There’s no getting around it… weddings can cost a lot of money. Prices can easily jump by thousands (or hundreds of thousands) of dollars once you start factoring in lavish locations, higher guest counts, additional events, and working with luxury vendors. To-be-weds are often in the dark about the real cost of weddings when they start the planning process, and are easily taken aback by the steep fees that come with saying “I do.” But the budget of an event doesn’t have to dictate its beauty—some of our favorite weddings we have featured on Vogue have cost well below $100,000, even as others run into the millions.
There is a long overdue need for greater price transparency in the wedding space—especially as many couples find themselves overwhelmed and over budget as they craft their special day. To help give you a little insight into what weddings actually cost, we asked former couples who have had their weddings featured in Vogue over the last two years to anonymously reveal their real wedding budgets and reflect on the money they spent. From their thorough spreadsheets, we pulled out some key details to show just what it costs to celebrate in style.
Ahead, see the real costs of a Vogue wedding.
A Mexico Wedding Weekend
Total Budget: $537,230
- Guest Count: 245
- Additional Events Held: Rehearsal Dinner and Welcome Party
- Planner: $74,107
- Photography: $53,600
- Videography: $21,350
- Florals: Gifted
- Reception Venue Fee: $42,000
- Reception Food and Beverage: $91,381
- Fashion: $27,852 with gifted bridal dresses
- Hair and Makeup: $9,075
- Invitations: $8,537
- Weekend Entertainment: $46,500
- Wedding Lighting: $32,175
This couple began wedding planning with a clear idea of their budget and vision. But even though they have connections to the wedding industry through their work, they were met with a wake-up call at their first planner interview. “They were very stern and upfront about what our vision would actually require, and at the time, I found their reaction a little off-putting,” says one of the couple. “Looking back, though, I understand—and luckily we ended up with a planner who was willing to work with us and let the budget evolve as we made decisions and understood our priorities more clearly.”
Two priorities when it came to the budget for the couple were photography and entertainment. “I knew exactly how I wanted the day to be captured and what photo style I was after,” says one member of the couple. An expense that added up more than expected was lighting. “I genuinely did not even know lighting was going to be its own line item, let alone one of the larger ones. I had no idea how much it contributed to the overall design and feeling of the room, but once I saw it come together, I understood,” they share. Luckily, thanks to their industry connections, they were able to reduce spend slightly with a few gifted items.
Reflecting on the weekend, the couple says it was all worth it: “It was incredibly special to throw such a fun, meaningful party for our loved ones. It was the first time in decades that some of our family members had all been together, and sadly, the last time for a few as well. We would never trade those memories.”
