Hi Bridal Diaries Gang! 💌

There’s no secret that weddings are expensive.

It’s so common to go into the wedding planning process with a set budget, and end up overspending…especially in the final few weeks before your big day! But the truth is…it’s not normally just one big unexpected cost that creates stress, it’s all the smaller, unaccounted for spends that add up.

The easiest solution to this is…to plan for it! But it’s really hard to plan for things you don’t know about, so that’s where we come in to help! 🫶🏻

Let’s walk through it together.

Decor logistics
One of the most overlooked part of decor. You assume that if the venue provides tables, they provide linens….wrong! You assume that if a wedding venue provides chairs, they are the typical wedding style chairs…wrong!

For example, many venues provide tables, but not always linens. And if they provide linens, they are often standard white or neutral. So if you want a specific colour to match your colour palette…this is going to cost extra!

The same applies to seating. A venue might provide chairs, but you need to be specific to ask what sort of chairs these are, are they conference chairs or are they chiavari chairs? What colour are they? And does this fit into your colour palette?

It might not seem like a big deal when you are first starting out on your wedding planning journey, but the chairs make such a big difference in how your ceremony looks, so pick right!

Beyond these bigger elements, there are some other finer details to consider: charger plates, napkins, cutlery, glassware, ice…check in advance whether these are already included with your venue hire or if you need to hire these at an extra cost from your caterers or bar company instead.

Transport
You’ve probably already factored in your wedding car or taxi into your budget, but what we often see forgotten is guest transport. Are you going to be offering coaches from various accommodation points to the venue? and will you also be doing a wedding carriage to get people back to their hotel during the evening and after the celebrations end?

This is often necessary and so appreciated from guests when your venue is in the middle of nowhere, however, they require planning and a budget allocation, so make sure to factor these in.

For more questions to ask your venue around transport to avoid hidden costs, check out our TikTok here!

Stationery
The first wave of stationery that everyone factors in is wedding invites, save the dates etc. But the second wave often comes as a shock. This includes on the day stationery including:

1. Welcome signs

2. Seating charts

3. Place cards

4. Menus

5. Order of service

6. Table numbers

Often its quite hard to plan in advance for these because some of them are dependent on your final guest numbers, which only becomes clear very close to the wedding. But still budget for it so it doesn’t add to your last minute pressure!

Wardrobe Costs
Don’t forget to factor in some of your budget for alterations, pressing, steaming, accessories and second (or third, or forth) looks…

The Hidden Details
Supplier meals, overtime fees, corkage, additional staffing requirements…it’s really easy to miss these important details in contracts, and they only come to light in the lead up. Make sure you go through your contract carefully and make a note of when all the fees are due.

And Lastly…
The key to managing your wedding budget is having the knowledge to approach it with awareness. By anticipating and planning for these possible hidden costs, it helps avoid last minute financial stress!

And most importantly…build in a contingency buffer. You’ll never regret having a bit more in the pot (and if you don’t spend it, it’s a perfect addition to that honeymoon fund 😉).

Love always,

Pristine Events 🤍