Weddings Prices
Weddings and Prices. I was asked by Keri Eagon if hearing the word “wedding” would make the price go up substantially with vendors. Has this been your experience? Good question Keri.
My answer is yes and no. Let me explain and then you be the judge.
First off it depends on who you are working with and if you have preplanned all your options.
What does that mean? It means shopping more than one vendor for the items you want to have included the day of your wedding. Most all vendors will work with you to some degree.
If you visit a vendor and ask about their pricing for example, say flowers, they will first ask a few questions to find out what kind of wedding you are having and where. Is it formal? Is it an out door wedding? How many people will need bouquets, boutineers or arrangements for the ceremony/reception site. They have to start somewhere so they can give you prices.
To frame this in another way, it is like going in and buying a car. You tell the dealer “I want to buy a car”. Well, until you tell the dealer what kind of car or features it must have, he really doesn’t know what you need. He could take you out to the most expensive car on his lot and try to sell you. Will you be happy or buy? Maybe, but not likely.
You need to know what you want before you visit a wedding vendor. You also need to know your budget. If you go into a grocery store with no list, more than likely you will come out of the store with more than you intended to purchase. Having a list and budget in mind keeps you from over spending no matter what store or vendor you meet with.
OK, now a partial list of pitfalls to watch out for when planning your wedding and the hidden prices that go with them. After reading the list you should know how to shop any vendor.
Wedding Dress Alterations
Wedding dresses can be pretty pricey. Bridal shops don’t want to scare you off, but by not telling brides that alterations, for a custom fit, are not included in the price of the gown until after you pay is wrong. Someone has to spend time fitting your gown and that someone has to be paid for their time.
Look at it from your own angle. You wouldn’t expect your boss to pay you for working eight hours when you really worked nine would you? It is the same principle. Not mentioning it until you receive your pay check and then finding out what happen can tend to piss you off.
The only time alterations might be included in the price of the gown is when the price of the gown has been marked up to cover that expense. Beware if that is the case. This might only be for a minor alteration. A simple hem may run around $100.00 dollars. Rebuilding a bodice or moving zippers can send the price of the gown up even farther.
So how do you get around this added expense? Ask the store what the charges will be for each alteration for a custom fit. You can skip this all together if you don’t mind tugging or pulling your gown up all day. I’m thinking you will have better things to do with your hands though like hugging guests, eating cake…..and don’t forget the photos. An ill fitting gown will show it’s ugly head in all of your photographs.
You can also opt to take your gown to a seamstress who may or may not be less expensive. Again ask questions before purchasing the gown.
Just remember this is not the time for someone who says they can sew like your aunt Jane. If she has been altering gowns for years and knows how to handle the different fabrics, laces and beading then go for it. Always know who will be doing the alterations and what their experience level is before handing your gown over.
This one tip alone can save some tears and frustration. If anything happens, you most likely will be paying someone else to fix it. Not a fun thing to pay twice and the headache – we won’t go there.
If the alteration prices are more than you are willing to invest in a gown, shop around for another. Only you can be the judge with your money if this is thee gown.
Photographer/Vidoegrapher
These vendors or booked for a certain amount of time on your wedding day. If
you run over the allotted time there will be added expenses. How much you ask? That depends how much they charge per hour. You may have bought a package, but if you extend that package unknowingly you will be stuck with extra charges when all is done and said. Pay attention to how your day is planned before hiring these vendors. Ask what the package includes and what is the cut off time before incurring extra expenses. You might want to delegate one person or couple to make sure vendors leave when their time is up to avoid surprise charges. You may be wrapped up in the day and over look little things like this.
Postage Stamps
What? Postage stamps? Yes. Stationers do not advertise shipping prices. If you knew that fancy large sized invitation was going to cost you around $2.00 to send, you would opt for a less expensive, smaller and cheaper version to say the same thing. Skip fancy boxed cards with all the fillers. They just add expense to your bottom line.
Rental Transport
This is a cost from any vendor that transports rental equipment such as tables, chairs, backdrops for decorating…. to your ceremony or reception site. You might think this would be included with the rental fee, but sometimes it is not. Unless you have a van or pick-up to haul these items yourself, ask if there are any fees before renting. If you wager in your gas and time, it may pan out. If not shop around. There may be other vendors that charge a bit more but transporting may be included in the price.
There are many vendors you will be visiting. Knowing a little bit about weddings and their prices before hand will keep you with in your budget. Always ask questions. What, if any, are the additional expenses you will incur by hiring or spending money with each vendor? Remember to read contracts carefully before signing. Have your spouse to be, family member or friend look them over as well . Sometimes in the excitement of planning, small things are often over looked.
Uncategorized | Vicki Hasemann | October 29, 2009
Gowns can be very pricey. I paid $700 for mine 18 years ago and that was on the less expensive side. The alerations were another $175.00 But, if the bridal shop owner was more honest, she would have sold me the right size gown in the first place. All my measurements were right on for one size but she convinced me to buy a size larger “just in case!” Grrrrrrr
Lisa McLellan
Babysitting Services – Babysitter in your area
Wow…because of the detail involved, weddings can be trying AND expensive affairs. My Dad still talks about how much he had to spend for my sister’s wedding, and the wedding was 16 years ago!
Health, Fitness for Working People — Darryl Pace
Vicki,
Wedding is a big event in one’s life, even if it happens so many times like Elizabeth Taylor
)
Budgeting it & pricing it right is a necessary evil if you do not want to be ripped off.
One trick to get at least fair price for traditional Chinese wedding dress is to be the first customer at the shop. Shop owner won’t like the “bad luck” of turning away the first customer of the day and hence you have the better bargaining power.
John Ho
Numerology Expert Helps Understanding Personality for Better Influence & Persuasion
It really is all about how prepared you are before you sit down with a vendor. If you look like you’re going to be a lot of trouble because you are not organized or look like you’ll change your mind a lot . . . you will be charged more, because it will cost your vendor more to serve you.
Good vendor charge good brides, organized brides substantially less.
Kate
I’ve heard that using the word wedding increases the price but I haven’t checked that out. If I understood, you’re saying that simply being abundantly clear about what ou want and your budget you can avoid the mysterious wedding mark-up?
That makes sense.
“Get your own Get Healthy Headquarters Journal,
Katie
Excellent advice!
Jose Escalante
http://www.joseescalante.com
THis is very thorough information. I would expect that if people add to the prices because of the word “wedding” it is for one of two reasons–
1. they know people don’t want to seem cheap about something so important…
2. they know that people getting married can be incredibly picky about everything and they want to get paid more for the hassle factor…
Seize the Day,
Rob
Sales Tactics For Small Business Owners
Very good information, and good use of pictures.
Martin O’Connor
http://www.smallbusinessdesigncenter.com
It’s helpful to let the vendors know it’s a wedding as they will probably bring to your attention aspects you hadn’t thought of but need to. It may well add to the cost though – perhaps in return for the added care and attention?
http://www.martin-wright.com
Impact, Poise, Presenting
Hi Vicki,
That answers everything! Thanks for taking the time to reply.
Blessings,
Keri Eagan
Alternative*Insight
I would have to say that adding the word wedding is hazardous to your budget. When trying to make restaurant reservations at my wedding we ended up with a limited menu, higher prices and a huge deposit then we did when we decided to drop the word “wedding.”
Steve Chambers, Body Language Speaker