in place?

• Does the venue charge per the extra hour

So you’re planning a wedding… Where to Start: The First 5 Steps

Step 1) Decide what time of year you want to get married

o What time of year do I imagine

o When is most Convenient for me

o Is this somewhat convenient for my friends & family to travel

o Is this a good/practical time to take a vacation

o Will this be a good time/ slow time at work, where I can fully enjoy this time

o Is it hurricane season?

o What is the typical average rainfall and temperature for this time of year

Step 2) Determine a budget

o Who will be contributing

o Will my Fiancé and I be contributing

o What are the average prices for my market

o Are these numbers realistic to my vision

Step 3) Make a basic guest list with your Fiancé of everyone you both think you might want to invite and categorize it the following way

o Family

o Wedding Party

o Best Friends

o Extended Family

o Work Friends

o Other Friends(Church, Neighbors, Gym Buddies, and if you’re close with your UPS man, ETC)

o Obligated Invitees

Next give yourself a rough estimate of who you think will actually come. Typically this is about 80% of your guest lists, unless you are doing a destination wedding then this may vary.

Step 4) This is a great time to reach out to wedding planners if you think you will need help through out the whole process of wedding planning. (Like going 10 times deeper on this 5 step beginning list, to make sure you cover everything, and not make any costly mistakes)

Step 5) Start visiting venues and find your ideal location.

o How does this space make you feel?

o Is it in your budget

o Does it have plenty of room for your guest count

o Do they already have tables & chairs that aren’t horrendous

o Does it have space for the ceremony & cocktail hour & reception

o Is there room for a band or DJ with a dance floor and all my guests are in the same room

o What is their back up plan for rain

o Will they let me choose my own catering and bar service

o Are there vendors they will not work with

o How many bathrooms are available

o How is the parking

o What is the noise ordnance

o Do they provide a clean up service

o Do they book multiple events a day

o What all is included with the rental, all day vs specific number of hours

o What dates do they have around when I want to get married

o Is there a place for me to get ready

o Is there a place for me to wait before the ceremony

o How do I see my grand exit going

o Are there stairs my elderly guests will have to use

o How is the lighting/ and how does it make me feel?

o How are the reviews….please read the reviews…

These are just few things to get the wheels turning. You want to make sure you have considered all of the options before you sign and agree to anything, because if you don’t…. it could cost you some of the precious dollars you budgeted for….. and I’m sure you would prefer to use that money towards flowers hanging from the chandelier rather the extra fee to DJ because he had to move his equipment up the stairs….