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Wedding costs: How much does a wedding cost?

A wedding is quite an expensive event. Rings, bride and groom’s outfits, artists, food – these are not all the wedding costs that need to be taken into account when drawing up a wedding budget. The debate about whether it is necessary to spend money on a lavish wedding or whether it is better to limit yourself to a symbolic ceremony does not subside from year to year. But no matter which option you choose, you will need a budget, even for the most modest celebration. It is better to know in advance how much a wedding will cost and only then decide how to organiсe it. In this article, we will tell you how much money you need for a wedding in Germany, what cost-eaters there are and what you can save without sacrificing quality.

Wie kostet eine Hochzeit?

The topic of wedding costs is divided into the following categories:

  • How much does a normal wedding cost?
  • How do you plan a wedding budget?
  • The biggest cost eaters at a wedding
  • Wedding costs per guest
  • How much does a honeymoon cost?
  • How to make your wedding celebration cheaper
  • How much does a wedding cost on average in Germany?

How much does a normal wedding cost?

First, decide what celebration format is best for you: a big wedding with relatives, a friendly party, an intimate dinner or a celebration for two. Or maybe something completely different – it’s up to you. The fewer people, the more ideas for the wedding format. You can all go on a trip together or enjoy a quiet dinner in a nice restaurant after the ceremony. After that, you need to understand how much money you are willing to allocate for this event. Of course, it is difficult to estimate the upcoming expenses right away, because organizing a wedding has many different subtleties. To see the standard figures, do your research and set a budget. What do you need for a wedding?

durchschnittlichen Kosten Hochzeit

How to plan a wedding budget?

The wedding budget is one of the most pressing issues for future newlyweds. Despite different financial possibilities, the expenses for a wedding are essentially the same. Individual wishes can increase or decrease the total amount, so of course there is no optimal budget for a wedding. However, you can orient yourself to a certain cost ratio by dividing the entire celebration into the main expenditure items. Also use an online wedding budget calculator to keep an eye on your costs.

1. Costs for providing food and drink to guests – catering & beverages – 40%.

By choosing a ceremony venue and a restaurant in one place, you will save valuable time on your wedding day and also avoid additional costs for transportation to the banquet. Prefer a room with furnishings that match the style – this way you will need a minimum of decoration for your wedding.

2. Entertainment program – 15%.

The mood of your wedding and each guest directly depends on the choice of the wedding host and the show program put together. Pay special attention to this moment.

3. Floristry and decoration – 15%.

Give your wedding decorator a budget so that professionals can develop a design according to your expressed wishes without exceeding financial limits.

4. Photography and videography – 15%.

Savings in this aspect are unacceptable if you want to get a quality product. After all, after all the beauty prepared and the effort invested, high-quality photos and videos should remain!

5. Wedding Planner – 10%.

Irreplaceable people who understand your wishes, formulate the concept of the celebration and implement the ideas in the best possible way, guided by personal experience.

6. Transport and unexpected costs – 5%.

It is advisable to have a financial safety net in place to keep you calm even in times of unexpected expenses.

7. Costs for the bride and groom’s outfit

Costs for the wedding rings, groom’s suit, hairstyle, makeup and wedding dress. We recommend planning this expense item separately from the overall budget, as the price range for services in this area is quite large.

The biggest cost eaters at a wedding

Prices have risen for almost everything in recent years: the wedding industry has not escaped this fate either. Many suppliers – from florists to wedding presenters – are increasing their prices in a difficult economic situation. You will probably have to spend 10-15% more on organizing the celebration this year than you did a year and a half ago. But don’t worry, below in this article we also offer you solutions for saving.

Wedding costs for the wedding location

This can be a restaurant, a veranda, a holiday home, a tent, an attic, etc. The more prestigious and popular the location, the higher the price. Rent and a deposit are often added to the average bill. A good location can cost as little as 3,000 euros without food and drink.

Wedding decoration costs

Concept is key. If you need to create complex structures from scratch, order exotic flowers or transform a classic hall into a circus arena, the costs will definitely exceed the expected. If the bride and groom are happy with ready-made solutions, this will save the wedding budget.

However, we recommend looking for good wedding decorators, because a wedding only happens once in a lifetime. Therefore, everything should be perfect and only a real professional can guarantee this. The costs can be about 1000-3500 euros. Please make sure that the decorator offers you more than just white tablecloths with flowers and the sign “Just married”.

Hochzeit Kosten für die Basics

Entertainment and music: Costs DJ wedding and wedding host

There is currently a growing trend in Germany – wedding moderation. A professional (also called a showman and Tamada) accompanies you through the evening with various games, speeches, rituals and dances. This is a person who will take a lot of worries away from you and the witnesses, who are normally supposed to prepare something, and will lead the evening with a structured plan. The moderator usually appears in a duo with a wedding DJ. Thousands of bridal couples in Germany have already benefited from this concept. As a duo, you can book the two artists for a price of around 4000 euros. Individually (if you look for each person separately), each artist could cost up to 2500 euros.

Wedding photographer costs for the beautiful memories

The cost of a photographer is one of the important points to consider when planning. On their wedding day, the newlyweds look special and their feelings are incomparable. It is very important to have a professional by your side who can underline the atmosphere of the celebration. 1500-2500 euros.

Costs for the Ceremony

There are different types of ceremonies and we will take a closer look at these and their prices.

Registry Office Wedding Costs

You can choose to have a civil wedding ceremony just for yourself and order a few extras to ensure you have a wonderful time with your loved ones. On average, the costs for the registry office (fees, family book, clothing, hair and make-up, floral decorations, dinner with the immediate family) are around €1,500.

Pamper yourself with a champagne reception after the wedding in the registry office (champagne, other drinks, pretzels). This service also costs at least €3 per guest, depending on the scope.

How much does a church ceremony wedding cost?

The nicest thing you will hear about preparing for your wedding: the wedding ceremony in the church usually costs nothing! However, you will be politely asked to leave a donation for a good cause in return. Appropriate amounts for this are between 50 and 200 euros.

How much does a Master of Ceremony cost?

A beautifully decorated flower arch with lighting or candles at the base, pillars or stands with flowers, a snow-white path covered with rose petals, airy and flying fabrics, magical music that accompanies the bride and groom. This is why most newlyweds choose a Master of Ceremony. An experienced wedding officiant will write a personalized speech for you and deliver it to your guests in a charismatic and funny way. The cost is between 700 and 1500 euros.

Costs for the outfit and styling of the bride and groom

Wedding dress, shoes, accessories, flowers, rings, makeup and hairstyle. Don’t skimp on something that could ruin the whole evening if it goes wrong. It’s definitely worth spending a little more for a dress that fits you and makeup that highlights your best features. Make sure you find time for the fitting.

Kosten für die Hochzeitstorten und Dessert

Cost of the wedding cake

Almost no wedding is complete without a cake. Of course, sometimes it is replaced by another dessert, but most newlyweds still adhere to traditions. Therefore, the cake almost always completes the wedding banquet and often becomes its key moment. However, now the variety of desserts is amazing and choosing a specific option is not the easiest task.

One of the factors that will help you make your decision is the price. For example, a minimalist small cake can cost ten times less than a large multi-tiered cake made according to a custom design. At the same time, you can find the cake of your dreams at an affordable price of 300-700 euros.

Wedding planner costs for advice and support

Wedding Planner will help you avoid mistakes in the organization and choose the best contractors. And in case of force majeure at the wedding, he will do everything so that you do not notice anything. Wedding agency Fasol Entertainment knows how to deal with emergency situations and always has a backup plan even in case of rain.

How much does a wedding planner cost? If your wedding costs around €20,000 in total, then the wedding planner costs would be around €2,000-3,000.

Additional costs for a wedding

Transfer of the bride and groom, team and guests, gifts for the parents, hotel accommodation, additional entertainment program and everything that is not included in the main expenditure items.

Hochzeitsfotograf Brautpaarshooting Fotograf für Hochzeit buchen Kosten

Why is “wedding” always expensive?

A wedding is not a cheap pleasure. Especially in big cities. Where do such prices come from?

It is a mistake to think that the work of a presenter (also known as a Tamada) or photographer only lasts for one wedding day. This is wrong. During the preparation, the presenter creates the evening program, coordinates the guests, arranges surprises for the bride and groom, coordinates interactions and helps the bride and groom with the organization. And all of this before the wedding.

In addition to filming, a photographer and a videographer are involved in planning the locations, selecting materials, editing and cutting. The decorator thinks about the “visual” of the wedding, prepares sketches, coordinates them, orders flowers and makes structures. On the wedding day, he is busy setting up and dismantling all the decorations.

A wedding should not be perceived as a dinner with loved ones, but as a theatrical performance in which the bride and groom are the main actors. On this day, everything is made for your well-being.

Wedding costs per guest

Each bride and groom decide for themselves who will attend the wedding. If your budget allows it, you can also invite not so close relatives. Old school friends will also be happy about this event. But if you have to save on invitations, inviting your third cousin from Trier is absurd. It is better to celebrate the celebration in a close but friendly circle. It is a realistic assumption to say that you should plan on about €120-150 per person for catering costs.

How much does a honeymoon cost?

Experts recommend booking your honeymoon at least eight to twelve months before you plan to leave. This way you can benefit from the best deals on flights, hotels and the like. We recommend a budget of around 3000-6000 euros, depending on your options. Alternatively, you can wait until the wedding guests unwrap their gifts to know exactly how much money you have at your disposal. But treat yourself to this trip, because so many couples postpone the trip until later, and later is where our dreams are buried…

Honeymoon costs

Honeymoons are often associated with a vacation at a beautiful resort somewhere in a beautiful corner of the world, which is why we refer to them as such.

  • Choose your vacation spot in advance so that you can start your trip immediately after the wedding. The best options are resorts that have previously hosted newlyweds. As a rule, in such places there is everything that the newlyweds need.
  • Plan your vacation without relying on cash gifts that are usually presented as part of the celebration. This way you are guaranteed to go on vacation even if something goes wrong during the wedding.
  • Choose a vacation program that is ideal for the bride and groom. Take into account the interests of your other half, their nature and characteristics. In marriage it is important to give in to each other and listen to each other.
  • Plan trips and sightseeing so that you have time to actually relax in your hotel or boarding house room.
Was Kosten Flitterwochen?

How to make your wedding celebration more affordable

The desire to save is a completely normal desire. And there is nothing wrong with making a reasonable saving on a German wedding. It is important to know what you can and cannot save. If you approach the financial matter wisely, you can save a lot. You can base your decision on the principle: “Buy winter clothes in summer, buy summer clothes in winter.” After all, you will then receive the maximum discount. Deducting wedding costs could also be a measure.

The best savings tips 1

  • Plan your celebration as early as possible. This will give you more freedom in choosing the best locations and contractors, as well as early bird discounts.
  • Have your wedding on a Sunday or during the week. Restaurants and contractors almost always offer discounts on such dates, as demand for them is significantly lower. The same goes for the time of year. A winter wedding will cost you less than a summer celebration.

The best savings tips 2

  • Buy your dress on online marketplaces and during seasonal sales. This way, you can save up to 50% of your budget. The same goes for shoes and accessories.
  • Ask the wedding venue if you can bring your own alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Usually, these are the items that attract the highest markup. Alcohol has an additional corkage fee, but it is also more profitable than ordering expensive alcohol in a restaurant.

The best savings tips 3

  • Go through your guest list again. It is not necessary to invite all distant relatives and former colleagues. Stick to a circle of your closest people: it is both cheaper and more pleasant.
  • Do not hesitate to ask for discounts. The restaurants and contractors also want their available dates to be booked, so it is very likely that you will be given a discount.
  • Paper invitations will soon be forgotten: why spend money when you can quickly and inexpensively create a complete website and place all the necessary information there? Today, even the elderly use smartphones!

What are the average costs of a wedding in Germany?

According to a study, traditional weddings in Germany cost between 15,000 and 30,000 euros. As a rule of thumb, a wedding with 60 guests costs around 16,000 euros. Some people hire a wedding planner to organize their wedding day. But never forget, even if it sounds cliché, it is a day like no other and you will want to remember this day for decades to come. Therefore, it is definitely worth spending a little more on it, because we at Fasol Entertainment promise you: if the day goes perfectly, you will not remember the wedding costs. If you have any questions about wedding moderation, DJ, wedding photography and videography, we are happy to help and advise you.

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