A wedding’s cost is set mostly by three decisions: how many guests come, where it’s held, and what they are served. Catering and the venue usually take the largest share, and both scale with the guest list, so each guest added or removed moves the total more than almost any other choice. City matters too: weddings in Toronto and Vancouver generally cost more than the same wedding in a smaller centre. This page goes through each part of a wedding budget and the common ways couples lower it. It is part of our directory of what things cost in Canada; the money steps of getting married (documents, beneficiaries, wills, insurance) are in the getting married financial checklist.
How budgets are usually split
| Category | What drives its cost |
|---|---|
| Venue | The type (a backyard or community hall, a restaurant, a winery, a hotel, an estate or resort), the day of the week and the season |
| Catering | Per-guest pricing, plated vs buffet vs family style, the meal (brunch or lunch costs less than dinner), and service charges and tax on top |
| Bar | An open bar, a limited bar, a cash bar or bring-your-own, where permitted |
| Photography and video | Hours of coverage, a second shooter, video, albums |
| Music and entertainment | A DJ or a band, ceremony musicians |
| Flowers and decor | Seasonal vs imported flowers, rentals, how much of the venue is decorated |
| Attire | New, rented or second-hand; alterations |
| Rings | The metal, the stones and whether they’re custom |
| Stationery | Printed or digital invitations, save-the-dates, signage |
| Hair and makeup, officiant, transportation | Fixed fees per service |
Costs couples often forget
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Sales tax and gratuities | Added to most vendor quotes, especially catering |
| The marriage licence | A provincial fee |
| Vendor meals | Many contracts require meals for vendors who work the day |
| Alterations and accessories | On top of the attire itself |
| Gifts for the wedding party and thank-you gifts | |
| Overtime | Extra hours for the photographer, DJ or venue |
| Insurance | Event liability insurance, which some venues require |
Ways couples lower the cost
| Approach | Why it saves |
|---|---|
| A smaller guest list | Catering, bar, venue size and rentals all scale with it |
| An off-season or weekday date | Venues and vendors charge less outside peak Saturdays in summer and early fall |
| A non-traditional venue | Community halls, restaurants or a family property cost less than hotels and estates |
| A daytime meal | Brunch or lunch costs less than a plated dinner |
| A limited bar | Beer and wine, or a signature drink, instead of a full open bar |
| Fewer paid hours | Shorter photography and music coverage |
| Second-hand or rented attire and decor | Rentals and resale markets are widely used |
Paying for the wedding
Couples usually combine their own savings, gifts from family and, sometimes, borrowing. Borrowing on a credit card or line of credit adds interest after the day is over; saving in a high-interest savings account during the engagement avoids it, and a dedicated savings goal makes the monthly amount clear.
Example: to save $25,000 over a 15-month engagement, a couple would set aside about $1,667 a month.
If debt from the wedding is already on a credit card, the options for paying it down are in how to get out of credit card debt. How couples combine their money afterwards is covered in financial planning for couples, and marriage contracts in prenuptial agreements.