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The cost of a wedding EXCLUDING hotel costs

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  • 25-08-2015 1:20pm
    #1
    INeedHelp15
    Registered Users Posts: 6 ✭


    I guess this is a 'how long is a piece of string' type question but what are the main costs to a wedding bar hire of the band, DJ and the actual costs of wining and dining guests?

    Has somebody had a wedding recently who can go through the main costs (not looking for exact amounts folk spent) so that I can try and put some sort of budget plan together?


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    #2
    whiskeyman
    Registered Users Posts: 12,564 ✭✭✭✭whiskeyman


    this may help:http://www.mrs2be.ie/wedding-business/irish-wedding-survey-2015/


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    #3
    pooch90
    Registered Users Posts: 2,371 ✭✭✭pooch90


    Our wedding came in at about 20k overall.
    Hotel was 7.5k
    Band,dj,drinks reception 2.2k
    Photographer(engagement shoot,signing board,photo booth,two photographers) 2.2k
    Video 1200
    Wedding dress with alterations & accessories 2k
    Bridesmaids (3) 800 overall (dresses shoes,jewellery
    Hair and make up for 6 was about 500
    Groom bought suit 400ish
    Groomsmen hire,shoes etc 400
    Cake (friends discount) 300
    Spiritualist celebrant 450
    Ceremony venue 200
    Room decor 300

    We didn't have flowers,I handmade button bouquets which ended up being pricey.

    Cant think of what else we had but if u have specific questions ask away!
    There are loads of little bits and pieces that add up quickly.


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    #4
    Pac2015
    Closed Accounts Posts: 186 ✭✭Pac2015


    Our wedding came in at about € 20K with a ceremony in the hotel the breakdown is as follows:

    Hotel with 206 guests € 11,330.00
    Invites € 300.00
    Band € 1800.00 had to haggle on that as prices were going up again.
    Spiritualist ceremony € 275.00
    Dress € 1850.00 this included alterations and a bolero would never spend that much again on a dress.
    Bridesmaids € 762 for 3 dresses
    Buses to and from the venue € 500
    Car for husband to hotel € 110
    Cake € 550.00
    Groom & groomsmen suits € 300 we got a good deal as my husband was local to the area he hired them in.
    Hair € 200 this was for me and my 3 bridesmaids plus my mam and sister in law I used my own hairdresser as I knew she was good.
    Photographer € 400 he was friend and did me a deal but pix were not great
    Make up € 225.00 for me, 3 x bridesmaids, my mam and sister in law we also got a trial done some weeks previous
    Make up trial € 125.00
    Flowers € 250.00 again this was a family friend.

    Most things I haggled or asked friends to do paid them of course but it was cheaper and most were happy to do it.

    Would I have a big wedding like this again NO WAY I wanted Vegas but husband wanted a party for friends and family so I gave in the only bonus to this was that we got around €10,500 in money presents which I know is not what getting married is about for us it was a big party for friends and family and we did party until 7am the next morning.
    The hotel included food after the ceremony, wine at dinner and the room already done.
    Best of luck I hope this helps.


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    #5
    fits
    Registered Users Posts: 13,270 ✭✭✭✭fits


    An example of some expenses and ballpark figures. Some things will be more or less.

    Wedding rings 1000
    Bridal gown 2000
    bridesmaids 200
    Jewellery 100
    Shoes 200
    Grooms suit 600
    Groomsmans suit 400
    Gifts 300
    Flowers 300
    Cake 300
    Ceremony musicians 550
    Band 1500
    dj 300
    Photography 1500
    Invitations 300
    Thank you cards
    stamps 60
    guest book
    programs 120
    celebrant 550
    salon appointments 400
    gratuities 300
    hotel rooms
    contingencies
    transport 300


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    #6
    lollpop
    Registered Users Posts: 159 ✭✭lollpop


    Band & DJ - 2k
    Notification to register intent - 150 (has gone up now)
    Pre marriage course - 200
    Church "Donation" - 200
    Priest & Sacristan "Donation" - 250
    Wedding dress & alternations - 1200
    Bridesmaids dresses - (400 for 2)
    Shoes (Bride, Bridesmaids, Groom) - 250
    Tan/Nails - 100 (Bride & 2 BMs)
    Wedding rings - 600
    Suits (7 in total) - 800
    Flowers - (Bride, bridesmaids, church, buttonholes) - 600
    Photography - 600 (No album)
    Hair - 130 (3 people)
    Makeup - 250 (4 people)
    Cake - 300
    Ceremony Singers - 500
    Invitations (DIY) - 200 including stamps and trial runs
    Mass booklets (DIY) - 30 euro (paper)
    Didn't do transport or favours.


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    #7
    sm213
    Registered Users Posts: 280 ✭✭sm213


    Still planning but so far
    Dress 100
    Shoes 15
    Solemniser 450
    Dj (reception+ ceremony) 450
    Photos 2 family members
    Cake family making
    Invites 20(diy)
    Makeup 150 (6 faces)
    Hair 280 (6)
    Flowers tbc
    Transport not needed
    Grooms suit about 300
    3 bridesmaids 2 doing their own instead of gift.
    Best mans suit and shoes.
    Venue about 2000 for 40ish guests
    Favours are a donation to Irish Autism Action.
    Stamps for invites and rsvps will add up.
    Bridal lingerie costs a bit of you need a decent bra.
    Veil still to get and jewellery for myself and bridal party.
    Wedding rings.
    Think its working out at about 5000 at the moment. Subject to change though :)
    My nanny is paying for a large portion of it as a gift.


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    #8
    sullivk
    Registered Users Posts: 299 ✭✭sullivk


    Ours roughly broke down as follows:

    Reception venue 10k (120 people - this was for full reception and then BBQ next day including all food/drink/parents accommodation)

    Band/dj/reception music 2k
    Flowers 700
    Bridal dress/shoes/veil etc. 1.5k
    Suits 850 (bought, not hired)
    Bridesmaids 350 (3 dresses)
    Flower girls 150 (5 outfits)
    Hair 200
    Make-up 250
    Photographer 750
    Favours 200 (homebrew & homemade jams... Ingredients, jars, bottles etc)
    Invitations 200 (diy)
    Transport 550 (VW camper hired for full weekend)
    Outdoor games hire 300
    Cake 170
    Church organist 220
    Church donation 150
    Church minister gift 150

    To be honest, many of the above expenses are unnecessary and can be avoided.
    It really depends on whether you have the funds available and if it means enough to you to pay for it.
    I certainly wouldn't go getting into debt, luckily we had savings to cover the costs.
    Hope that helps :)


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    #9
    westernlass
    Registered Users Posts: 598 ✭✭✭westernlass


    What's an average bridesmaid dress cost? I paid 300 euro each


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    #10
    eviltwin
    Registered Users Posts: 17,495 ✭✭✭✭eviltwin


    westernlass wrote: »
    What's an average bridesmaid dress cost? I paid 300 euro each

    I got three of them second hand from donedeal. Dresses, bags and wraps were 80 for the lot. They had only been worn once so we're as good as new. I sold them on for 50 euros so in total they cost a tenner each :)


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    #11
    Faith
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,655 Mod ✭✭✭✭Faith


    I bought mine on Etsy for about E40 each. I wouldn't dream of asking for them back to resell them.


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    #12
    emzibob
    Registered Users Posts: 148 ✭✭emzibob


    I paid 120 for my bridesmaid dresses on asos


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    #13
    fits
    Registered Users Posts: 13,270 ✭✭✭✭fits


    And I paid 65 euro as she got it in a sample sale. (great option if you have just one bridesmaid!)


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    #14
    PhoenixParker
    Registered Users Posts: 2,671 ✭✭✭PhoenixParker


    On the bridesmaids dresses, they were free as I didn't have bridesmaids.

    On the OPs original question, a good rule of thumb seems to be that the wedding's total cost will be double what you plan to spend on hotel costs, i.e. the non-hotel costs will roughly equal the hotel costs.
    Obviously that's +/- by a large margin depending on your own personal tastes, but from observation a wedding that has a bigger more expensive reception tends to end up having other aspects more expensive too and vice versa.


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    #15
    John Mason
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 10,661 ✭✭✭✭John Mason


    solemniser €400
    Bar extension €800
    Dress €125
    Suit €100
    Hair and Make up €30
    What's an average bridesmaid dress cost? I paid 300 euro each
    Nothing, they wore their own suit


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    #16
    Extraplus
    Registered Users Posts: 168 ✭✭Extraplus


    westernlass wrote: »
    What's an average bridesmaid dress cost? I paid 300 euro each

    My bridesmaids didn't wear matching dresses, so I just gave them a budget of €150 each and asked themt o pick their own.


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    #17
    stickybookmark
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,186 ✭✭✭stickybookmark


    INeedHelp15 wrote: »
    I guess this is a 'how long is a piece of string' type question but what are the main costs to a wedding bar hire of the band, DJ and the actual costs of wining and dining guests?

    The cost of my wedding bar band, DJ and wining and dining the guests was:
    11-12k

    The big ticket items out of that 11-12k were:
    Photographer 2200
    Videographer: 1100
    Dress: 1200
    music for drinks reception: 650

    The rest was just loads of small things added up like clothes, hair, shoes & make up for the wedding party, hire of ceremony venue & celebrant, flowers, transport, ceremony music, invites, registration fee, decor for the venue, presents for BM & mothers etc ....


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    #18
    stickybookmark
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,186 ✭✭✭stickybookmark


    westernlass wrote: »
    What's an average bridesmaid dress cost? I paid 300 euro each

    I had one BM her dress cost 191 from Coast (she bought it online)


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    #19
    jaja321
    Registered Users Posts: 793 ✭✭✭jaja321


    Just paid 325 each..bit more than I was planning, but they're really lovely. I just have two BMs so it's not too bad.


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