Budgeting for the fun parts of your wedding
Music, photo booths, late-night snacks and favors: how to decide which extras are worth it and keep them from blowing up the budget.
The venue, food and photographer take most of a wedding budget, and they should. But the extras are often what guests talk about afterward. The goal is choosing the few that matter to you, and skipping the rest without guilt.
Decide what kind of night you want
Before comparing prices, picture the reception. Is it a dance party? A long dinner with friends? A relaxed evening on a farm? The answer tells you where extra money does the most good. A dance-party couple gets more from music and lighting than from elaborate favors.
Count the hours guests have free
Extras that keep guests busy during cocktail hour and between songs tend to get the most use: a photo booth, a lawn game, a signature drink station. Extras that sit on a table, like favors, often get left behind.
Combine where you can
- A photo booth strip can replace a favor and double as the guest book.
- A late-night snack can be the dessert, if you skip a big cake.
- The ceremony flowers can move to the reception.
Ask for everything in writing
Get itemized quotes that include tax, travel, overtime and deposits. Two vendors with the same headline price can end up far apart once those are added.
Leave a little room
Most couples find something they want to add late in planning. A small buffer keeps that from becoming stressful.
Our pricing is published, with an itemized estimator that includes travel, tax and the deposit. See also questions to ask before booking a photo booth.