Expert Advice: Nashville Wedding Costs, Cut Your Guest Count + More!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
If you're starting your wedding planning, or if you're currently in the midst of it all, you know all too well that budgeting is/has been a huge headache. How do you figure that number out? What do things usually cost? What amount or portion of that overall budget do you set aside for what item?
Luckily, the wedding planners at StudioWed Nashville recently launched a two-part "how-to" blog series covering what to expect for your Nashville wedding budget that we wanted to share with very Nashville bride!
Enjoy a few excerpts below and be sure to read more...
Image courtesy of PhindyStudios.com
Part One: How To Figure Out Your Budget
With many brides and grooms, one of the first conversations you have as a couple and with your families is How much should we spend on this wedding? If you’re not having this conversation, first and foremost, you should be! Your budget is going to determine the type of venue that you can afford, help you to arrange your priorities, and create a common ground that all parties are comfortable with. Many times brides will worry about setting up a wedding date and finding a location prior to setting a budget, get into a venue that takes up a good percentage of their budget, and then those other priorities are pushed to the back-burner due to a lack of budget remaining. We want you to start of your planning process with knowledge that will help you in this journey:
- Throw the wedding budgets that you see online out the window! Plugging your information into a prepared excel sheet of numbers isn’t going to be able to give you the personalized budget that you need. Your wedding isn’t going to be the same as the next bride and many of these online budget calculators and sheets are giving you a false indication of how much things cost in weddings! If you choose to hire a planner, one of their responsibilities is providing you with a budget, showing you a realistic view of how much things cost in your area, and what is a reasonable and appropriate amount for you to allot per item/category/vendor.
- Prior to the budget discussion, next go on to the tedious task of putting together the guest list. An average wedding in Nashville may cost around $27,000 but that is for approximate 125 – 150 guests. If you are planning to have 250 guests, your wedding may cost a lot more so be sure to take your guest count into consideration. Best advice: Heads =$$$. If you want to reduce your overall wedding costs, you must eliminate guests...
KEEP READING - NASHVILLE WEDDING BUDGETS - PART 1
ABG adds: An example of priorities is "Are you an all-out florals kind of bride? Or would you prefer simpler arrangements at a smaller budget?"
ABG adds: Perhaps specialty lighting is a big deal for you? (Image courtesy of Nashville Event Lighting)
Part Two: What You Can Expect To Pay in Nashville
Wedding Planning services: Month of (or otherwise referred to as day-of) coordination services: $700-$3,200. For partial to full planning services: $2,500-$6,000++. In terms of percentages, expect to allot between 10-20% of your budget for a planner. Brides, see the value in paying a professional, experienced wedding planner/coordinator!
Flowers/Decor elements: For Personal flowers (bouquets, bouts, etc.) you can expect to pay anywhere between $500- $2000 depending on amounts needed (# in bridal party, family, etc.) and for full floral design that includes ceremony flowers, reception flowers, centerpieces, etc. you can expect to pay $1500 – $8,000 or more. If you’re wanting to include lighting, you can expect to spend anywhere between $400-$3,000+ depending on your choices (from simple uplighting to pin spotting to hanging chandeliers, etc.) and the labor involved in them. This also goes for drapery for your space as well. In terms of percentages, expect to allot between 15-25% of your budget for florals, lighting, and drapery, depending on what you choose to incorporate...
KEEP READING - REALISTIC NASHVILLE WEDDING BUDGETS - PART 2
According to Kristin and Mary Alice, expect to allot 15-20% of your budget on decor/floral elements (image courtesy of The Photographix)
Plan to allot 40-60% of your budget on catering (Image courtesy of Down South Delights Catering
About the Author:
Tabitha
Blogging is something I’ve enjoyed doing for years. My interests lie mostly in lifestyle related topics like fashion, style, design, food and weddings. When I heard Ashley was looking to bring on new members to the ABG team, I jumped at the opportunity - I can’t think of a better way to stay involved in weddings than to write about them and to stay in touch with the trends and new ideas. Lucky for me, Ashley likes my blog and trusts my experience to bring me on and so far, it’s been a blast.
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Posted on March 29, 2011 |
Filed under: Advice & Planning,
