Most Overlooked Wedding Expenses

When it comes to planning your wedding, staying within your budget is likely to rank high on your list. Helping clients stay on budget is one of my top priorities as a planner, which I'm sure has a lot to do with the fact that I'm frugalista at heart. Earlier in the year, I offered a few tips on how to save money on your big day. And, the other day, I was pleased to come across an article on the Savvy Sugar blog listing the most commonly overlooked wedding expenses. Here's an excerpt, but take a look at the full article to make sure you don't break your budget with a costly oversight.

...it’s easy to remember the large categories, such as the venue, catering, flowers, cake, and, of course, the dress. However, there are certain things that often get overlooked and can add up to a hefty sum if not planned for properly...

 Tips

Before you sign any of your vendor contracts, make sure that they specify whether gratuity is included. Vendors who own their own businesses don't expect tips as they've already included everything in their initial negotiations with you. However, when it comes to the reception venue, you should ask the site manager about the policies for tipping the waitstaff, bartenders, and parking valets. Many catering companies already include tips, which they divide up between the workers. If tips aren't included, expect to pay between 15 and 20 percent of the total catering bill. Those who deliver the flowers and the cake should also be tipped between $5 and $10. It's not necessary to tip your officiant, but if he or any other vendor has done an extraordinary job, you can send a note of appreciation and gift certificate later on. Don’t forget to include tips for coat checkers and powder room attendants as well.

To see the rest of the tips, head over to the original Savvy Sugar article.