#1.5 - Let's be realistic for a minute.

So assuming you’ve heeded the advice we gave in the last blog – which I bet 90% of you haven’t and have followed something along the lines of ‘My wedding isn’t going to be expensive I know how to do things cheaply AND look good’ still in your 'TBM' - we’re going to look at hiring professional services and how they fit into our budgets. If you are one of those cash savvy brides (or grooms) who have said you know how to keep things inexpensive, read on for an eye opener. If you’re already aware of how expensive things can get, skip to the next blog.

We all love to imagine things are going to happen much cheaper than they realistically will.

Weddings need five things:
1. A couple to be married.
2. A celebrant or priest to marry the couple.
3. Food and beverages (whether it’s cocktail or sit down your guests need to be satiated).
4. Special clothing (unless you’re the t-shirt and jeans kind of bride, then by all means raid your wardrobe).
5. Rings. (Or some other symbolic evidence of your marriage.)

It can be argued that number five isn’t necessary, but in today’s society, no wedding band generally means that particular person is available.

The five things we have listed are for the simplest wedding imaginable. No professional photographer, no make-up service and no hairdresser, it’s purely DIY. Picture a close-knit ceremony of only 25; you’re supplying beverages on ice yourself at a relative’s lush private gardens. A small events catering company is treating your guests to canapés.  You’re playing music from the surround sound and your relatives provided the marquee they already had for shade. 

Now prepare for a longwinded explanation on the details of each.  

1. You and your partner are the two most important pieces of your day. Budget aside this must be remembered, because you are celebrating you and the commitment you are making to one another. Your love comes at no cost – until you add the material things.

2. Celebrants vary in prices depending on the services you want them to provide. For a low key garden wedding they will charge fuel costs, the costs of all your paperwork (confirm this with them first) and their professional services fee. Budget $1,000.00 for your celebrant.

 3. For a small function catering prices tend to go up as caterers need to cover both the costs of food, staff labour, preparation time and make a profit for the business. For a cocktail, small key wedding, you are still looking at around $70pp. On ice you will need beer, wine, soft drink and water. A slab of 24 beers is on average $36.00, an inexpensive (but still delicious) bottle of wine can range up to $25 with four glasses from each. If your wedding celebrations are going to go for five hours that’s generally three drinks per person every hour. Realistically I don’t know anyone who holds onto a glass of wine for more than twenty minutes and Australians tend to get better at drinking when the cost is on someone else so we’ll account for four drinks for the hour.

Depending on your male to female ratio and who prefers what your quantities of each will change but for this exercise we’ll split it down the middle. Twelve slabs of beer will give you 288 beers. Between 13 people that is 22 drinks each or 4.4 drinks per hour.  50 bottles of wine will give you 200 glasses, between 12 people that is 16 glasses each or 3.3 per hour. Confused yet? If your wedding party are not big drinkers you can cut this down considerably – this is where a wedding planner would assist greatly; it is always better to over cater slightly than to under cater at all. Leftover beverages will always be used – or arrange with your supplier to return unused slabs with a receipt. 

On top of the twelve slabs of beer and fifty bottles of wine, you have soft drink and water. For a low-budget wedding tap water and ice with slices of lemon or lime is recommended. You can generally pick up bottles of 2L soft drink on special of $10 for four with about six glasses in each. The amount of soft drink depends entirely on your guests. Most will only drink the alcoholic beverages, but if you have children or non-drinkers, your soft drink quantities will rise. Serving jugs for water and soft drink can be picked up in two dollar shops anywhere. You will need at least four to avoid constant refilling.

You will need ice to keep your beverages cold and accessible and tubs to place them in. Aim for four again. For five hours, depending on the weather, you are looking at approximately two bags per tub per hour. So eight bags per hour or forty bags in total.

Totals of your minimalistic catering budget are this:
25 persons at $70.00ea for catering = $1,750.00
12 slabs of beer at $36.00 = $432.00
50 bottles of wine at $25.00 = $1,250.00
8 bottles of soft drink on special = $20.00
Water jugs at $2 ea (four for water, four for soft drink) = $16.00
40 bags of ice at $3.50 per bag = $140.00
Four plastic tubs at $7.00ea = $28.00

Your low-key food and beverage service totals $3,616.00. Remember on top of that you will need glass hire for wine glasses, or purchase them for $10.00 in sets of four from somewhere like K-Mart.

4. Clothing is often the most extravagant piece of any bridal party but it doesn’t have to be – quality seamstresses don’t always charge large amounts. To buy a dress that’s too big and have it altered will be considerably cheaper than having one made as there is no need to source fabric or cut out patterns. Hiring suits will be more cost effective than buying.

If your maid of honour and groomsman are buying their own suit and dress then the cost is minimalized. Suit hire for a groom with shirt, vest, tie or bow tie, pants and jacket will usually cost $500.00. If your groom is wearing his own suit you will save again. Budget $1,000.00 for your dress and $150.00 for your veil if you are having one. In total, budget $1,650.00 here and be prepared to shop around. Online sites, such as http://www.stillwhite.com.au are amazing for inexpensive, beautiful second-hand dresses.

5. The ring you and your partner choose for one another is entirely your decision. Budget at least $800.00 for each, totaling $1,600.00. Anything below that won’t be the quality you need to last the lifetime you look forward to spending together.

So in total your inexpensive wedding still comes to $7,866.00. That price is assuming you do not send out paper invites or RSVP cards and contact everyone in person or via telephone. Going back to our budget, if you’re putting $140.00 away a week that’s still just over 12 months of saving for your big day.

Next blog:  Important Decision #2: the Professionals.

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Way to Wed.