Wedding cost estimate - plan your expenses wisely!

One of the first questions you will probably ask yourself when you decide to organize a wedding is: how much does a wedding cost? This is a good question, although the answer to it is a bit complicated. Inflation in our country, which in mid-2022 is the highest in almost 30 years, does not make it easier to plan costs. However, the numbers are only average values, and the cost of the wedding may vary significantly depending on, among others, from the place where it is organized and the size of the event.  

No one is probably surprised that the cost of organizing a wedding reception in Poland is increasing year by year. It is also impossible to say exactly how much it costs, because the wedding cost estimate depends on many factors. According to the data of the Polish Association of Wedding Consultants, the average expenditure for a party for 100 to 150 people is from PLN 50 to 80 thousand. The value of the wedding market oscillates around PLN 7 billion, and newlyweds receive PLN 2.5-3 billion annually in envelopes. The amounts mentioned are the median, and the richest couples in Poland can spend up to several hundred thousand zlotys on their dreams wedding party.  

It also happens that the Young Couple wants to finance their wedding entirely on their own. This is related to the great freedom in the actions taken. Such a decision is most often made by brides who have high incomes and do not want to burden their parents with the costs of the wedding.

Wedding cost estimate - expenses during a pandemic 

The pandemic has revolutionized the wedding market in Poland. More and more couples are choosing to last minute wedding, i.e. a spontaneous party organized from month to month. What it comes from? All because of changing regulations and introduced restrictions. Interestingly, some events take place on unusual days, i.e. on Wednesday or Thursday. A wedding without corrections it's also a cheaper option compared to the two-day event. Wondering how much a wedding organized in a week costs? We have good news for you! On average, 10 to 15 percent less per person than on weekends! It is therefore worth taking this option into consideration and revising it wedding cost estimate from this angle. 

However, you still have to admit that the organization weddings in Poland is a significant blow to the wallet of many people who decide to do it. Even in the case of parties that are organized as quickly as we mentioned, costs of several to several dozen thousand zlotys should be taken into account.

How are expenses shared between fiancées and parents? This is largely dependent on the arrangements and relationship between you and your parents.

Who pays for a wedding today?

One of the most important parts of planning a wedding budget is figuring out who pays for what. Currently couples often they share the costs with their parents. In this case, some parents declare that they will cover specific expenses - for example, paying for a hotel, food and music. Others, on the other hand, leave the young couple free hand - they can spend the money at your discretion. When it comes to wedding planning, money from parents usually involve more or less controltheir spending. So if yours parents contribute your organization "great day", talkyou with them about how much they want to be involved in decision-making. 

Several ways can be used breakdown of wedding expenses. The one that is most often used is a division in proportion to the number of guests, expenses related to the wedding hall and alcohol. In addition, the costs related to the musical setting and possibly additional elements in the room, such as a bartender, a sweet table or a country table, are divided in half. The rest of the expenses, such as a photographer, a wedding car or fees related to the wedding ceremony itself, are covered by the bride and groom.

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Another way is to divide all expenses equally into 3 and cover them in 1/3 of the total by the Bride's parents, the Groom's parents and the fiancées. This method of dividing wedding expenses is used by people who decide to get married after graduation, already having stable income and being able to pay 1/3 of all expenses.

Weekend weddings on top - the cost of the wedding and the choice of the day

 – Before the pandemic, wedding parties were usually organized on the weekend. This is the most convenient time for young couples and their guests in many respects – says Joanna Hoc-Kopiej, wedding planning specialist at Dwór Korona Karkonoszy. – Our observations show that young people still prefer Saturday and Sunday to organize parties. These are still sumptuous, and young people do not spare money for additional attractions. Interestingly, they are able to spend more money if we offer them unusual solutions in the form of additional, non-standard attractions.  

Wedding costs in Poland? On average, a young couple spends PLN 40,000 on average. We are talking about a small party for family and loved ones. However, more and more couples want this day to be special in many ways, sparing no means. 

Although Saturday weddings are much more expensive than weekday weddings, they are still very popular. Why? The Young Couple is able to pay more not only for additional attractions. The convenience of not having to look for new solutions is highly valued. Might be worth considering that as well wedding cost estimate?

Wedding cost estimate - expenses

The latest market data shows that these expenses are as follows:  

• Catering: from 120 to 500 PLN/person  
• Alcohol and drinks: PLN 5,000-7,000  
• Orchestra: PLN 7,000-10,000  
• Car rental: PLN 1,000  
• Ceremony at the registry office, in the church with decorations: PLN 1000-3000  
• Cost of invitations: PLN 300-500  
• Bride and Groom outfit: PLN 10,000 
• Wedding photographer and wedding – from PLN 3,000 

Wedding cost estimate - list of expenses   

How much does a wedding cost? This question is asked by every engaged couple. More than half of couples increase their initial budget for a variety of reasons. Couples are discovering "must haves" that they didn't consider when planning or executing their initially set budget. As it often turns out, they also forget to include additional expenses for the wedding. That's why it's a good idea to make a list of things that you will definitely have to pay for. This will allow you to control your expenses from start to finish. 

These are just some of the items that should be included wedding cost estimate. The final amount depends on many factors, including, above all, the number of guests, the city in which the party is organized (usually, the larger the town, the more expensive) and the individual preferences of the Bride and Groom. You can choose a dress from a seamstress for several thousand or a model from Vera Vang for exorbitant money.  

 – The young couple wants to surprise their guests more and more often. Therefore, they hire chocolate fountains, photo booths or animators,” adds Joanna Hoc-Kopiej. – It happens that young people release white doves from the cage or butterflies to ensure happiness in marriage. Some weddings take on a less formal character, and instead of an orchestra, a DJ takes care of the musical setting, sometimes also organizing karaoke.  

How to plan wedding expenses?

So how do you plan wedding expenses, since all elements are so strongly dependent on many factors? It may not be as easy as it may seem at first. That is why we have some advice for every Bride and Groom who wants to control their expenses and plan them properly.

Start by listing all the items that require a financial contribution

The best way is to analyze the entire wedding day from the moment the bride and groom open their eyes to the moment they are locked in the bridal room. This way you will be sure that you will not miss anything.

The biggest expense to consider is wedding hall. No wonder. This is where the whole party takes place. In order for your wedding to remain an unforgettable experience for each of your guests and for you, many people must work for it. Waiters, people decorating the room, responsible for organizing, cleaning and many other elements that make up the wedding hall where the party takes place.

First, write down on a piece of paper all the elements that will require funding from you. Don't omit anything with the idea that you will finance it with your current salaries. Flowers for the wedding, the bride's make-up, the groom's hairdresser, the bride's hairstyle and many other expenses that are seemingly small, but together they add up to significant expenses.

Don't forget shoes, jewelry or underwear. These are not cheap things that you can buy with a single salary. All of them require proper financial preparation.

Magical weddings - Dwór Korona Karkonosze

Save all expenses in Excel and make them available for editing

In Poland, it has been assumed that women are most often responsible for organizing weddings. In this way, it may turn out that the Groom is not entirely sure what he spends his money on. Make sure your marriage doesn't look like this!

Transfer all the elements on the sheet to Excel. Preferably one that allows others to share and edit the file. This way, everyone has access to expenses and sees how much money is needed.

Wedding expenses

Divide it into the appropriate categories. What expenses belong to the Bride's parents and what to the Groom's parents? There are also those that lie equally on the side of the brides or only on the side of one of you. Initially, your table should have 5 columns:

• Bride's parents;
• Groom's parents;
• bride and groom;
• Bride;
• Groom.

This way each of you can see how much money is needed from each party. You can also keep your expenses under control. Remember to enter all planned expenses into the table with the so-called "stock". If you feel that you can pay about PLN 250 per person for the room, it is worth adding PLN 300 to your budget.

Expand your table with real expenses

The next step is to add more columns to the table. It's best if they are duplicated. So that everyone has the opportunity to enter how much has actually been spent on individual items. In this way, you can control how much money you still have from the budget and what the situation with additional, spare money looks like.

If you pay less for the wedding hall, enter this information in the sheet. In this way, you can see how much of the assumed money is free and can be used in case of unexpected expenses, if any.

If you see that you will pay even a few thousand less for the room, then it will be easier for you to allocate a correspondingly larger sum for the best photographer in the city. You know that you have the opportunity because you have an adequate supply of money.

Wedding cost estimate - when to set a spending plan?

When is a good time to talk about money? At first, it may seem a bit embarrassing. Especially that it is most often carried out between the fiancés and the parents of one of the parties. It's commonplace in our culture that it's not polite to talk openly about finances. Therefore, it may turn out to be a difficult challenge for both fiancées and parents.

However, it is a necessary solution. So that everyone has a clear picture of the financial situation of each party. In this way, you can start planning a wedding with peace of mind without having to wonder if these are real amounts.

Taking into account all the aspects we have mentioned, the best time to conduct a conversation and plan expenses is at the beginning of wedding planning. The best solution is a joint lunch or dinner. Then you can meet and calmly discuss all important issues. Of course, it is worth preparing well in advance. It's best if the bride and groom do it.

Familiarize yourself with the indicative market prices and write down all the elements related to costs that come to your mind. In this way, you can prepare for the conversation with your parents and conduct it in such a way that it goes as successfully as possible and brings the expected results.

How to control wedding budget? Proven ways

One thing is for sure. The wedding budget must be properly controlled. If you do not pay enough attention to this, it may turn out that you have significantly exceeded the expected costs and you have to add money from those that were intended for renovation, a new apartment or a honeymoon.

But how to do it effectively? The best solution is the one given above. Create a common spreadsheet in which you will include all planned expenses and those already implemented. In this way, everyone has access to the budget, can look at it at any time and correct plans in terms of the real picture.

However, given that electronics can fail, it's also worth saving your expenses elsewhere. A good solution is to control expenses by the Bride and Groom. You will mainly manage finances, spend them and plan their distribution over time. Therefore, you can save all the elements that required financial effort. Keeping such notes will also allow you to later properly settle accounts with parents and subcontractors.

It also happens that the engaged couple set up a joint account, intended solely for expenses related to the wedding. You can then give the account number to your parents and transfer all the money that will be needed to organize the wedding there. This is an excellent solution for those who have a free hand from their parents regarding the distribution of money.

After determining the appropriate amounts, they are transferred to your joint account. Then you use it to pay for all the elements that require it. You can pay for the hall, orchestra, photographer and all other subcontractors. In addition, the remaining funds are already in your joint account. You can use it as a married couple to manage your business expenses. A great way to properly separate wedding expenses from everyday expenses, which certainly also appear in your life together.

Does negotiating the price make sense for a wedding?

It happens that the Bride and Groom or parents want to negotiate prices with all subcontractors. This is a strong need that results from the need to save money on individual elements of the wedding. However, in the case of a wedding, is this the right behavior that will bring the expected results?

Unfortunately, we will probably disappoint many young couples, but negotiating prices in the case of wedding subcontractors is not a good practice. He often encounters rejection and doubts about trust in the quality of services provided.

Please note that in the case of wedding photographer or band we pay primarily for quality. If we want it to be as high as possible, we have to take into account certain costs. A wedding is not a “product” of first necessity. It's up to you to decide whether you want to organize a quiet dinner for your closest family or a grand party that lasts all night.

Therefore, you must be prepared that if you try to negotiate prices, service providers will not agree to the proposed conditions.

What can you save on when organizing a wedding?

If there is no possibility to negotiate prices, then can you save money on a wedding? Of course! There are certain elements that enable significant savings.

First of all, a significant saving of money is the organization of the wedding during the week, not on Saturday. Wedding on Friday is an increasingly popular trend. Friday is a perfect day for a party, as we have already mentioned on our blog. However, still less popular than Saturday, so prices can be much lower. If you want to save money, consider organizing the wedding and reception on a day other than Saturday.

Wedding date

In addition, it should be mentioned that the prices quoted by individual subcontractors may vary depending on the season. In summer, especially in July and August, prices are the highest. Nothing unusual. This is the perfect time to organize a wedding. However, other months such as September and October also have plenty of advantages. They are also much cheaper. Might be worth organizing wedding in October?

But what if you want to organize a wedding in August, and on Saturday? Here, too, there are several ways to look for savings. One of them is giving up additional attractions, such as a photo booth, a chocolate fountain or a bartender. These are additional expenses that are associated with the need to cover them from the budget for the wedding.

You can also opt out of corrections. As a party organized on the day after the wedding, it is slowly losing its popularity. However, it is used by young couples who have many visitors in their families. If you want to save money, skipping dinner after the wedding is the best way to do it.

The wedding cost estimate is assumed and the real cost estimate

How often do the final expenses not match the planned ones? If you plan your wedding budgetyou can rest assured about that. Remember, however, to wear more than you think and to include all costs, even the smallest ones. Then there is a good chance that the budget and real costs will match.

However, in the vast majority, the wedding budget is planned "on the knee" and even chaotically. Then there may be significant differences between the assumed expenses and those that actually appeared.

If in your budget you only included the cost of the wedding hall, orchestra and wedding fees, you can be sure that the real costs will exceed it at least twice. Therefore, immediately assume twice the budget or write down in detail all the elements related to the wedding, especially additional attractions, such as sparklers, photo booth, sweet table, etc.

Is it worth having a financial cushion for emergency expenses related to the wedding?

Just like in everyday life, when organizing a wedding, a financial cushion is extremely necessary. It allows you to keep the so-called peace of mind when sudden expenses related to the wedding and reception appear.

How much should it be? It is best if it is a minimum of 25% of your planned expenses for the wedding. The optimal amount is 50%. Then you can be sure that no emergencies and wedding expenses are not terrible for you.

Remember, however, that a properly planned budget is half of your success. If you include all the things we mentioned in it and follow the tips above, we assure you that few expenses will surprise you. Of course, this can happen even on your wedding day. However, the most important element of a good budget is a properly constructed plan that includes all the elements that are necessary to make your wedding day special.

Is the honeymoon that too the cost of the wedding?

This question comes up many times when planning a wedding. First, the bride and groom are too wrapped up in all the problems to think about a honeymoon. However, when this topic comes up, they usually assume that it will be financed with wedding money.

However, we suggest that every wedding budget should include a honeymoon. After all, this is a necessary element that allows you to experience beautiful moments just the two of you, without having to return to all your duties immediately after the wedding night.

How to organize a wedding?

Organizing a wedding is a huge challenge for a young couple. The cost of the wedding, which was calculated half a year earlier, certainly needs to be updated. Considering the above costs, it is worth preparing for many possibilities and finding an alternative place to organize the party. The wedding hall must meet your expectations. For example, if you are planning a glamorous party, it will be the perfect setting ballroom. Choosing the right place will definitely help you avoid disappointment and make this day special for you!

Include money in your wedding budget for your honeymoon. Think about where you want to go or fly, check the prices and plan this expense as well as all other expenses related to the wedding.