Soul Peak

I’m serious ya’ll, we got engaged on June 29th and were Mr. & Mrs. on August 31st! It wasn’t easy, but with the help of friends and family, it came together beautifully.

Did you know that the average cost of a wedding in America is $33,900? –that’s not including the honeymoon!

There is no doubt that weddings are expensive, but you can still have a beautiful wedding that is reasonably priced.

Before planning a wedding, I would encourage you and your future spouse to pause and quiet all the outside voices to think about what you truly want and can afford. Planning a wedding doesn’t have to be stressful. At the end of the day, you’re going to be married to the person you want to spend your life with, and that’s all that matters.

Below are some estimated costs we spent on our wedding. Of course, these costs vary depending on season, wedding size, duration of service, ect.

Invitations

We made a wedding website on Zola sent our invites via text/email to all of our wedding guests. On the website were all the details of the wedding, our wedding registry (we opted for a honeymoon fund, which paid for our honeymoon, thank you everyone!) and a place where our guests could RSVP.

Cost: Free

The Venue

The most important part of your wedding is where you’re going to have it. It was important to us to choose a venue that took care of pretty much everything. We did not want the extra stress of decorating, renting tables and chairs, or finding a caterer or florist. Of course, this comes at a cost but for us and our family, it was a price we were willing to pay.

I absolutely ADORED our wedding venue, The Hacienda, from the moment I walked in. It’s a beautiful Spanish style venue and we had both the ceremony and reception there. They made planning a wedding so easy. We got an all inclusive package that included two wedding coordinators the day of the wedding, a pianist for the ceremony, a bottomless champagne brunch for our guests (we had around 95 guests), a wedding cake, center pieces, a sweetheart table, and a rehearsal the week of the wedding. This relieved us of any last minute planning to stress over. It was definitely worth it!

Tip: Weddings during the morning/afternoon are cheaper than at night, hence why we had a morning brunch wedding 🙂

Cost: ($5,000ish for 4 hours)

Photographer

Aside from the venue, photography is going to be another big expense. On average, couples spend around $2,400 on a wedding photographer. This varies by the photographer and if you want more than one photographer to capture more angles. You want to have peace of mind, feel comfortable, and trust the person who is going to capture these precious moments. We went with our friend Jenny, she is awesome, feel free to check her out.

Tip: If you personally know any photographers, ask them if they can give you a discount!

Cost: Varies

Entertainment

DJ? Photo Booth? Mariachi? All of the above? Your choice of music is another high ticket item to consider. We went with a Mariachi Trio who totally rocked it. We wanted live music even though it was a little more pricey. Whatever you and your partner decide, know that entertainment can be costly.

Tip: Research people who are starting out or if you know someone who has a nice voice or plays an instrument that can also be an option as you consider.

Cost: ($850 for 2.5 hours)

The Dress

THE DRESS! THE DRESS! THE DRESS! All eyes are going to be on the bride as she walks down the aisle and what will they see? A beautiful bride in a beautiful dress. But no one is going to know if the dress was custom made or if it was purchased at a David’s Bridal (like mine).

There is nothing wrong with buying the dress you want , no matter what the cost is, but keep in mind the price tag isn’t going to make you any more beautiful than you already are. I got a dress I loved at David’s Bridal for a price I was comfortable with. I also decided to keep the accessory costs low and got my shoes, necklace and bracelet at Kholes (for less than $20 each) and my headpiece on Amazon. I’m glad I did this because I haven’t worn my wedding wardrobe since 🙂

Tip: There are websites where you can buy wedding dresses starting at $200. I personally know a friend who did this and her dress was beautiful.

Cost: (Dress= $500ish; Viel=$200ish)

Hair & Makeup

I’m not a big makeup person and I’m VERY picky so I decided to do my own hair and makeup with the help of my Maid of Honor.

Tip: If you have a friend that is good at doing hair and makeup, consider asking them to do yours. Remember to do a test trial before the wedding day.

Cost: Free

Bouquets

My mother-in-law bought two artificial bouquets for my maid of honor and I at Michaels, for around $10 each. The night before the wedding, we put a few fresh flowers in the bouquet to make them a bit more full, then we wrapped the bouquet with a white lace. If you DIY on some easy stuff, you can save yourself money that can go towards another expense.

Cost: ($30)

Reflection

Looking back on my wedding day, I am really pleased with how it all came together in such a short time frame. If I were to do anything differently, there are a couple things that come to mind. First, I didn’t realize how fast the wedding would go by. When I look back, pats of the wedding are a blur so it would’ve been nice to have a videographer capture certain extra special moments. Second, if I had more time, I would’ve liked to bargain hunt for a dress that was cheaper. I loved the dress but the reality is, I’m never going to wear it again. Other than those two small adjustments, I wouldn’t change anything else… Except maybe my husband (can I take him back?) Just kidding…he’s the best 🙂 Love you Quinny!

If you have any wedding planning tips share them below 🙂 Thank you for reading!