Planning a wedding is an exciting journey, but even the most detail-oriented couples can overlook a few crucial expenses along the way. Between finding the perfect venue, selecting the dream dress, and organizing a guest list, small but important costs can often slip through the cracks.
That’s why having the right wedding budget tips is essential to ensure you’re fully prepared for every expense, both big and small, that comes your way.
While these forgotten wedding budget items aren’t really “hidden” costs, they can be easily overlooked until it’s time that you really need it. These forgotten expenses can quickly add up and derail even the most well-thought-out budget.
In this post, we’re highlighting the top 10 commonly forgotten wedding costs that could surprise you. Are you missing these in your budget? Let’s find out!
Wedding Budget Tips: 10 Forgotten Costs Couples Often Overlook
Here are the most common wedding budget items couples forget to include.
1) Alterations
Your wedding gown will require some type of alterations, whether it’s a hem, a little nip at the waist, or adding straps to a strapless gown. Depending on how much is needed, this can easily cost you several hundred dollars.
2) Undergarments/Accessories
What goes underneath is almost as important the dress itself. Besides that beautiful dress, you’ll be wearing a veil, shoes, undergarments, shapewear, and jewelry.
3) Marriage License
Don’t forget to make it legal! Marriage licenses typically cost between $20 and $100, depending on where you’re getting married (see your state’s and county’s guidelines).
4) Postage for Invitations and RSVPs
Make sure you carefully weigh your invitations with all of the enclosures. You won’t want them coming back to you with postage due (or end up putting on too much postage and wasting money). Also keep in mind that square or over-sized invitations will require extra postage regardless of how much they weigh.
You’ll also need stamps for your save-the-dates, RSVP cards, and thank-you notes.
5) Wedding Day Meals
You’ve got a fabulous dinner picked out. Don’t forget that you, your partner, and your wedding party have to eat the rest of the day too. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Bagels and a fruit tray is perfect for breakfast, and a platter of sandwiches makes a great lunch.
6) Meals for your Vendors
Your vendors will be easily with you on your wedding day for 8 – 12 hours or more, and unlike other jobs, they cannot leave to take a lunch break. But they still need to re-fuel so to speak, so they are able to give you their best. Be sure to check your vendor contracts as some will include a vendor meal clause. Most caterers offer vendor meals.
7) Counting Yourselves in the Final Head Count
When you’re counting up those “Yes” RSVPs, it’s too easy for forget to count yourselves (or your parents if they are issuing the invitations). You’re gonna want to eat too, (and need plates and napkins) so remember to add yourselves to the final head count for your caterer and rental company.
8) Sales Tax/Service Charges
When you’re looking at that catering menu, the listed prices do not include the service charges or sales taxes. Service charges can vary anywhere from 18% to 22% of your catering bill, which can be a quite significant “extra” if it wasn’t figured into the budget in the first place.
9) Day-of Coordinator
So many times couples don’t hire a day-of coordinator because they didn’t include one in their budget, but after the wedding day they wish they would have had someone there to take care of all the little details for them. Or they realize that they need the additional help, then have to adjust the entire wedding budget, or add more money to their budget to accommodate this addition.
10) Overtime
When your reception is in full party mode and you want to go over the scheduled end time, (or if you got a late start and are running behind) overtime charges will incur. Remember this goes not only for your venue, but for your photographer, videographer, dj/band, and day-of coordinator. Not only will they require overtime fees, these fees will most likely need to be paid that night.
Add a Miscellaneous category to your budget and allocate 10% of your wedding funds to it. You can use these funds for any forgotten items or last minute must-haves.
Now that you’re aware of these commonly forgotten wedding costs, you can plan your budget more confidently and avoid any last-minute financial surprises. Remember, every detail—no matter how small—adds to the overall experience of your big day, so it’s essential to consider all potential expenses ahead of time.
By factoring in these often-overlooked costs, you’ll be one step closer to staying on budget and enjoying a stress-free wedding celebration.
Ready to dive deeper into planning? My Ultimate Wedding Pre-Planning Starter Pack has budgeting checklists and worksheets along with other helpful planning worksheets to make sure you’ve covered every detail! Download today at 25% off!
What do you think of our list of the 10 most common items forgotten on the wedding budget? Are there any others you’d add? Let me know in the comments below!
Photo Credit: sinksanctity via Flickr
Hearts, Joy, Love!
Jean
Need help with developing your budget or other wedding planning assistance? Contact me today at jean@weddingsfromtheheart.net or at 937-581-3647!