Timeline & Budget
How Much Does A Wedding Cost?
Four couples were willing to share their budgets to help you make your own smart money-spending decisions. The key? Splurging on what's important to you (and downgrading on the sly).
Photos: Christine Farah
Priority: Venue
Lucia & Phil, Villa Del Sol, Fullerton, CA, 250 guests
"We originally wanted a destination wedding in Hawaii or Mexico, but it would've been too much to ask our large families to travel there," says Lucia. "Instead, we found a venue with a destination-wedding ambiance, so guests would still feel like they were taking an unforgettable journey with us."
The Budget
Reception site fee and catering
$12,465 - 48% of total budget
"Villa Del Sol had the island-like atmosphere we were looking for. To enhance the reception's destination feel, we asked Café Hidalgo to create a travel-inspired menu incorporating the cuisines of Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil."
Ceremony site fee and officiant
$0 - St. Barbara Catholic Church, the bride's childhood parish
Photography
$4,000 - Christine Farah
Gown
$1,200 - La Sposa
Alterations
$150
Veil
$100 - Crowning Glory Designs
Accessories
$230 - Purse, floral hair accessory, and bolero from Etsy
Shoes
$80 - Jeffrey Campbell
Hair and makeup
$1,000 - For Lucia, her mother, and her four bridesmaids
Groom's attire
$300 - Express
Attendant gifts
$500 - Hairpins, mirrors, and personalized gold necklaces for the bridesmaids; clutch from Etsy for the maid of honor; ties for the groomsmen
Stationery
$900
"I made all the wedding stationery myself through my graphic design studio, D*lsh Design."
Flowers
$2,306 - Green Leaf Designs
Ceremony décor
$50 - Assorted candles
Reception décor
$500 - Vases and candles from Ikea; fabric for the cake table; cake topper from Etsy; world map for the escort-card table; paper for the escort cards
Music
$1,325 - Six hours of DJ service
Rentals
$700 - Café lights and uplighting
Cake
$0 - Gift from a friend of the bride
Total
$38,319
- Keywords:
- wedding budgets,
- real brides,
- real grooms
