What is the overall average cost of a LI wedding?

Original post by the future mrs m

Aug 04, 2007 09:51 AM

just curious. We are starting to look at halls now and I'm wondering what is the least possible amount of money we can spend on 150 guests.
I know time of the year plays a huge factor so we are leaningaway from our original july 2008 date. april and oct are much cheaper.

danniegirl Posted: Aug 19, 2007 04:58 PM

Re: What is the overall average cost of a LI wedding?

I would say 30-50k

SugaBeans Posted: Aug 19, 2007 05:22 PM

Re: What is the overall average cost of a LI wedding?

i dont even know how much when its all done we are going to be spending. im going to say between 20 and 30,000.

ArmyOfBabies Posted: Aug 19, 2007 06:57 PM

Re: What is the overall average cost of a LI wedding?

I read somewhere that the average wedding on LI costs $38,000.... I only spent about $25,000. It depends where you book and if you know how and where to cut corners.

Drv0716 Posted: Aug 19, 2007 08:01 PM

Re: What is the overall average cost of a LI wedding?

For about 100 people we're going to be at about $14k-15k without the honeymoon. You can do a nice wedding on a budget if you shop around & put some effort in to it! We had the choice of a smaller scale wedding this year or something in the $25k-30k range in 2008. We felt it was more important to be married this year. I'm very happy with our decision. I really have not had to cut out anything I really wanted to have.

angl2001 Posted: Aug 20, 2007 01:02 AM

Re: What is the overall average cost of a LI wedding?

Posted by ArmyOfBabies

I read somewhere that the average wedding on LI costs $38,000.... I only spent about $25,000. It depends where you book and if you know how and where to cut corners.

yeah that was in that magazine we read ...it said the north east average wedding was 38,000 thank god i am not average!!!lol i think we just hit 21K witch is 1K over what we were aiming for!

tjcohen Posted: Sep 11, 2007 08:05 PM

Re: What is the overall average cost of a LI wedding?

To be honest, I don't know any brides who are getting married in the peak season and on a Saturday night that are not paying at least $40 k. My budget is about $50,000 as of now and I still have another 11 months to think of more waistful necessities that I think I need. ;) I'm paying for the whole thing myself so I know how scary those numbers can be. My catering cost alone at CLM is over $20K.

SoontobeMrsMc Posted: Sep 11, 2007 09:15 PM

Re: What is the overall average cost of a LI wedding?

What are we doing wrong???? We are still in the middle of planning but when all is said and done, we are looking at between $50-$60K. We're getting married at the East Wind on a Sunday, over a holiday weekend (so that saved us a lot) and I don't think we went all out with anything. I know our biggest expense is the number of people but FH has a really large family (and there isn't anyone we can or want to eliminate). Our guest list is about 300 people. We didn't go all out with flowers and we cut costs by doing candle centerpieces. We spent a little more with the dj and videographer then expected but we felt like he threw a lot in for us. How is everyone able to budget so much less than us? Are we doing something wrong?

menc Posted: Sep 11, 2007 09:20 PM

Re: What is the overall average cost of a LI wedding?

Our budget is 30K and so far we are doing pretty well with it. When all is said and done, I figure 35k no more. We are havinh upwards of 150 people and having it on a Saturday night. You can waste alot of money on unneccessary things, but it is hard to say NO when you see all these beautiful things you'must have'.

kslmbuggie Posted: Sep 11, 2007 09:23 PM

Re: What is the overall average cost of a LI wedding?

I dont think your doing anything wrong, but because you are having so many guest the bulk of your budget is definetly going to the RH. You can definetly cut corners on photo/video & DJ. I couldnt justify spending 5k on a dj no matter how many beeds & hats they give away.

Posted by SoontobeMrsMc

What are we doing wrong???? We are still in the middle of planning but when all is said and done, we are looking at between $50-$60K. We're getting married at the East Wind on a Sunday, over a holiday weekend (so that saved us a lot) and I don't think we went all out with anything. I know our biggest expense is the number of people but FH has a really large family (and there isn't anyone we can or want to eliminate). Our guest list is about 300 people. We didn't go all out with flowers and we cut costs by doing candle centerpieces. We spent a little more with the dj and videographer then expected but we felt like he threw a lot in for us. How is everyone able to budget so much less than us? Are we doing something wrong?

DiamondPipa Posted: Sep 11, 2007 09:29 PM

Re: What is the overall average cost of a LI wedding?

Posted by jteach711

TOO MUCH.

My wedding has now exceeded about $50,000 and I don't think I went too crazy w/ anything. But the hall is close to $30,000 so that right there will do it. And I am getting married on a Friday night, I couldn't imagine if I was doing it on a Saturday night

I'm in the same boat and my hall is more than that there are so many things I don't want to skimp out on, i.e., photography, band, hall and that all adds up to wayyyy too much $$$$$

oh well, you get married once, might as well go all out and do the best!

hwolf812 Posted: Sep 11, 2007 09:32 PM

Re: What is the overall average cost of a LI wedding?

it costs an arm and a leg. just kidding--we are having a friday night wedding and we are apending about 20000 on just the hall. EEEEEk

paulaboo Posted: Sep 11, 2007 09:35 PM

Re: What is the overall average cost of a LI wedding?

If you're super organized and flexible... you could start shopping for dates within 4 months. Since most people book a year out, you're effectively taking the date that the halls have a risk of NOT filling.

But you have to be flexible. The lowest I found was $65/head for a Sunday Afternoon.

DiamondPipa Posted: Sep 11, 2007 09:35 PM

Re: What is the overall average cost of a LI wedding?

Posted by SoontobeMrsMc

What are we doing wrong???? We are still in the middle of planning but when all is said and done, we are looking at between $50-$60K. We're getting married at the East Wind on a Sunday, over a holiday weekend (so that saved us a lot) and I don't think we went all out with anything. I know our biggest expense is the number of people but FH has a really large family (and there isn't anyone we can or want to eliminate). Our guest list is about 300 people. We didn't go all out with flowers and we cut costs by doing candle centerpieces. We spent a little more with the dj and videographer then expected but we felt like he threw a lot in for us. How is everyone able to budget so much less than us? Are we doing something wrong?

it adds up!!!! you're doing nothing wrong!

DiamondPipa Posted: Sep 11, 2007 09:37 PM

Re: What is the overall average cost of a LI wedding?

Posted by mimmelit

30000 $ ? That's half of what people make on average in a year!
Why would I spend so much money on one day in my life? One single day that most people won't remember after a year anyways?
Is it about the wedding or the marriage? Starting the marriage with debts? OMG...

Argh,
well, we will spend about 2000 $ including beautiful wedding bands AND will have the people we love most come in.

well, i wouldn't expect a person making $30K would have a wedding that costs more than what they can afford...i personally will not charge anything unlesss it's to get miles and pay the bill immediately. not worth going into debt for a wedding. if i have it, i pay it. if not, then i'm not getting it. too bad this ideology makes me work harder and i end up with more and more! ugh!!!!

paulaboo Posted: Sep 11, 2007 11:42 PM

Re: What is the overall average cost of a LI wedding?

Oh my! After reading the entire thread, I did my math... and we're already at $45k.

It's the little things here and there that get you... now I'm definitely not going to do the luggage tags for the place cards. Oh, and the personalized napkins... gone. Cutting those two items just saved me $500!

This was totally eye opening, and very helpful!

And my FH says that by spending $40k on the wedding, we're loosing $2K of interest a year.

ratherbealeper Posted: Sep 11, 2007 11:48 PM

Re: What is the overall average cost of a LI wedding?

your FH = genius!

Sometimes it takes looking at things like that to put it all into perspective!

jtgarsik Posted: Sep 11, 2007 11:51 PM

Re: What is the overall average cost of a LI wedding?

it totally depends on where u have it.... don't know what area of the island ur on, but i just went to a wedding at Brentwood Country Club. It was beautiful & i was so impressed with the food! They do a whole package deal(the hall, the dj, the limos, flowers, etc.) for about 10k which is amazing! And i'm telling you i was really impressed! it's definetly a place to check out.... i also reccomend picking up the 'Wedding Services Sites & Locations' magazine...u can get it at most large magazine stands(any drug store & i know borders/barnes & nobles sells them)...it has every venue in new york, what they offer, their price range, photos, etc. It helped me dwindle down my choices big time. we still spent an arm & a leg, but we also had a HUGE guestlist(we both come from very large families) so that didn't help! anyways, Good luck!

TattooAnkh Posted: Sep 12, 2007 01:56 AM

Re: What is the overall average cost of a LI wedding?

From my experience, the easiest way to save money is on your reception hall. And the easiest way to do this is by time of year, how close you are to the wedding date when you book, and what day of the week.

I got my reception hall for a ridiculously good price by booking a Sunday, day wedding only 5.5 months before the date. Plus, they threw in a TON of extras.

That being said, because I'm planning things on shorter notice than most LI girls, a LOT of vendors were already booked and it became hard to get a good price on other vendors because my selection was limited.

But, overall, I think I got my reception hall for a steal, and that was the most important aspect of the wedding for me (besides marrying the love of my life, of course!!). I would suggest making a list and prioritizing what things are most important to you, to least. My least important was flowers, and I spent very little on them to save money.

HTH! And good luck! Also, FYI, October is a peak time believe it or not!