My Wedding Budget Breakdown

I admit it, I’m nosy. I scoured the internet searching for real-life examples of wedding costs while trying to create my wedding budget. I turned up empty-handed for the most part, so today I’d like to share with you what my wedding budget really looked like after the big day was over. I hope this helps illustrate that brides can really choose to allocate their money to any part(s) of the budget they deem most important – you’ll see that a great photographer and reception expenses (such as food and drink) were the most important to me. Enjoy my wedding budget breakdown!

(Note: My wedding took place in Richmond, Virginia in 2011.)

Item	Amount
Photographer deposit and final payment	$5,145.00
Hotel for reception – alcohol, food, room, etc.	$18,090.00
Hair and make-up for bride, bridesmaids, mom	$975.00
Flowers (cake, bouquets, blooms for tables)	$1,010.12
Ikea – 17 lanterns for centerpieces in reception	$142.62
Linens, chargers, overlays, napkins (rental)	$1,031.38
DJ	$1,250.00
Address labels (quantity: 300)	$12.90
Stamps for Save the Date cards (with some leftover)	$43.00
Wedding dress plus alterations	$1,872.70
Birdcage for cards	$33.00
Small picture frames for table numbers (quantity: 14)	$60.00
Harpist for ceremony	$325.00
Cake and cake stand rental	$657.00
Fuchsia wedding shoes	$79.95
Groom’s wedding band	$209.99
Flip flops (quantity: 12) for reception	$34.92
Ben Franklin (ribbon, sharpies, shoe size tag paper)	$20.63
Wedding invitations	$476.00
Invitation postage	$86.88
Oriental Trading – 13 dozen place card holders	$52.00
Cubic zirconia earrings	$98.00
35 rehearsal dinner invitations	$48.00
Cake to-go boxes to place at guests’ seats	$18.88
Groom’s tux rental	$166.00
14 pillar candles, gift bags, tissue paper	$40.00
Groomsmen gifts (money clips and gift bag fillers)	$371.95
Rehearsal dinner invitation postage	$22.00
Bridesmaid gifts	$608.00
Garter	$15.00
Donation to officiant/church	$350.00
	$33,345.92