Do you want to give a cost estimate for a client’s wedding but don’t know how? If yes, here’s a quote for how much it cost to cater to a wedding of 100 people.
No day is more important to a woman than her wedding day. Because of the importance attached to this day, she would want everything to be perfect.
But to make everything picture perfect requires a lot of cash, so here is where budgeting comes in. Budgeting is one of the very essential parts of wedding planning that must be done if an intending couple does not want to see themselves out in the cold penniless (or even in debt) after the wedding.
Why Give your Client’s a Cost Estimate for their Wedding?
In order to get a workable budget, a couple needs to draw up a cost estimate that would serve as a guide for the numerous expenses that go with planning a wedding.
Irrespective of whether the couple is on a tight budget or wants to throw a society wedding, a cost estimate is an indispensable instrument for every planner.
For starters, a cost estimate will help you to create a scale of preference, and as well help you to put the whole budget into better perspective.
It will help you to slash away less important items and help prevent the ‘after wedding blues’ that result because the couple spent too much on the party.
A cost estimate is a step in the right direction since it functions as a master plan that sets the tone for every other thing that comes afterwards.
Irrespective of the budget a prospective couple has in mind, a quote can always be drawn around it. Money without doubt represents the greatest constraint to any cost estimate and as such, the amount of cash available will inform every of your decision and will ultimately set the tone for the wedding.
Keeping the aforementioned in mind, the following are factors to consider when drawing up a quote/cost estimate for a wedding.
Factors to Consider Before Giving a Quote for a Wedding of 100 People
1. Venue
Nothing speaks class in a wedding like the venue, and a wedding venue is equally one of the biggest expenses in a wedding since you have to pay for both the chapel and the reception.
For the church, you could budget about $800, but for your reception, you have to shell out a bit more. Venue costs soar during peak wedding seasons which run from May to October. Averagely, a couple can spend about $15,000 on a wedding reception.
2. Food
Food is another major expense encountered when planning a wedding. The typical wedding guest list has been tagged at 130, and if you budget like $70 per person, it could easily get up to $9,000. You should equally include the cost of rehearsal dinner, plus tips.
3. Photography
What better way to capture and preserve the beautiful moments than through the lens of a camera. A wedding photographer can charge as much as $2,500, and if you want video coverage too, you could cough out an additional $1,500. Getting a large bridal portrait or a story book and others, could further increase your budget.
4. Drinks
Your guests are bound to get thirsty, so you have to factor in drinks. Serving more alcoholic drinks is bound to cost you more, and the cost would even rise higher when you offer a wide selection of drinks.
You should look to budget around $3,500 for your drinks, and keep in mind that you would also have to pay liquor permits, bartenders and gratuities.
5. Music
Nothing says wedding like music. In fact, what would a wedding be without the right music to create the perfect romantic ambiance, so music is quite indispensable in a wedding. A couple can request the services of a DJ or a live band (and some couples equally use both).
If your budget is on the lower scale, you could hire a DJ which costs much less, and would still make your guests get up and dance. You can budget between $800 and $1,200 for the services of a DJ.
For you to get a live band, it would cost you anywhere between $3,000 and $3,700. If you want classical musicians to also grace your occasion too, you may add another $400 to your budget.
6. Bridal dress
What is a wedding without the perfect dress? For most brides, it is the perfect dress or nothing, and bridal gowns can cost quite a bundle no matter how pocket friendly it is touted to be.
If the bride wants a separate reception dress, this could shoot the budget further up. The average wedding dress can cost about $2,550 minus accessories like shoes, jewelry, veil, etc. You should also budget about $400 for the groom’s attire.
7. Wedding fixtures
When you think of wedding fixtures, the first thing that comes to mind is flowers. You need to budget for bridal bouquet, bouquets for bridesmaids and boutonnieres for the groomsmen.
If you would have flower girls, you should also budget for the petals they would throw. But the most floral expenses come from the extensive floral decorations to be used for the wedding reception.
You could budget about $2,500 for floral arrangement, but note that you would have to pay more if it is not a flower season or if you plan to use exotic blooms.
8. Wedding cake
There must always be a wedding cake to complete the wedding ceremony. As cakes vary in size, taste and type, so do their prices vary. You can budget around $600 to get a great cake.
9. Wedding invitation
You need to invite friends and family to the wedding, so you need invites. Granted, there are different price ranges for various invites, from the cheap to the downright exorbitant. Depending on the number of your guests, you could budget around $400 for invites.
10. Miscellaneous
Whenever a wedding estimate is being drawn up, or any other estimate for that matter, it is always wise to budget for miscellaneous expenses because there would always be extras.
Things like transportation, dress modifications, tips, hair and makeup services are also expenses to be handled. Though they may be easily overlooked but they still amount to much.
11. Wedding planner
Most couples prefer to leave all the complexities involved in planning a wedding to a wedding planner, and only show up on their big day to have fun. If you are one of such people, then be prepared to set aside at least $2,000. But you can also forgo a planner and go ahead and enjoy planning your own wedding especially if your budget is tight.
12. Honeymoon
According to research, over 80 percent of couples in the united states go for honeymoon after the wedding. If you want to be part of this percentage, then you need to budget for it.
You need to start planning early for your honeymoon like booking flights, hotels and everything else in advance. Cash for the honeymoon should also be set apart from your wedding cash to avoid encroaching into it.
You can budget from $5,000 if you want a comfortable post wedding getaway, and you should budget much more if you plan an exotic vacation.
These are the major factors to consider when drawing up a quote/cost estimate for a wedding and they should be followed strictly.
When making the budget, it is necessary to “go over” just in case. If you prepare for overages, you won’t be caught off guard when/if the unthinkable finally occurs.
Finally, train yourself to stick to the cost estimate and avoid the temptation to bring in irrelevancies that were not in the original plan.