As I repeat throughout this blog, we were totally frugal in
our efforts to have a nice, simple and tasteful wedding.
I wanted to do a comparison of the "typical" NJ
wedding vs. our budget NJ wedding and what
you can save on/eliminate in the interest of keeping wedding costs down.
So here is a breakdown of each aspect of the standard NJ
wedding. Under each heading, first you'll see the costs of what the average NJ
bride and groom spend. Then below it you'll see what we spent (or opted to NOT
spend at all) on our wedding.
Hope this gives you some good ideas of how much you can
chisel off the total cost of your NJ wedding, simply by being practical and
sticking to the essentials!
Attire
AVERAGE NJ WEDDING:
Bride accessories: $367 to $569
Groom accessories: $193 to $300
Groom suit/tux: $265 to $412
Hair/makeup service: $193 to $300
Headpiece/veil: $344 to $534
Wedding dress: $1,524 to $2,367
Groom accessories: $193 to $300
Groom suit/tux: $265 to $412
Hair/makeup service: $193 to $300
Headpiece/veil: $344 to $534
Wedding dress: $1,524 to $2,367
Attire Total: $2,886
to $4,482
OUR WEDDING:
Bride undergarments: $100 (bought imitation Spanx at JC
Penney)
Groom accessories: 0
Groom suit/tux: $120
Hair/makeup: 0 (Friend helped with makeup and hair)
Veil: $30 (purchased on Etsy.com)
Shoes: $40 (Etsy.com)
Wedding Dress: $248 (Ebay.com)
Alterations: $100 (local seamstress)
Child's suit: $30 (Ebay)
Child's shoes: $15 (Ebay)
Attire Total: $683.00
Ceremony:
AVERAGE NJ WEDDING:
Ceremony accessories: $215 to $334
Ceremony decorations: $640 to $994
Ceremony location: $748 to $1,162
Officiate/pastor/priest: $268 to $417
Rehearsal dinner: $1,453 to $2,257
Ceremony decorations: $640 to $994
Ceremony location: $748 to $1,162
Officiate/pastor/priest: $268 to $417
Rehearsal dinner: $1,453 to $2,257
Ceremony Total:
$3,324 to $5,164
OUR WEDDING:
Ceremony deco: $50 (We had minimal decor – just the arch)
Ceremony location/chair setup/runner: $500
Officiate/pastor/priest: $400
Rehearsal dinner: $0 (We opted to NOT have a rehearsal dinner)
Ceremony location/chair setup/runner: $500
Officiate/pastor/priest: $400
Rehearsal dinner: $0 (We opted to NOT have a rehearsal dinner)
Ceremony Total: $950
Music/Entertainment
AVERAGE NJ WEDDING:
Ceremony/reception band: $2,184 to $3,392
Ceremony/reception DJ: $834 to $1,295
Ceremony/reception musicians: $688 to $1,068
Ceremony/reception DJ: $834 to $1,295
Ceremony/reception musicians: $688 to $1,068
Entertainment Total:
$3,706 to $5,755
OUR WEDDING:
Ceremony/reception band: $2,900
Ceremony/reception DJ: included in above
Ceremony/reception musicians: $0 (We had friends perform our chamber music in lieu of a wedding gift)
Ceremony/reception DJ: included in above
Ceremony/reception musicians: $0 (We had friends perform our chamber music in lieu of a wedding gift)
Entertainment Total:
$2,900
Flowers:
AVERAGE NJ WEDDING:
Boutonnieres/corsages: $203 to $316
Bride bouquet: $174 to $270
Bridesmaid bouquets: $278 to $431
Ceremony flowers: $497 to $772
Flower girl flowers: $56 to $87
Reception flowers: $1,122 to $1,742
Bride bouquet: $174 to $270
Bridesmaid bouquets: $278 to $431
Ceremony flowers: $497 to $772
Flower girl flowers: $56 to $87
Reception flowers: $1,122 to $1,742
Flowers Total: $2,330
to $3,618
OUR WEDDING:
Boutonnieres/corsages: $0 (We did not have these at all)
Bride bouquet: $0 (Maid of honor put together bouquet from her family greenhouse flowers)
Bridesmaid bouquets: $0 (Only had maid of honor and best man to keep costs down)
Ceremony flowers: $0
Flower girl flowers: $0
Reception flowers: $0
Bride bouquet: $0 (Maid of honor put together bouquet from her family greenhouse flowers)
Bridesmaid bouquets: $0 (Only had maid of honor and best man to keep costs down)
Ceremony flowers: $0
Flower girl flowers: $0
Reception flowers: $0
Flowers Total: $0
Gifts
AVERAGE NJ WEDDING:
Gifts for attendant: $541 to $841
Gifts for each other: $436 to $678
Gifts for parents: $192 to $298
Gifts and Favors Total: $1,169 to $1,817
Gifts for each other: $436 to $678
Gifts for parents: $192 to $298
Gifts and Favors Total: $1,169 to $1,817
OUR WEDDING:
Gifts for attendant: $0
Gifts for each other: $0 (Who does this??)
Gifts for parents: $0 (We technically still owe our parents a nice dinner out as a thank-you!)
Gifts for each other: $0 (Who does this??)
Gifts for parents: $0 (We technically still owe our parents a nice dinner out as a thank-you!)
Gifts and Favors
Total: $250
Invitations and
Other Mailings
AVERAGE NJ WEDDING:
Bridal shower invitations: $115 to $179
Guestbook: $56 to $87
Invitations & reply cards: $50.00
Personal stationery: $154 to $240
Save the date cards: $188 to $293
Thank you cards: $101 to $156
Guestbook: $56 to $87
Invitations & reply cards: $50.00
Personal stationery: $154 to $240
Save the date cards: $188 to $293
Thank you cards: $101 to $156
Invitations and
Stationery Total: $1,103 to $1,714
OUR WEDDING:
Bridal shower invitations: $0 (I did not have a bridal
shower)
Guestbook: $0 (No guest book at our wedding)
Invitations & reply cards: $50 (ordered online)
Personal stationery: $0
Save the date cards: $0 (Did not have these)
Thank you cards: $20?? (Purchased at Staples)
Guestbook: $0 (No guest book at our wedding)
Invitations & reply cards: $50 (ordered online)
Personal stationery: $0
Save the date cards: $0 (Did not have these)
Thank you cards: $20?? (Purchased at Staples)
Postage: $100.00
Invitations and
Stationery Total: $170.00
Rings
AVERAGE NJ WEDDING:
Engagement ring: $5,271 to $8,187
Her ring: $1,063 to $1,652
His ring: $749 to $1,164
Her ring: $1,063 to $1,652
His ring: $749 to $1,164
Jewelry Total: $7,083
to $11,003
OUR WEDDING:
Engagement ring: $0 (My ring was passed down from husband's
grandmother)
Her ring: $200.00 (Found antique wedding band on Ebay)
His ring: $300.00 (Had his ring crafted at local jeweler)
Her ring: $200.00 (Found antique wedding band on Ebay)
His ring: $300.00 (Had his ring crafted at local jeweler)
Earrings for Her: $50
Jewelry Total: $550.00
Honeymoon
AVERAGE NJ WEDDING:
Honeymoon: $4,244 to $6,592
Bridal consultant/planner: $1,525 to $2,368
Honeymoon/Planning
Total: $5,769 to $8,960
OUR WEDDING:
Honeymoon: $0 (We did not take a honeymoon after our
wedding)
Bridal consultant/planner: $0 (No wedding planner)
Bridal consultant/planner: $0 (No wedding planner)
Honeymoon/Planning
Total: $0
Photography
AVERAGE NJ WEDDING:
Photographer: $2,328 to $3,615
Videographer: $1,691 to $2,627
Videographer: $1,691 to $2,627
Photographer/Videographer
Total: $4,019 to $6,242
OUR WEDDING:
Photographer: $600.00 (Found our guy on Craigslist)
Videographer: $0 (Did not video our wedding)
Videographer: $0 (Did not video our wedding)
Photographer/Videographer
Total: $600.00
Reception
AVERAGE NJ WEDDING:
Reception beverages/bartender: $2,537 to $3,940
Bride/groom hotel: $319 to $495
Cake: $613 to $953
Cake knife set: $49 to $76
Cake topper: $47 to $73
Reception decorations/centerpieces: $1,225 to $1,904
Favors: $409 to $635
Reception food service: $8,637 to $13,415
Reception location: $2,808 to $4,362
Reception rentals: $1,257 to $1,953
Bride/groom hotel: $319 to $495
Cake: $613 to $953
Cake knife set: $49 to $76
Cake topper: $47 to $73
Reception decorations/centerpieces: $1,225 to $1,904
Favors: $409 to $635
Reception food service: $8,637 to $13,415
Reception location: $2,808 to $4,362
Reception rentals: $1,257 to $1,953
Reception Total:
$17,901 to $27,806
OUR WEDDING:
Reception including food and service: $11,250.00 (November
day wedding at Somerville Elks with buffet dinner and open bar)
Reception beverages/bartender: INCLUDED
Bride/groom hotel: $??
Cake: $535 (local bakery)
Cake knife set: $0 (Why do we need this again?)
Cake topper: $0
Reception decorations/centerpieces: $0
Favors: $0
Bride/groom hotel: $??
Cake: $535 (local bakery)
Cake knife set: $0 (Why do we need this again?)
Cake topper: $0
Reception decorations/centerpieces: $0
Favors: $0
Tips: $280
Reception Total:
$12,065.00
Transportation
AVERAGE NJ WEDDING:
Car rental: $346 to $538
Limo rental: $763 to $1,185
Limo rental: $763 to $1,185
Transportation Total:
$1,109 to $1,723
OUR WEDDING:
Car rental: $0 (Father in law drove us to the hotel from the
reception)
Limo rental: $0
Limo rental: $0
Transportation Total:
0
GRAND TOTALS
Average NJ Wedding, Grand Total Low End: $68,567.00
Our Budget
NJ Wedding Grand Total: $18,168.00
Source of Average
NJ Wedding Costs: CostofWedding.com
How many guests?
ReplyDelete