4 Hidden Venue & Vendor Costs to Look our for.
Budgeting is the single-most stressful part of planning your wedding. So, the more you know about what it will cost to make yours the best day ever, the better. But, even the most astute of financial planners can be blindsided by hidden costs venues and vendors charge to host your wedding. Here are four "budgetary gremlins" to look out for:
1- Rental deliveries: Some vendors will charge you to deliver and pick up those items you've selected to make your wedding distinct. The cost can be driven up by delivery distance, volume of stuff and staff required to get you your goodies. Make sure your vendor itemizes all costs associated with delivery.
2- Set-up and break down: Once you take delivery of your items, some venues bring in extra staff to make your wedding look perfect and then make it look like it never happened. Ask to have these venue costs itemized and coordinate the delivery and venue teams to minimize cost overlap.
3- Corkage and "cakeage": Venues will charge you per bottle and per slice of cake to serve the "hootch and sweets" you bring in from outside vendors. Do your best to negotiate this fee and consider the value of "taking out" versus "ordering in". What you save by using the venue's catering might be sweeter than you think!
4- OT: We know you're going to party down until the sun comes up. But, all venues (as well as DJs, photographers, caterers, etc.) will charge you for a set number of hours and will tack on a pretty penny for every hour you go over. Make sure you allow for overtime fees from day one and have someone hold your dancing shoes to the fire when the time comes to call it quits.