the Cost of Weddings

When I became engaged, I needed a way to plan a wedding long distance, with the least amount of fuss. I began pricing wedding venues and found that on top of the per guest cost of approximately $70, I would still have to bring in my own vendors- the photographer, the florist, the DJ, the videographer, and in some cases the food as well. What I discovered was the all inclusive wedding package, offered by some country clubs.

For a Saturday night event we had to pay for a minimum of 100 guests. A partial deposit of half the total estimated cost was due three months prior to the wedding, with the remainder coming due ten days before the event. Taxes and gratuities were added into the amount, bringing it closer to $95 per person.

This was perfect for me, since I was getting married two hours south of where I live, and couldn't drive down each weekend to take care of a different aspect of the wedding. We finally found a venue that included everything we could ever need- for the unbelievable price of $84.95 per guest. That included the venue for five hours, a bridal suite in which to get dressed, a decorated ceremony room, the use of a room for the cocktail hour, a ballroom that could seat up to 400 people, an open bar, waiter served dinner with the choice of three entrees, the florist, the photographer, the DJ, the ballroom decorations, the dessert and the wedding cake! And the guarantee that my wedding would be the only event taking place during those hours at the country club. What could be more perfect?

Overall, I'd have to say the service was great. For eight months prior to the wedding, the women who managed the venue were always available to answer any questions we might have. Before signing the contract a few member of my family were invited for a dinner, where food comparable to what we would be choosing would be served. And lest you think we had no options regarding the food and the vendors, we had options galore. There were three DJ companies to choose from, three wedding cake designers, two photographers, three florists, a choice of forty different colors for the decorations and the food options were incredible. From seafood, to beef, to chicken, to vegetarian as well as kosher options, there was no lacking in food. Our package included six appetizers, but the list we chose from had at least twenty different choices. My only complaint about the booking process was that the venue did not accept credit cards, so the entire wedding had to be paid in cash.

As would be expected, there were upgrades to make. Our package included up to ten table centerpieces, the bridal bouquet, and two bridesmaids' bouquets. I met with the florist and designed all the pieces, and paid extra for the rest of the bouquets and centerpieces we would need. The wedding cake was very basic, so I did pay $250 to upgrade to a fancier cake with a chocolate filling. We paid the DJ for an extra hour so he could perform both the ceremony and the full reception.

The women organizing the event knew their business. They walked us through the rehearsal the evening before, and were there to make sure everything flowed smoothly at the moment of the big event. The food was delicious from start to finish, the service was impeccable. The flowers were beautiful, though the extra bouquets we ordered were on the stingy side. The DJ was mediocre, but kept the guests on their feet dancing. My only real complaint was with the photographer, who didn't capture much more than formal pictures, and not very good ones at that. But I can't complain too loudly, since I did have a choice and it was the photographer we chose.

We brought our own favors, cake cutting set, and champagne flutes. These were discreetly cleaned and packaged up and given to us before the end of the evening.

All in all, it was the perfect way to plan a big, Saturday night country club wedding with little hassle and big savings. I'd highly recommend the all inclusive wedding package for future brides who want a beautiful wedding with little fuss.

Always ask people about the venue you are considering. We knew we were on the right path when everyone we spoke with had nothing but praise for our venue, especially the food. Even still, always taste the food yourself first before booking.

Don't be lazy about investigating your options in vendors. I did do an internet search for the DJ and chose the one that was most highly rated, but he didn't live up to expectations. On the other hand, we chose the photographer based on a website, and in hindsight I realize that was a mistake. We should have sent someone to the studio to look at the work of the photographer before we made our choice.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. The people who work at these venues deal with weddings every weekend, they know their business. At the last minute we realized we hadn't gotten any kind of box for collecting cards- the kind manager gave us one for use for free, which they normally would have charged for.

Remember, it's your day. So if there is something (reasonable) you need, don't be afraid to mention it. I found the venue willing to go above and beyond to make sure my perfect day would be just that.