Since your wedding budget is something you are probably keeping a close eye on these days, the only changes you want to make are things that aren’t going to have you spending more and more money on the celebration. But what if there’s something you forget to add to the budget or want to splurge on? If you’re looking into what last-minute costs you may want to say I Do to, here are 6 brides who share the #1 thing they are thrilled they spent money on.
1. A Day-Of Coordinator
“I thought hiring someone to oversee the day would be a waste, especially because we got married at a hotel and they assured us there would be someone there we could work with. It was the best last-minute thing to spend money on. We paid about $800 for someone to be at the wedding for 8-hours and make sure it was set up perfectly and our vendors came on time. She also troubleshooted all the things that went wrong, so that I didn’t even know about them.” – Mary D., 32
2. A Dessert Bar
“We almost spent about $500 on a wedding cake and then my fiancé decided that since we are not really cake lovers, we should spend the money on a dessert we enjoy. We scrapped the cake and instead paid the cater extra to present a dessert bar. It was such a delicious way to end the night and to be honest, nobody even noticed that we didn’t cut a cake.” – Danielle H., 29
3. The Photobooth
“I know everyone has a photobooth, but it was something we almost didn’t do because it’s an added expense and I didn’t think people would care to use it because every wedding has one now. I noticed that it was such a good way to get guests out of their chairs, like the ones who didn’t want to dance. It was also a great icebreaker for guests who didn’t know each other and just met that night.” – Sarah P., 27
4. Bottles of Water
“We did bottles of water with customized labels on them for our party favor. So glad we spent the money to do that. Everyone is thirsty leaving a wedding. They don’t care about anything else or any other kind of party favor. They will take the bottle of water and they will drink It.” – Marissa B., 30
5. An Extension With the Venue
“Our wedding should have ended at midnight. At around 11pm, everyone was having so much fun. Nobody wanted to leave. We didn’t have an after party or anything planned, so I spoke to the venue owner and we got to keep the party going until 2am. Of course we paid a pretty penny to make that happen, but it was surely worth It.” – Jessica V., 31
6. A Videographer
“The one thing I’m glad I did for my own personal wedding, is pay for a videographer. I was so busy the whole night and having someone videotape every moment was the only way I could recap the night knowing exactly what happened. It was cool seeing things I missed and remembering moments I enjoyed.” – Barbara C., 31
Read the weekly newsletter from Bridesmaid for Hire, 1-800-Bridesmaid, to hear about real stories, from strangers, who need advice on love, life, friendship, and so much more.
Looking for the perfect wedding gift for someone you adore? Grab The Newlywed Card Game. It's a fun and interactive game they can play on their honeymoon or future date nights.