Wedding budget

40 hidden wedding costs couples forget

Most budgets break on small line items nobody mentioned, not on the venue. Read the list once, mark what applies, and ask each vendor directly about those items. Then add the amounts to the buffer line of your budget.

Fees hidden inside quotes

1. Service charge on catering or bar (often a percentage added to the food and drink total)
2. Sales tax on vendor contracts
3. Cake-cutting fee, if the venue serves a cake you bring in
4. Corkage fee, if you bring your own wine or liquor
5. Venue setup and teardown fees
6. Overtime: an extra hour for the photographer, DJ, band or venue
7. Travel fees for vendors outside their usual area
8. Card payment surcharges some vendors add
9. Security deposits, and what can make you lose them

Food and drink

10. Meals for vendors who work the whole day (photographer, planner, DJ, band)
11. A late-night snack
12. Welcome drinks or a signature cocktail
13. Kids' meals, and whether they're priced differently
14. Tasting fees, if your caterer charges for them

Rentals and decor

15. Linen upgrades and napkins
16. Chair upgrades or extra chairs for the ceremony
17. Delivery and pickup fees for rentals and flowers
18. Candles, table numbers and signs
19. A backup tent or indoor space if you're planning outdoors
20. Permits for outdoor or public spaces

Attire and beauty

21. Alterations
22. Shoes, undergarments and accessories
23. Hair and makeup trials
24. Hair and makeup for the wedding party, if you're paying
25. Suit or tux rental, plus cleaning

Paper and post

26. Save-the-dates
27. Postage for invitations (heavy or square envelopes often cost more)
28. Postage for RSVP cards
29. Thank-you cards and their postage

People and gifts

30. Tips for vendors and staff
31. Officiant fee
32. Gifts for the wedding party
33. Gifts for parents
34. Welcome bags for out-of-town guests

Before and after

35. Marriage license fee
36. Rehearsal dinner
37. Hotel room-block rules: ask whether unbooked rooms are charged to you
38. Transportation or parking for guests
39. Wedding insurance
40. Dress cleaning, bouquet preservation, prints and albums after the day

How to use this list

For every item you marked, write an estimate in your budget. If you don't know the amount, ask the vendor what is included in the quote. The amounts vary a lot by city and vendor, so we don't give a typical figure for each one.

Next, see how a whole budget splits: 75 guests, 100 guests, 150 guests or 200 guests.