Executive Summary- The wedding is a special event in a person’s life. Take care to include these costs in your wedding budget such as postage, tips, priests charges, destination wedding expenses, out of contract expenses and meals for vendors. This will help you not panic at the last moment and be prepared with a complete budget for the wedding.
The wedding day is one of the most special days in an individual’s life. It is an important day for the parents and siblings of the individual too. If you go for a complete wedding with all the rites and rituals and various functions, it is no doubt an expensive affair. I am sure you will prepare a budget and ensure all expenses are listed and make sure you stick to the budget. But a wedding is a big event and it is easy to go overboard with the expenses. You might end up with some unexpected expenses which can be quite a toll on your pocket.
Here is a list of hidden costs that you should include in the budget and plan for them –
1) Postal charges – Are you sending invites via post? Take care of the weight of the card and calculate the amount you have to spend on courier/post.
2) Priests’ charges – You should book the priest in advance if possible. Check what his fees include. If there are multiple wedding ceremonies, check if the cost includes everything. There are lot of things required for the rites. Confirm with the priest what is required, what will he get and what is included in the cost. Check about number of priests and the cost factor. Do not forget to add the dakshina in the budget.
3) Tips – You will have to give tips to waiters, delivery personnel, valets, make-up artists and others. It can go up to a tidy sum. So plan for it in your wedding budget.
4) Photography/Videography – Everybody loves to capture moments of their important days. Photography and videography is important in a wedding. People create websites and have pre-wedding photo shoots and use other ways to record the best moments . Check out which of the methods are relevant to your tastes and wedding conditions and plan accordingly. Before signing the contract, confirm the following –
1) Postal charges – Are you sending invites via post? Take care of the weight of the card and calculate the amount you have to spend on courier/post.
2) Priests’ charges – You should book the priest in advance if possible. Check what his fees include. If there are multiple wedding ceremonies, check if the cost includes everything. There are lot of things required for the rites. Confirm with the priest what is required, what will he get and what is included in the cost. Check about number of priests and the cost factor. Do not forget to add the dakshina in the budget.
3) Tips – You will have to give tips to waiters, delivery personnel, valets, make-up artists and others. It can go up to a tidy sum. So plan for it in your wedding budget.
4) Photography/Videography – Everybody loves to capture moments of their important days. Photography and videography is important in a wedding. People create websites and have pre-wedding photo shoots and use other ways to record the best moments . Check out which of the methods are relevant to your tastes and wedding conditions and plan accordingly. Before signing the contract, confirm the following –
- Number of snaps/ Hours of work
- Number of cameras
- Lighting Equipment
- Number of personnel
5) Vendor meals – When you are counting the number of guests for meals, count the vendors too. There will be people like the mehendi artists, make-up artists, catering staff, guards etc. who may have to be offered food and drinks.
6) Destination Wedding Costs – Some people want a destination wedding which means you get married in a different locale with family and close friends travelling to that place. People choose a fancy resort, to a holiday place like Goa or Phuket or exotic locations like a Caribbean beach or a castle in Europe. A destination wedding has to be carefully planned else costs can spiral up quickly. You should factor in –
6) Destination Wedding Costs – Some people want a destination wedding which means you get married in a different locale with family and close friends travelling to that place. People choose a fancy resort, to a holiday place like Goa or Phuket or exotic locations like a Caribbean beach or a castle in Europe. A destination wedding has to be carefully planned else costs can spiral up quickly. You should factor in –
- Travel fare (you might have to pay for travel fare of parents, siblings, close family members)
- Visa costs if required
- Travel expenses of vendors like photographers, make-up artists etc. if you are planning to make them travel to the wedding destination.
- Accommodation and meal costs.
- Wedding planner costs as it might be difficult for you and your family to plan everything in a place far away from your city.
- Plan for exchange rate fluctuations
- Check the requirements in the country for marriage. There might be some rules.
6) Beauty treatments, Grooming, Diet and Fitness – You want to look your most radiant self on the special day. You might want to join fitness classes, beauty regimen sessions or even dietician and doctor consultations. Factor in the costs, time and effort for these items.
7) Overtime – Some vendors like DJs or bartenders might ask for additional charges if their services are used beyond the contractual time. Factor in these costs in your budget.
A wedding requires lot of planning and organization so that it is a smooth affair. If you plan and execute the budget properly, you will not be looking for cash at the last minute.
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