10 Unexpected Costs that Could Derail Your Wedding Planning

While creating a wedding budget, the estimated costs of venue, catering, photographer, etc. are fairly straightforward. Other expenses may not be obvious right away, or you could forget all about them in all the wedding planning chaos. These don’t seem like much on their own, but they can add up tremendously!

Here are 10 expenses you should leave room for in your wedding checklist and budget:

1. Sending Invitations – If you’re mailing invitations to people on your wedding list, this could cost more than you think. Wedding invites tend to be bulkier than letters, so postage charges are higher.
2. Gifts and Packaging – Sending sweets with invitations is traditional, as is distributing wedding favours to guests who attend. Consider the cost of these gifts as well as fancy materials for packaging.
3. Last-Minute Attendees – While estimating the guest list for weddings, keep a few extra spots for people who just ‘drop in’. If your eventual headcount only includes those who RSVP’d, consider yourself lucky!
4. Venue Redecorating – Imagine showing up to inspect the venue on your big day and it’s nothing like what you expected or wanted. A cash cushion will help if you need to tweak or redo the decor in a hurry.
5. Hair/Makeup Trials – This is mostly for the brides who want to ‘test drive’ a number of hair and makeup artists before selecting one for their big day. In most cases, you will need to pay for these trials.
6. Spare Outfits – An extra change of clothing is always a good idea for special events such as weddings. This way, you have a backup in case of rips or tears, spilled food or drinks, sudden rainfall, etc.
7. Transport for Guests – You may need to cover the cost of transportation for guests attending your wedding, especially if you have multiple venues for different events, or have picked an offbeat location.
8. Service Charges & GST – Practically every expense on your wedding checklist is taxable, and luxury items or services will incur higher tax. Take service charges for caterers and venue providers into account as well.
9. Gratuities & Tips – In addition to tax and service charges, you will be expected to tip everyone from servers, valets and bathroom attendants to mehendi artists, security guards and often, even the priest!
10. Overtime Penalties – When you book a venue, caterer, DJ or photographer for a certain number of hours, they will charge you extra if you need them to stay for longer. Plan for this, just in case it happens.

It’s important to account for both major and minor expenses during the wedding planning process, so you don’t face any surprises at the last minute. If you’re looking for a flexible wedding loan to cover planned or unexpected expenses, try MoneyTap.

With a ‘no usage, no interest’ feature, this credit line is the ideal financial backup, saving you a lot of stress during your wedding prep. Download the app and apply for a personal line of credit today!