Weddings: The Lesser Known Costs

Getting married is a meaningful time in anyone's life, and it should be memorable. The decor, the dress, the venue, the photos — you want everything to be spectacular and stunning. However, once you start planning this grand affair, the bills start coming in and you see that dollar sign go up, up, up. This is where we come in.

As a team of professionals who have been working in the industry for years, we know there are plenty of hidden costs associated with weddings that you wouldn't think of off the bat. We've compiled a list of the lesser-known costs when it comes to your special day, so that you can stay on budget and excited instead of in debt and anxious. Here are some bills from all stages of the wedding planning process for you to consider when budgeting out your event:

Before the Wedding

A Hotel Room the Night Before

If you plan on getting ready for your wedding in a hotel, most establishments will not grant early check-in for you and your bridal team. As beauty services generally begin early in the morning, you will need to purchase the room for the night before your wedding if you intend on getting into the room before the hotel's check-in time, which is often between 2-4pm.

Tents & Temporary Structure Permits

If you're considering a tent structure for your outdoor wedding, you will need a permit to set it up, as it is considered a temporary structure. Even if you plan on setting up your tent on private property, you still need proper licensing to construct it. You will also need a fire alarm and emergency communication plan, in the event that something goes wrong.

Music License SOCAN Fees

Plan on having music at your wedding? A music license fee is required for entertainment purposes. These are typically included with your venue rental, but this is something important to ask your venue so that it does not go overlooked.

Full Venue Buy-out

If a venue accommodates more than your guest list numbers, it's likely that the venue will still be open to the public. You may be fine with this, or you may want to preserve the exclusivity of your wedding, keeping your big day within the invited guests only. In the latter case, you will need to purchase the entire venue capacity, regardless of how many guests you actually invite.

Rental Transport

Depending on the location and size of your wedding, these fees will be added to your rental costs. When planning your wedding, consider your venue, rental room logistics, the number of guests and the location accessibility. If your vendors need to set up decor and larger items like chairs, tables, tents, lighting and more, it will be an additional cost.

Sales Tax & Service Charges

Everything bought and paid for will typically have a sales tax, which is required by most provinces. Services charges are a venue's way of covering their own costs of doing business, like hiring staff, additional labour, utilities, the works. These will be presented to you in your initial paperwork and updated as you plan out your day. Perhaps you want beverage service throughout your event or additional staff — these are additional costs and will be added.

Emergency Fund

In the event of an unforeseen circumstance, you want to be prepared. Maybe you need to expedite shipping or your venue falls through. You may need some fast cash to make things happen while you wait to get your refund, if applicable. It's also great to have a buffer to help with all the tiny costs that add up. This way, you're pulling from money that is already designated for your wedding budget, and not spending more than you anticipated.

During the Wedding

Marriage License

To make your marriage legal in the province of Alberta, you need to apply for a marriage license. Most couples sign this license during the ceremony so their guests witness the event.

Supplier/Vendor Meals

First, you must feed your guests, but don't forget about your incredible team who helped make this day happen. Typically this includes your planning team, photographers, videographers and band or DJ. Ensure you save them a seat in your reception space so they don’t miss any milestones while also showing them appreciation with a good meal.

Overtime Costs for Vendors

Whether your wedding runs over the allotted time because you had a late start or simply because you chose to extend it in the heat of the moment, remember that you’ll have to pay for any additional time outside of your contract. Your vendors are so happy to celebrate this milestone with you, but they also want to be paid fairly for their time.

After the Wedding

Travel Costs

This is something that must be considered before the wedding, but some of the costs may come after the big day. If your wedding takes place outside of the general Calgary area, many vendors will require travel costs, and perhaps even overnight accommodations for the safety and liability of their team. This could include hotel rooms, gas or plane tickets, hourly rates spent travelling, etc.

Clean-up and Breakdown Costs

Many couples spend so much time planning the actual day that they forget to budget for what happens when it's all over. Vendors often include the option for a set-up and takedown fee, so this could apply to your tables and chairs, event rentals, floral removal, stage, tent, and more.

Marriage Certificate

Now that your wedding is over, you still need to apply for and purchase your marriage certificate once your legal status has changed with Vital Stats through your local registry.

As you can see, there's a LOT that goes into planning a wedding besides the beautiful florals and snazzy attire. If you're struggling to keep it all straight, send us a message and we'd be more than happy to walk you through the process.