Hidden Expenses While Planning a Wedding
Photo by: Jenna Marie Photography
When it comes to wedding planning, it's really easy to set aside what the photographer is charging, the wedding planner and the catering costs. Those are concrete numbers, and something you expect to pay as part of your wedding planning. Heck they tell you to in every single wedding planning binder known. BUT I'm here to tell you a couple things unexpected expenses you'll find while wedding planning. Plus, I made a downloadable hidden expenses sheet with EVEN MORE on it you can keep for your planning endeavors!
Postage
Yep, postage. Stamps add up, as most know when you innocently head to the post office to grab a roll thinking it could not be more than $20 and shell out $100 instead. Not only does the postage on your wedding invitations add up, but if you decide to use paper RSVP cards and provide the mail back option for guests. That postage is a sneaky expense.
Taxes
dun Dun DUN! Taxes! There are various amounts of taxes that go into each category. There is gratuity/tax for the venue rental and catering groups. If you use bigger floral companies, they will usually add a gratuity because there will be different groups of people helping set up. And if you use a credit card to pay for services or vendors, some will add a service charge to cover credit card transaction fees. Plus some taxes aren't included, but you will still have to tip your vendors. Here's an easy tipping cheat sheet so you can budget out how much to save.
Custom Items
This seems very obvious, but when you think about how many different details you want custom made...cocktail napkins, wine labels for bridesmaids ask gifts, signage and more...again, the money starts to add up. If you're on a strict budget, prioritize what you really want and what you can DIY or do without. If you're mostly hoping not to be surprised by the price tag for the entire wedding, keep a working document of every cost.
All and all, have a contingency fund. Be aware of ALL the hidden expenses, which you can find on my downloadable hidden expenses sheet, and save a little bit each day leading up to the wedding. You'll be surprised by how much you can stuff under your mattress to use on the little things.