UNEXPECTED WEDDING COSTS
Wedding expenses add up fast! Here are a few unexpected wedding expenses some of my brides came across and I wanted to give you a heads up in advance so you can prepare and budget for the unexpected.
OK, so you found the perfect venue which has an ideal outdoor space for your ceremony, and an indoor space tailored to your reception vision. Many brides believe that they can rent chairs for the ceremony and re-purpose them for the reception. However, some venues have strict policies on what type of chairs are allowed in their space.
For example, some will only allow rubber bottomed chairs inside to protect their floors. If they won't let you re-use the same chairs for ceremony and reception, it could cost you double the amount for rental chairs.
Questions to ask your venue to mitigate this unexpected expense:
- Does the venue provide their own chairs for special occasions?
- Do you have regulations on what chairs can be used inside?
- Are we allowed to use the same chairs both outside and inside? (Make sure you have a game plan on who would be responsible for moving the chairs outside to inside)
- Which rental companies does the venue recommend?
Anyone planning an outdoor ceremony or reception prays for good weather. Unfortunately, Mother Nature often has different plans for us. Tent companies usually need to know whether you need to add tent flaps to your order 3-4 days in advance of your event. They can cost upwards of $900, depending on the size of your tent. Flaps with "windows" are generally pricier than plain white panels.
How to prepare for this unexpected wedding cost:
- Budget for this expense in advance.
- Ask your tent rental company for the cost of adding tent flaps.
- What different style flaps does the vendor have in their inventory?
- What are the price differences for the different panels?
- How many days in advance do you need to make the call?
How to make the call on whether or not you need tent flaps:
- Your overall goal is to keep your wedding guests comfortable and happy. Do you think they will be too cold that they would leave early?
- How heavy is the rain/wind expected to be?
- Remember that your table array is pre-planned and tailored to the tent space. In the case of rain, there is only so much room in which to squeeze the tables away from the entrances.
Did you know that depending on how heavy your stationery is, it may require more than one postage stamp to send it in the mail? I would hate for you to stamp all of your invites, pop them in the mail, and THEN figure out that they have a big return to sender stamp on it.
Ways to avoid this unexpected cost: Go to the post office in person and have them weigh one of your invitations. They will tell you if one or more stamps will do the trick.
Quick Tip: You are going to be using stamps for your save the dates, invitations, response cards, and thank you notes. Buy them in bulk. They will come in handy... I promise! Hey, you never know when the postal service will increase the price!
Photography Credits: Iliasis Muniz Photography, Craig John Photography, Rogue Images Photography, Dyanna Joy Photography
