Weddings Interesting article on the FRONT PAGE of USA Today, today.

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Papa Deuce

Mac Daddy DJ
Aug 8, 2006
19,843
594
64
Valley Forge Area
Ok, the article was mostly about how people are spending less on weddings now. But at the same time, I found some of the numbers FASCINATING. They were provided by The Knot, and were based on 2008, in a survey called "Real Weddings". I'll just post a few of them:

Average DJ price: $943

Average Cake price: $555

Ceremony Music: $414

Reception Band: $3633

Florist: $1924

Catering: $73 pp

Wedding Planner: $1907

Videographer: $1591

Photographer: $2655

Party Favors: $352

Interesting.
 
Nope, sorry to say that's about double of what we get...:sqconfused:

On both counts! :D
 
Kirby Ball said:
Nope, sorry to say that's about double of what we get...:sqconfused:

On both counts! :D
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You gotta move to the big city, my friend.... :)
 
LOL, not the big city...I'm not sophisticated enough...:sqrolleyes:

The cost of living here is quite reasonable.... :)
 
Those numbers are close to reality in this area. Pro wedding phographers and videographers are at or close to four digits.

A very nice wedding cake can run over $500.00. Florals, including centerpieces and all the other things aren't cheap either.

$900.00 is a bit higher than most area wedding DJs are working with.
 
That is about what we are doing...

We hope to get our DJ for $500-$750
Our cake is $400
Our flowers are $700
Our catering is $40 a person
No wedding planner
Our Photographer is $1800
Our favors/engagement pics are $400

Our reception decorations are going to be about $600
We are hoping to spend $400 on a lighting designer

We paid $400 for the ceremony site and nothing for the reception site

We are paying about $1500 in transportation costs...

Mike
 
wedding planners have no idea

they only become one after they have done one wedding and think they can
make money doing it
 
Papa Deuce said:
Ok, the article was mostly about how people are spending less on weddings now. But at the same time, I found some of the numbers FASCINATING. They were provided by The Knot, and were based on 2008, in a survey called "Real Weddings". I'll just post a few of them:

Average DJ price: $943

Average Cake price: $555

Ceremony Music: $414

Reception Band: $3633

Florist: $1924

Catering: $73 pp

Wedding Planner: $1907

Videographer: $1591

Photographer: $2655

Party Favors: $352

Interesting.
Click to expand...




Let me tell roughly averages in this area. If you are looking for quality..and not just to save a buck.


Average DJ price: $943 $500-$600

Average Cake price: $555 $200-$400

Ceremony Music: $414 $75.00-$150.00

Reception Band: $3633 **Will not rate...no one really hires bands for their reception**

Florist: $1924 **Not popular in this area, but I am sure this is open ended**

Catering: $73 pp **$500 for services..which averages to about $10.00 per plate + staff**

Wedding Planner: $1907 **HA HA YEA RIGHT, WHO REALLY NEEDS ONE. WE DON'T HAVE BIG FACILITIES AND SUCH UP HERE TO JUSTIFY NEEDING A PLANNER**

Videographer: $1591 *No basis here..usually done by a family/friend**

Photographer: $2655 *You can get a great photographer for right around $1800, and this a very great package.**

Party Favors: $ 352 *I've seen cheap from like $100 all the way to hand-painted coasters and beautiful flowers, so this varies quite a bit* For an average...oh probably $125-$250.

Now them are all guesses..buy they should be pretty close to approximate. LOL..when I get to know my clients, sometimes they share some information with me which is cool, I get to find out where the deals are. =)
 
10 dollars a plate wont even get you McDonalds and a Apple Pie through a drive up window. Florists not typical? Im curious what that is all about.
 
Jon Tuck said:
Im curious about the avg venue fees surprised this number wasnt included.
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It was, but I didn't include it. Not sure what this includes, but $13,667.

Here are the rest:

Invitations: $538

Gown: $1032

Transportation $725

Rehearsal Dinner: $1640
 
That's not far off, I suppose. Here's what the J Mac and I are looking at for our wedding in MA (USA Today in parentheses):

DJ price: $1000 ($943)

Cake price: $800 ($555)

Ceremony Music: $0, using our boombox with tunes we own ($414)

Reception Band: N/A, much to my mom's discontent ($3633)

Florist: $750 ($1924)

Catering: $25pp ($73 pp)

Wedding Planner: N/A ($1907)

Videographer: N/A ($1591)

Photographer: $1300-1700, depending upon chosen package ($2655)

Party Favors: $150, M&Ms in candy dishes ($352)
Invitations: $300, includes postage both ways ($538)

Gown: $1300, includes shoes, tiara, and alterations ($1032)

Transportation: N/A, no hired limo or car ($725)

Rehearsal Dinner: $1000 ($1640)


The big discrepancies I see are in the flowers and the catering. Even though I'm getting some decent deals, I could never justify paying that much for flowers and food. $73 a plate...are they kidding? :sqerr:
 
Well in MI, $73 a plate is not too far off. Like I said, ours is $45 a plate and that is after we cut one entree choice (the steak) and dessert.

Our invitations were $400 total, the gown is $750 total, no transport, and the rehearsal dinner is $500.

But yeah, you can't get $10 per person even here in Texas.

Mike
 
Jon Tuck said:
10 dollars a plate wont even get you McDonalds and a Apple Pie through a drive up window. Florists not typical? Im curious what that is all about.
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People in this area are quite conservative. Most wedding receptions are held in places where this is no charge for the rental of the room..if...you use the catering services provided.

In regards to the average per plate...most catering services charge per plate..and usually its right around $10..then they charge you a set amount just for doing the job. Are there places that charge around $18.00 a plate...absolutely..do their services get used a lot..nope. Most dinners around here are usually ham and potatoes. Very rarely, and I yet have to see it..that there has ever been some sort of steak. So I supposed if you figured in the $10 per plate + the extra services, you are looking at about...$15.00 per plate. This is how it is not figured...but just for argument sake on a more realistic average per plate.

Florists...No way in heck. It would be considered quite odd to have a florist.

Rehearsal dinner...this price is right around $14.00 per plate at a private restaurant..and you can multiply that by roughly 30 people....so what is this $420.00 or so. This meal is usually paid by the grooms parents.


Every year, there is only about 1-3 weddings per year that break this average wedding thing and are really elaborate. There are also probably 10 or better weddings in which you basically eat hot dogs and chips at a park.
 
Papa Deuce said:
It was, but I didn't include it. Not sure what this includes, but $13,667.

Here are the rest:

Invitations: $538

Gown: $1032

Transportation $725

Rehearsal Dinner: $1640
Click to expand...



Invitations...really close

Gown.....$600-$900

Transportation.....Most couples usually dont hire services. But if you do, you can expect to pay anywhere from $60-$75 per hour with a minimum of x amount of hours
 
BTW, one thing I learned from my sister in law who lives in NC, not all areas of the country actually have catering halls. They don't in Charlotte.

Where I had my reception 10 years ago, there was no "venue" fee. That is covered by your cost per plate. Our cost was about $75 a plate which included the liquor.

$75 pp is still too much, but it did cover butlered hour's duerves, ( sp? ) - a really great buffet, the cake, and WAAAAAAAYYYYYY WAAAAAAAYYYY too much of a desert table, and the liquor.

We had 211 people. :sqerr: About 8 - 10 people did not show.

We also rented a bus to bring people from my wife's old neighborhood, and return them after the reception.
 
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