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Before you do anything else you must come up with a wedding budget. What is the maximum you are willing to spend for everything in the wedding? … not just the food and the venue and the DJ but I mean EVERYTHING! Yes, that includes save-the-dates, bridesmaid / groomsmen gifts, favors, your dress, the tux rental, etc. Most people leave out all of the "little" items when creating a budget and do not realize that is adds up very quickly! All of those "little things" could be a couple thousands of dollars !! While there are ways to save on those items, we still want to include them in your total wedding budget.

WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM DOLLAR AMOUNT YOU ARE WILLING TO SPEND TOWARD YOUR WEDDING?

This question may not be as easy as you think, so first we need to think of who will be paying. Are your parents going to help out? Will you and your fiance be paying yourself? Will aunts, uncles, and friends be pitching in? Talk to everyone who is going to be part of the planning process and together, come up with an amount that you will not be going over.

You may be thinking, "Well, I just want to check out some avenues first to see how much money I am going to need first." Sorry but that is not going to work. Prices range from $ 35 per person to $ 350 dollars per person depending on the income and let's be real, you are not going to magically come up with enough money to feed 500 guests at $ 350 dollars person … at least most of us aren ' t. And here is the thing, brides get the most overwhelmed when they continue to go on venue tours weekend after weekend Just to find that the 25 avenues they have seen are all out of their budget after all. That is just a waste of your time and the Catering Manager's time and realistically, is one of the top reasons brides get overwhelmed and want to call it quits! So just trust me on this one – come up with a budget and only tour routes that are within the range of your budget.

Now you ask, "How am I supposed to know if the terms are within budget?" I am going to provide you with that too! Typically, your venue budget including the venue rental, food, and beverage is going to be about 40-50% of your TOTAL wedding budget. And when you see pricing for a term, they are not including tax and service charge (which is generally about 20%). For example, you see a venue with a price per person of $ 40 … now that really means you are realistically going to end up in the $ 50 or more range when you add tax and service charge in there. So, without having to do this math each and every time, and amazing company called Ever Ever ( http://www.everafter.com ) has a budget calculator that will allow you to see your price per person budget before tax and service charge aka the published venue price. The link is below:

http://www.everafter.com/wedding-budget-calculator

Now that we know how much money you are able to spend at your venue, let's take a look at a more in-depth budgeting calculator. And I am very sorry, but you are going to have to do the math on this one! Below is a range of what each item is going to cost you, and these ranges are just general guidelines. From this, I would sit down with your fiance and write out your budget for each item so you make sure there are no surprises when it comes time to pay these bills 🙂

VIDEOGRAPHY
• Main Video: $ 600- $ 4,000
• Titles (edited into video): $ 50- $ 300
• Extra Hours: $ 35- $ 150 (per hour)
• Photo Montage: $ 60- $ 300
• Extra Copies: $ 15- $ 50

STATIONARY
• Invitations: $ 0.75- $ 6
• Response Cards: $ 0.40- $ 1
• Reception Cards: $ 0.40- $ 1
• Ceremony Cards: $ 0.40- $ 1
• Pew Cards: $ 0.25- $ 1
• Seating / Place Cards: $ 0.25- $ 1
• Rain Cards (alternate location for bad weather): $ 0.25- $ 1
• Maps: $ 0.50- $ 1
• Ceremony Programs: $ 0.75- $ 3
• Announcements: $ 0.75- $ 2
• Thank You Notes: $ 0.40- $ 0.75
• Stamps: $ 0.40- $ 1
• Calligraphy: $ 0.50- $ 3
• Napkins / Matchbooks: $ 0.50- $ 1.50

RECEPTION
• Reception Site Fee: $ 300- $ 5,000
• Hors D'Oeuvres: $ 3- $ 20 (per person)
• Main Meal / Cater: $ 20- $ 100 (per person)
• Liquor / Beverages: $ 8- $ 35 (per person)
• Bartending / Bar Set-Up Fee: $ 75- $ 500
• Corkage Fee: $ 5- $ 20 per bottle
• Fee to Pour Coffee: $ 0.25- $ 1 (per person)
• Service Providers' Meals: $ 10- $ 30 (per person)
• Gratuity: 15-25%
• Party Favors: $ 1- $ 25 (per person)
• Disposable Cameras: $ 4- $ 20 (per camera)
• Rose Petals / Rice: $ 0.35- $ 2
• Parking / Valet: $ 3- $ 10 per car

MUSIC
• Ceremonial Music: $ 100- $ 900
• Reception Music: $ 500- $ 5,000

BAKERY
• Wedding Cake: $ 2- $ 12 (per piece)
• Groom's Cake: $ 1- $ 2 (per piece)
• Cake Delivery / Set-Up Fee: $ 40- $ 100
• Cake Cutting Fee: $ 0.75- $ 2.50 (per person)
• Cake Top (figurines, flowers, etc): $ 20- $ 150
• Cake Knife: $ 15- $ 120
• Toasting Glasses: $ 10- $ 100

RENTAL ITEMS
• Bridal Slip: $ 25- $ 75
• Ceremony Accessories: $ 100- $ 500
• Aisle Runner, Kneeling Pillow, Arch, Chuppah
• Tent / Canopy: $ 300- $ 5,000
• Dance Floor: $ 100- $ 600
• Tables / Chairs: $ 3- $ 10 (per person)
• Linen / Tableware $ 3- $ 25 (per person)
• Heaters: $ 25- $ 75
• Lanterns: $ 6- $ 60 (per lamp)

GIFTS
• Bride's Gift: $ 50- $ 500
• Groom's Gift: $ 50- $ 500
• Bridesmaids Gifts: $ 25- $ 200 (per gift)
• Ushers' Gifts: $ 25- $ 200 (per gift)

PARTIES
• Bridesmaids' Luncheon: $ 12- $ 60 (per person)
• Rehearsal Dinner: $ 10- $ 100 (per person)

MISCELLANEOUS
• Newspaper Announcements: $ 40- $ 100 (depending on size)
• Marriage License: $ 20- $ 100
• Prenuptial Agreement: $ 500- $ 3,000
• Bridal Gown Preservation: $ 100- $ 250
• Bridal Bouquet Preservation: $ 100- $ 500

FLOWERS
• Bride's Bouquet: $ 75- $ 400
• Tossing Bouquet: $ 20- $ 100
• Maid of Honor's Bouquet: $ 25- $ 100
• Bridesmaids; Bouquets: $ 25- $ 100 (each)
• Maid of Honor / Bridesmaids' Hairpiece: $ 8- $ 100
• Flower Girl's Hairpiece: $ 8- $ 75
• Bride's Going Away Corsage: $ 10- $ 50
• Family Members' Corsages: $ 10- $ 30
• Groom's Boutonniere: $ 4- $ 25
• Ushers / Other Family members' Boutonnieres: $ 3- $ 15
• Main Altar: $ 50- $ 3,000
• Altar Candelabra: $ 50- $ 200
• Aisle Pews: $ 5- $ 75
• Reception Site Flowers: $ 300- $ 3,000
• Head Table: $ 100- $ 600
• Guest Tables: $ 10- $ 100
• Buffet Table: $ 50- $ 500
• Punch Table: $ 10- $ 100
• Cake Table: $ 30- $ 300
• Cake: $ 20- $ 100
• Floral Delivery / Set-Up: $ 25- $ 200

CEREMONY
• Site Fee: $ 100- $ 1,000
• Officiant's fee: $ 100- $ 500
• Officiant's Gratuity: $ 50- $ 250
• Guestbook: $ 30- $ 100
• Ring Bearer Pillow: $ 15- $ 75
• Flower Girl Basket: $ 20- $ 75

ATTIRE
• Bridal Gown: $ 500- $ 10,000
• Alterations: $ 75- $ 500
• Headpiece / Veil: $ 60- $ 500
• Gloves: $ 15- $ 100
• Jewelry: $ 60- $ 2,000
• Garter: $ 15- $ 60
• Shoes: $ 50- $ 500
• Hairdresser: $ 50- $ 250 (per person)
• Makeup Artist: $ 30- $ 150 (per person)
• Manicure / Pedicure: $ 15- $ 75 (per person)
• Groom's Formal Wear: $ 60- $ 200

PHOTOGRAPHY
• Bride and Groom Album: $ 900- $ 9,000
• Parents' Album: $ 100- $ 600
• Extra Prints:
â-|5×7: $ 5- $ 20
â-|8×10: $ 15- $ 30
â-|11×14: $ 30- $ 100
• Proofs / Previews: $ 100- $ 600
• Negatives / Digital Files: $ 100- $ 800
• Engagement Photograph: $ 75- $ 300
• Formal Bridal Portrait: $ 75- $ 300

TIPPING GUIDELINES:
• Banquet Manager: 15-20% of reception bill
• Captain or Maitre d ': 15-20%
• Wait Staff: $ 20 each (maitre d 'will distribute for you)
• Bartenders: $ 25- $ 40 each
• Restroom / Coatroom Attendees: 50 cents- $ 1 per guest
• Valets: 50 cents – $ 1 per car (or arrange gratuity with management)
• Limo Driver: 15-20% of total bill (to distribute between them)
• Delivery Driver (s) (flowers, cake, etc): $ 10 each
• DJ / Band Members: $ 20- $ 25 each
• Hairstylist / Makeup Artist: 15-20% of bill

I hope all of this helps and make sure this is your first step before you so anything else in regards to the wedding.

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Source by Jennifer Hallak