When couples get engaged one of the first things they do is come up with a budget they want to stick within. Most type in a google search "average wedding budget in my area" to begin to understand the amount they will spend. While this seems to be a good way to understand the wedding numbers it is in fact not at all a good way. Why? Because the average number is an average of ALL weddings. So, let's look at the North Carolina Average wedding cost. If you goole this you will find that the average wedding is $30,000-$40,000. Now, that seems like a big number and if I were getting married I would say I could simply add $10,000 and get the wedding of my dreams for a total of $50,000!! Great, let's start planning!
However, the reality is this average is taking into account the micro wedding that the couple in the country had with bbq and their cousin DJing. They had Moe's cater in and it only cost them a total of $5,00 for everything. This average also includes the small wedding that happened in Wilmington on the beach. This couple spent $20,000 on a 25 person beach elopement and had a private room at a local restaurant for dinner. This average also included a Charlotte wedding taking place in uptown that cost a total of $95,000 for 125 guests. And it also includes a mountain destination wedding for 75 guests that cost $150,000 at Old Edwards Inn. So, as you can see, there is a huge disconnect between these 4 weddings.
As you can see, there is going to be a huge difference in cost due to the size of the event, location of the event, style of the event, and what vendors are selected. It is a disservice to yourself to simply trust google for your wedding budget.
So, how do you come up with a true number? Well, we always suggest to hire a professional wedding planner who has several years of expereince in your area. They will know how much the average vendors cost in your area. They will know a good cost of how much your florals will cost you , based on your vision. And they will put together a realistic wedding spend spreadsheet for you. Another way to find true numbers is to ask your friends and family members who were recently married. This means within the past 2 years. Use local resources to help you come up with a realistic number.
Now that you have this information it is important to hire that full service wedding planner that will guide you through a realistic wedding breakdown of costs. So, are you ready to talk with a professional planner? Let's do it! Click here to book a call!