Your Wedding Budget – How Much Does It Cost?

The wedding reception

The positions dedicated to wedding planner, venue and caterer will be the highlight of your organization, so it is essential to take the time to choose them carefully so as not to regret anything later.

• The price of the reception venue

Choosing the wedding venue is essential in your organization, it will be the setting of your day. If a wedding at home will save you the cost of privatization, be certain that it will generate significant logistical costs and significant nuisances for the neighborhood.

La privatization of a high-end reception venue for the weekend with sleeping accommodation will oscillate between 10.000 and 100.000€, depending on the prestige, the level of services offered and the geographical location of the place. Rates will vary depending on the regions and seasons.

Our best addresses for reception venues to find here

Articles to read: Choosing your wedding reception venue, Wedding venues 1 hour from Paris, 20 exceptional castles where you can get married, 20 favorite places for a bohemian wedding, 20 exceptional places for an elegant and refined wedding

• The price of the caterer

Le caterer is an essential position. The budget to be expected depends mainly on the level of service desired. The more service staff your reception requires, the higher the bill will be.

For a cocktail followed by a seated dinner, expect an average range from 150 to 350€/guest.

Our best addresses for reception venues to find here
Article to read: Wedding caterer – Our favorites, 10 tips for choosing your wedding caterer, Culinary entertainment for your wedding

Wedding Budget // Credit – Earth and Sugar

Wedding Budget // Credit – Tess Follett

• The price of wines and spirits

This envelope will depend on the number of guests. A little reminder (to be adjusted according to your wishes)

Champagne

• Cocktail: 1 bottle for 3 people
• For dessert: 1 bottle for 4 people
• For the evening: 1 bottle for 4 people

Wine

• Entrance: 1 bottle for 4 people
• Dish: 1 bottle for 2 people
• Evening: 1 bottle for 4 people

Strong alcohol

• 1 bottles for 10 people

Waters and Softs

• Still water: 1 per person 
• Fruit juice: 1 for 3 people
• Sparkling water and soda: 1 for 2 people

Based on 100 people, expect a minimum budget of €3000, prices can quickly rise depending on your tastes and alcohol desires.

Our best wine and spirits addresses to find here
Article to read: How to choose the wedding wine?

Wedding Budget // Credit – Cinzia Bruschini

Wedding Budget // Credit – Cinzia Bruschini

The bride and groom's outfits

• The price of a wedding dress

More and more brides are choosing to wear a different outfit for each moment of the wedding: civil ceremony, religious ceremony, dinner, dance party, brunch.

Ready to wear, you will easily find a wedding dress at a low price. Many brands in the sector have imagined delightful wedding capsules which offer silhouettes for less than €400: Sézane, Feather Paris, Reformation ...

In semi-measure, count an envelope with long models from 2.500 €. In custom-made, prices generally start from 4000 €. Depending on the materials and manufacturing techniques, some dresses will exceed the €10.000.

Article to read : Which wedding dress to choose for a civil wedding?
Find our store Wedding Capsule selection et Wedding dress

• The price of groom's suit

Ready to wear, your other half can treat themselves for just a hundred euros. For less than 1000€, the groom will be able to buy a nice suit and accessories.

Half or custom-made, prices for a two-piece suit start at 850 €. Depending on the prestige of the tailor, the materials and accessories chosen, a complete outfit will reach more than €4000. Like their other half, more and more brides and grooms are choosing to make several costumes depending on the time of the wedding: civil ceremony, religious ceremony, dinner, dance party, brunch.

Article to read : How to choose your wedding suit?, 8 tips for choosing your wedding suit, TAILOR TRUCKS – Wedding suit, Wedding suit, our advice and essential addresses, De Fursac – Wedding Suits

Wedding Budget © Two Santas via the lane

Wedding Budget // Credit – Dos Santas

Wedding Budget // Credit – Dos Santas

Wedding decoration

• Rental of furniture or decor

Depending on the reception venue, the budget allocated to the furniture, lighting and dishes will vary depending on the DNA of the wedding. Depending on the degree of customization, expect at least an envelope of 4000€ to more than 10.000€.

Articles to read: Wedding Furniture Rental – Addresses, Find your wedding decoration online, rent furniture and decoration for your wedding et Where to rent your wedding tableware?

• • The price of wedding flowers

Your Flower envelope will vary depending on the complexity of the decor, the choice of raw materials as well as the degree of flowering at different times of your day.
In detail, here is the scale observed on the basis of a complete floral decoration (ceremony, cocktail, dinner) :

Based on a simple decor, expect at least a budget of €3000
Based on a more elaborate decor, expect a budget starting at €5000
Based on a sophisticated decor, expect an envelope starting at €7000
Based on a decor requiring custom installations and in-depth expertise, expect a budget starting at €10

Our best wedding florist addresses to find here
Articles to read: Where to buy dried flowers for your wedding?, Winter flowers, Autumn Flowers, How to successfully decorate your wedding flowers

• Wedding stationery

From the realization of the announcement from menus to place markers and ceremony booklets, these personalized elements will make all the difference in your decoration.

In semi-measure on a basis of 50 copies, count at least a budget between 600 and 3000€ for a complete stationery set including:

• save the date,
• the invitation,
• the RSVP,
• the Menu,
• Brunch,
• place markers,
• table markers
• thanks.

This envelope will vary depending on the quality of the paper chosen, the type of printing, the accessories (envelopes, ribbons, wax seal, etc.) and the quantities desired.

On custom made, depending on the degree of customization and the options chosen, prices can reach 10 000€.

Our best wedding stationery addresses to find here
Articles to read: Wedding invitation, How to make a successful wedding invitation – Advice from Atelier Rosemood, Cotton Bird, Wedding stationery – Delicate collection, Collective Ribbon

• Guest gifts

It is customary to offer your guests little attentions. You can treat yourself from 5€/piece.

Find in store our selection of guest gifts
Articles to read: Pomy: unique items for your guest gifts, 9 ideas for guest gifts for your wedding, Small Wedding between friends – guest gifts

Wedding Budget // Credit – Cinzia Bruschini

Credit – Julie Blin for CMO STUDIO

Beauty

From a beauty salon service to a “custom-made” service at the reception venue, expect at least one budget of 300€ (testing included).

Our best addresses of beauty artists to find here
Articles to read : The bride's preparation, Choosing the right beauty artist for your wedding, I want beautiful hair, 10 tips for successful wedding beauty

Musical entertainment for the wedding

• The price of an Orchestra 

For a ceremony, a cocktail party or the start of an evening, live music brings a warm and festive note. This service varies according to the number of musicians and the duration of the performance. Expect an average budget of between 5000 and 15€.

• The price of a DJ

Depending on the level of service and its reputation, the DJ of the wedding  will cost you on average between 1200 and 2500 €. This envelope will increase depending on the equipment, lighting and spaces to be soundproofed. Some DJs also offer live music duos. In order to find the profile suited to your needs, ask yourself the right questions beforehand:

• At what times of the wedding would you like the DJ to intervene: the ceremony? the cocktail and/or the dinner?
• What musical color would you like to give to your evening?
• Would you like the DJ to take care of the logistics related to the intervention of witnesses and families during the evening?
• Would you like the DJ to take care of lighting the dancefloor and the reception room?

Our best wedding DJ addresses to find here
Articles to read : Wedding DJ, our advice and essential addresses

Wedding Budget © Lucia via the lane 

Wedding memories

• The price of one photographe de mariage

Your wedding images will be precious memories. Choosing your photographer is a matter of feeling and style. What images speak to your heart? What photographic style do you want to associate with this beautiful day? 

In terms of prices, expect a service of declared professional, a budget between € 1.800 And € 5.500 for digital reporting and between 4.500 and 15.000 € for film report on the entire day of your wedding.

Our best wedding photographer addresses to find here
Article to read : Wedding photographers who inspire us in 2024, 15 wedding photographers to book without hesitation, 13 Wedding Photographers with a Couture Universe et Choosing and working with the wedding photographer

• The price of a wedding videographer

If your budget allows it, the ideal is to opt for a video report. Which adds a budget from 3500€ to 10.000€ depending on the service offered.

Our best wedding videographer addresses to find here
Article to read : Wedding videographer – our favorites

Wedding Budget // Credit – Cinzia Bruschini

Wedding Budget // Credit – Back more on the table

Additional costs

To all these costs, you will need to add the travel expenses of each professional, their meals for the wedding evening and any overtime.

Misconceptions about organizing a wedding

Hiring a wedding planner will save you money

You know the adage? Time is money. Your WP will save you time, it will also prevent you from "wedding faux pas" and nervous breakdowns related to the organization of the wedding. Its role will also be to manage your wedding budget well and to alert you as soon as it is about to be exceeded.

Article to read : Choosing the right wedding planner, Marie Chicchirichi: wedding planner in Provence

Organizing a wedding at home will cost less

Unless you have a barn or a reception hall at home, receiving between 50 and 200 people at home requires reception logistics : rental of a tent, furniture, lighting, a catering office, toilets, etc.

Article to read : 13 Tips for Planning a Wedding at Home

It is possible to make huge savings by using undeclared people

Obviously, an undeclared person will always be cheaper than a declared professional. A declared professional pays charges, which is not the case for someone who tops up their income with undeclared services. Which also means that there will be no contractual proof of your mutual commitment. No contract, no guaranteeThe risk is that this “Saturday professional” will let you down at the last minute.

Wedding Budget © Two more on the table via Casilda gets married