The hidden supplier costs you need to know
When it comes to budgeting for your wedding, you do not want any unnecessary panics over costs. Get to know how much you are expecting to pay for each supplier and factor in a little extra for any last minute additions. We often see couples near the end of their planning having to find funds for unforeseen costs; either taking them over budget or forcing them pull back on something else they’ve planned.
First up, good suppliers do not hide costs from you - we are not calling out anyone with this but simply advising you to ask all the right questions when you are discussing quotes. Transparency is key when comparing costs so you can clearly determine which is the right one for you. Sometimes it’s not crystal clear and you will need to delve into contracts and dig deeper.
Let’s give you an example….when booking a photographer a year or more before your wedding you might think you need only 8hrs, but closer to the day (after you have prepped your timeline) you realise that you need an extra 2hrs of photography to cover the dancing, or the glam prep. These additional hours won’t have been budgeted for and they might equate to 800-1000 euro or more. Finding out the repercussions of extending supplier timings ahead of time should allow you to put aside a ‘buffer pot’.
Photo: Taylor-Hughes
Suppliers either work on a contracted set number of hours model or no limit to hours on the wedding day.
Videographers, photographers, florists will either include their working hours in the contract or include that there is no limit and they will be present all wedding day. With the latter, we still advise you find out what time they will be arriving and expecting to leave well in advance.
A florist might do the majority of their work at the very start of the wedding day - setting out the floral displays for the ceremony and on the tables. But after each part of the day flowers might have to be moved so do check that they will stay to manage this. Moving flowers will save you costs as your ceremony flowers might become the decor for the front of your cake table or decor for your seating plan. Don't assume that the florist will include this service as standard, always check.
If you are booking a supplier for a set number of hours, add an extra couple into your 'emergency' pot, in case down the road you decide you want additional time.
The majority of suppliers now charge for travel and this is whether they are flying internationally to your wedding or travelling domestically from Italy. Thanks to rises in fuel, expect to see this cost in your quote.
Commonly the international travellers will be photographers, videographers, and musicians; these suppliers will either state a set fee for their travel, for example 5,000 euro service + 500 euro travel. Alternatively they will have travel included in their costs. Be clear if your supplier travel costs are unknown. This carries risk for your budget as flights might skyrocket or they might not book until the last minute.
Don't be afraid to ask suppliers about this in detail. It's better fully understand where you are and what you could be spending. Suppliers will have spent a lot of time working this out and be happy to share!
It is important to establish how much time and what service you are going to receive in the planning months before your wedding. Does your planner have a limit on how many times a proposal can be amended? What are the cost implications for amends after this? What deliverables are you going to see for your decor mock up - will your florist provide an image proposal? Will see a mock-up of your table from your planner? Is a style guide or moodboard provided? Is this all included in their fee or is anything additional?
Finding out whether your planner has a limit on communication is crucial; you need to know if you're going to be having once a month catch ups and at what point does this increase ahead of the big day. Do your suppliers expect communications to be fewer during the wedding season May - September and how will they manage this with you?
Okay, so when you think of your wedding meal you might not be envisioning adding potentially 10 extras for your suppliers, but trust us when we say you need to feed your team! Working over 15 hours in hot temperatures, with very minimal breaks they deserve more than a home-brought panini!
Often caterers offer supplier meals at a reduced rate but you should account for between 30-100 euro per head. And make sure they have access to water! Completely dependent on which suppliers you will be using but as a base we would suggest factoring in 10 x staff meals. Often wedding venues are remote and to be honest you don't want your suppliers 'popping out' to find their own food! You want them present, full of energy and hydrated.
It is important for you to be clear on how many meals you will be providing though - with lighting and musicians sometimes additional help can turn up and it will be a lot to cater for everyone if you have a lighting team of 8 and a band of 6! Not forgetting your photographers, videographer, planners etc.
Looking for your supplier dream team? Our directory lists the best in the industry, with new suppliers being added each week. We vet those we list, so you can be sure they are trusted, talented and will bring your wedding vision to life. If we have we got you in the mood for crunching some numbers, download our free Budgeting tool - it is so easy to input and compare your costs.
