You may or may not know that I’m on a mission… a mission to educate about weddings, wedding costs, and the importance of hiring professionals.
We all know that there’s no lack of wedding inspiration nowadays. Brides and grooms everywhere are dreaming, planning, and designing their weddings using Pinterest and Instagram, which are filled with beautiful images of lush florals, flowing gowns, and picturesque settings. It’s your dream to have all that inspiration you’ve pinned on Pinterest come to life, right?!
But then, reality sets in. The sad fact is, those images you’re pinning and saving don’t come with prices attached. You might end up dreaming WAY too big, and NOT getting that dream wedding you’re envisioning. And we all know that having to settle for one thing when you’re picturing something else is a recipe for disappointment.
But what if you were better prepared?
What if you could have more knowledge in general surrounding wedding costs?
What if you were able to have more realistic expectations established before you even meet with your planner or designer?
Well friends, I believe all of that can be solved through the sharing of information. Because the more you know about weddings, that will help you make educated decisions, and as a result, the better your wedding will be.
So, today starts a new series here on ELD, “What Does That Wedding Cost?”, where we will not only be showing you a wedding design, but also sharing what it will cost to achieve that look. Things will definitely vary depending on total budget, guest counts, and locations. But the information we share in these features will be far better than being absolutely clueless, right?! (PS- Wedding pros… we are looking for submissions for this series! Be sure to head to the end of this post for the details!)
We’re kicking things off with a gorgeous design from Confetti Skies that was captured by Belinda Philleo Photography. You can see the entire feature of this design here. Aimee of Confetti Skies shares:
We took the same wedding concept and showed what a $75,000 budget in Southern California could look like with 100 guests and what it could look like with 150 guests. Both set ups are beautiful and the guests will be in awe with either set up. The goal of this shoot was to help couples really sit down and review their guest count and their budget first and foremost. These two elements greatly affect all other aspects of your wedding.
Our overall design concept for this wedding was rich lush fabrics mixed with beautiful, full florals and colors that would work well in the spring, fall, and winter seasons. For linen choices, we decided to go with textured linens as they cover such large portions of wedding guests view. Linens tend to be an afterthought of many couples, but they can really make a huge impact on your overall aesthetics. With the florals, we chose rich hues and full flowers such as peonies, roses and ranunculus.
One item that remained the same throughout was the bouquet. Our pro tip is NEVER skimp on your bouquet. It should be special and it should be exactly what you envision. All of the professionals agree on this!
$75,000 budget – 150 Guests – Southern California
Reception Decor Budget Breakdown
Total (entire wedding) budget per guest at 150 guest count = $500 per guest
Items used in design:
Linen: champagne shantung linen, deep purple velvet napkin // Tabletop Rentals: gold rimmed glass charger, gold flatware, colored glass water goblet // Stationery: Standard invitation suite, menu on shimmer paper // Florals: lush with mostly roses with pops of peonies and ranunculus // Chairs: venue owned chiavari chairs (included in the venue fee) // Lounge: coffee table, couch, two chairs, pillows
$75,000 budget – 100 Guests – Southern California
If you have the same budget with 100 guests, you have more room to play with regarding your decor. The upgrades to the tablescape bring your wow factor up a notch!
Reception Decor Budget Breakdown
Reception Floral Budget: $4,000 / 13 tables= $307 per table
Stationery Reception Budget: $1,000 / 100 guests= $10 per place setting
Upgraded Rentals + Linen Budget: $5,000 / 100 guests= $50 per place setting
Total (entire wedding) budget per guest at 100 guest count = $750 per guest
Items used in design:
Linen: Overlay + champagne shantung linen, deep purple velvet napkin // Tabletop Rentals: upgraded china, gold flatware, colored glass water goblet, amber champagne coupe // Stationery: Upgraded invitation suite (handmade paper, wax seal, envelope liner), menu on handmade paper // Placesettings: Acrylic names + floral spring // Florals: lush with more peonies and ranunculus // Chairs: Upgraded // Lounge: large coffee table, couch, two chairs, more pillows, more decor, bench, side tables, rug
Note: The budgets provided are true to this design based on the rentals and prices the vendors charge. Different companies in different areas may charge differently.
Click here to see more of this entire wedding design!
A big thank you to the Southern California vendors who participated in bringing this design- and the information- to life! Be sure to check out the entire feature of this look too!
Vendors who made it all happen…
Planning + Design: Confetti Skies // Floral Design: Beautiful Savage Flowers // Photography: Belinda Philleo Photography // Venue: La Ventura Event Center // Paper Goods: Jen Simpson Design // Upgraded Chairs: Signature Party Rentals // Tabletop + Lounge: Sundrop Vintage // Linens: Luxe Linen // Acrylic Names + Table Numbers: Happily Ever Etched
Wedding Pros! Want to help us educate about what weddings cost?
Submit your design and budget breakdown here!
Lauren
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Lauren, what part of Southern California are you talking about? Here in the desert near Palm Springs, these prices wouldn’t fly.
Hi Joey! This venue is in San Clemente.