If you’ve ever started creating a wedding budget or enquired about prices, you’ve probably asked: Why are weddings so expensive? And you’re not alone! In fact, you might be tempted to think that suppliers are just adding on the 0000s because you’ve uttered the word ‘wedding’. Today, joined by two fabulous guests – Caroline and Elaine from HIGM! Help I’m Getting Married – to break it down for you. By the end of this episode, you’ll know exactly why suppliers charge what they do, how to prioritise the wedding day elements that mean the most to you, and how to save money if things are tight!
What are other couples spending?
If you look at the latest weddingsonline survey, you’ll see a few key facts about the average wedding costs:
Average wedding budget: €33,083 (excluding honeymoon)
53% of couples went over budget
37% took out a loan
31% got help from their parents
Only 9% chose their suppliers based on the lowest price
Why do some wedding items cost so much if I could get them cheaper without saying it’s for a wedding?
First up, your suppliers aren’t trying to hoodwink you. There’s no real life conspiracy that people add on the 000s because it’s a wedding, without there being a genuine reason for doing so.
So, between me, Caroline and Elaine, we’re unpacking why some things cost more:
Flowers – “Why not grab a bouquet from a high street store?” → Your florist has the expertise to know what’s in season, where to import things from (which will cost you more if you have your eyes on a specific flower type that isn’t in season at the time), how to get the blooms to open at the right time and not to wilt later in the day.
Makeup – “It costs so much less to get makeup done for a school dance, why is wedding makeup so expensive?” → Your makeup needs to last the whole day and look beautiful in all the photos. Added to that, you’ll have a trial as well as the skincare expertise of your makeup artist!
Bands and music – “It’s so much cheaper to hire a regular pub band, why are wedding bands charging a fortune?” → They’ll learn special songs (like First Dance), they know weddings specifically, how to get the dance floor full, will bring their own equipment and lighting.
Photography – “I may as well get a friend to come and take photos for free/cheap” → you want someone with experience, good equipment, backups in case of equipment failure, a good turnaround time too. Bonus: Your wedding photographer is the person you’ll spend the most time with on your Big Day so you want to hire someone you get along with!
And there are many other examples like this of wedding suppliers who charge more for a wedding than a regular event.
Money-saving tips for those in a pinch:
Sure, there’s a reason things cost a lot, but that doesn’t mean you have to go overboard. There are some very practical ways you can save money on your wedding day:
Elaine says: Look for all inclusive packages! Things like a wedding venue that comes with a DJ, cake maker, decor and so on. You’ll often save money in the long run and will usually only need to pay one deposit as opposed to one for each of the services provided.
Caroline says: Give lots of thought to your wedding party before making choices. Familiarise yourself with the cost of dresses, suit hire, hair, makeup and gifts before deciding how many members of the wedding party you will have.
