The question of “How much will my wedding cost” is a very difficult question to answer with accuracy. The cost of a wedding varies and every budget will as different as the couple whose wedding it is. Each couple will have a different ballpark budget in mind with a different vision. Be it an intimate ceremony or a big, lavish and luxurious wedding. 

For this reason, it is difficult to predict exactly how much a wedding will cost. There are so many variables that will influence the total cost! When designing a wedding I come across so many different couple preferences. Some couples want flowers everywhere and others may prefer a single centre-piece. One couple may not care for live music whereas another would love to have a live band. It all depends on what you want!

Here are a few more things to also keep in mind that will play a big part in your wedding budget. What season are you planning on getting married in and where? Whether you are covering accommodation costs for your guests. Or if you want a videographer and will be splurging on a phenomenal photographer. 

Taking all that into consideration, here is an estimate of how much you can expect to pay for a 100-guest wedding. All based on costs of trusted industry suppliers that will make your day a dream and then some. 

To start off, in case you were wondering, according to Hitched the average 2019 UK wedding cost a whopping £31 974! (You can click here to jump to their article, but you may want to keep reading as there is some very helpful info on its way!) 

A South African wedding, on the other hand, of the same standard will cost you a fraction thereof! A comfortable budget for an equally elegant, refined and modern wedding day will cost from £14 000 upwards. If you want a full 3-day wedding with all your guests do get in touch and I can talk you through the average costs based on what you have in mind. 

On how to split your budget, I have broken it down to give you an idea of where to start and to set you up to an easy start to planning your budget.

Starting with the Wedding Venue, catering and drinks are generally the biggest expense of a wedding. For peace of mind sett aside for a budget of around £6 500. This will keep your options open and give you some wriggle room for a few extras if you like. 

Each venue that you look at will offer different elements as part of their package. Some will be dry hire, meaning you will have to rent everything in especially. A different venue may give you everything you need, and you will only have to add flowers and a few finishing touches to make the day your own.

A venue that is a blank canvas may cost much less, and a venue which has plenty of extras included will charge more. Some wedding venues will allow you to bring in external suppliers, while others may need you to make use of in-house.

Photography & videography can vary based on your personal preferences. How much you spend will depend on whether you simply want a good photographer and/or videographer or if only the best will do. 

To have a professional photographer and/or videographer that will give you gorgeous memories to look back on will add around £1 900 to your budget. This will afford you to choose from a selection of talented local suppliers. You can choose one that suits your style and will deliver exactly what you are looking for. 

Wedding flowers and decorations will help you turn your wedding venue into a celebration that is unique. 

 This is an area where you can spend as much or as little as you like. If you would like to have a professional florist and a decor supplier you should start by setting aside £2 000. A key thing to remember here is that using a stylist/planner that understands your wedding vision will help tremendously and will also save you a pretty penny.

Entertainment and music play such an important role at a wedding. There are many DJs and entertainment suppliers with different styles that cater to different events. 

For a wedding DJ, I would set aside £750 to start with. If you would like to add on live music such as an or a string quartet or band you can look at an extra £750 for the day.

A Wedding Cake and all the sweet things are the cherries on top after your guests have wined and dined. A wedding cake most definitely isn’t any boring old cake. It can be designed specifically for you. You can look at budgeting at around £ 400 for your cake. If you opt for a beautiful dessert table for your guests it can set you back up to £1 000. 

Stationery is always a tricky thing when it comes to destination weddings. You want your table stationery, seating plan and invites all to match. But you may not want to have to transport all your table stationery and large wedding props in your luggage. 

I recommend using one of my trusted suppliers in South Africa. They will take charge of all your stationery needs and will gladly ship your invites to you. Your table stationery will then wait for you back in South Africa, ready for your wedding day. If you are looking at setting up a wedding website you will save on the shipping and invite printing. Set aside £650 for stationery design. 

Hair & Make-up varies terribly and it will completely depend on the size of your bridal party but for bridal hair and makeup set-aside £200. 

 

The above are the obvious items, but the two items that are always forgotten is an officiant and a wedding car. Set aside £400 for a wedding car. If you aren’t using a friend to officiate the ceremony and still need to be legally married, an officiant will cost around £250.

 

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Lastly, if you want help with your wedding planning and to find reputable suppliers, then you should most definitely invest in a planner. This will ensure that your wedding planning journey less stressful and make the most out of your wedding budget. A reputable planner will charge around 10% of your wedding budget or will offer different packages based on your needs. 

 I hope this has helped you put together an idea of your South African destination wedding budget. If you need any more help on suppliers, budget or the finer details, feel free to go and take a look at the services that we offer by clicking here.