We all know weddings are expensive; according to costsofwedding.com, the average cost of a wedding in the United States is currently $26,720. Thankfully in the age of Pinterest and DIY blogs, brides are being thriftier and getting more bang for their buck. However, no matter how well you plan and how many corners you cut, there are always unexpected expenses that pop up. Sometimes, these hidden costs can hurt your wallet the most because you have to come up with the extra money on the spot, which is why you should always allocate little extra money in your budget for surprises! Here are a few hidden wedding costs you might not expect but should be prepared for.
Stationary
While invitations seem like a safe purchase, they can start to get expensive when you start adding all of the little details. Laser cutting designs onto paper or adding any additional adornments can get costly. Oversized, uniquely shaped or even square invitations, automatically jack up the postage cost, and who wants to blow their budget in stamps?
Dress Alterations
While some bridal salons offer a flat fee for alterations, other boutiques might charge per alteration. That means every cinch, tuck and hemline adjustment will be added onto your bill; this becomes even more costly if your dress has elaborate beading or boning. Don’t forget undergarments and shapewear, the right strapless bra for your dress might tack on more than a few dollars.
The Bachelorette Party
The popularity of the girl squad has only fueled the need for an elaborate bachelorette party, so bridal parties are going all out with glamourous getaways and extravagant events. Between transportation, hotel accommodations, activities, and outfits, you might be spending some serious money for the bachelorette party, especially if you’re covering the bride’s costs too.
Gifts
For a lot of brides, the wedding wouldn’t have happened without the help of family and friends! All the time spent helping with the planning and day of execution, asking your cousin to take an emergency trip to the store for bobby pins 20 minutes before the wedding, should be acknowledged. The gift giving might also be symbolic if you’re trying to give something special to your new in-laws and celebrate the blending of your families.
Flowers
If you’re not too familiar with weddings, you might get a bit of sticker shock when you find out how expensive flowers are. All of those gorgeous overflowing bouquets and flower walls are not cheap. According to WeddingStats.org, the average cost of wedding flowers for a bride in 2015 was around $2,000 The good news is you can still have beautiful blooms at your wedding, without blowing your budget. You can spend less than half of what you would at a florist by creating your arrangements with DIY flowers.
Danielle K. Gonzalez
Danielle's sense of style and seeing trending wedding changes helps her guide Blooms By The Box customers with their wedding flower selections.
