After your wedding day has passed, all you’ll want to do is relax and enjoy every second of newlywed bliss. There’s a reason so many couples lose their voices during their big day - it’s a HUGE social event where all of the attention is on you. Once you’ve tied the knot and celebrated with your loved ones, it’s time to escape and recharge with your new spouse.
So what happens when you come back home? As you settle into married life together, you’ll reflect back on your wedding photos and memories from your big day, as well as dare to look at how much money was spent! We know weddings are pricy, which is why we don’t shy away from the topic of budgeting. We believe every couple deserves their dream day no matter what their budget is and we strive to make that possible for each and every one of our couples.
Depending on your preferences, your post-wedding expenses may include something from this list:
1. Bouquet Preservation
Noah Edwards Photography, Blue Ridge Blooms, Flawless Hair & Makeup
If you’re looking for creative ways to preserve your bouquet, check out this post here. Unless you choose a local shop for preservation, chances are you’ll have to ship your bridal bouquet. The shipping costs are largely influenced by the package size, which depends on your bouquet’s size. In order to preserve it properly, the box needs to accommodate the bouquet comfortably without crushing it or damaging any of the petals. From our research, we’ve concluded that the shipping total may rank higher than the preservation itself. Bouquet preservation is very time-sensitive, so keep this cost in mind for your post-wedding budget.
TIP: Some preservation methods may require immediate action, so we recommend electing someone to ship it out for you if you’re on your honeymoon.
2. Dress Preservation
After your wedding day, I’d consider it a miracle if you walked away without a single stain or mark on your dress. Whether your venue is indoors or outdoors, you’re bound to see the remnants of last night’s memories on the underskirt of your gown and train. We suggest planning how and when you’re going to drop your gown off for dry cleaning and preservation BEFORE your wedding day. Consider looking into these costs so you can incorporate them into your budget early on: nobody likes surprise costs!
TIP: Remember that wedding dress dry cleaning is different from your regular dry cleaning, so we’d recommend looking into a few different *professional*places before deciding.
3. Developing Film
If you’ve incorporated disposable cameras into your day..
1 - I’m so excited for you, you’re about to see some of the most precious moments captured from your day
&
2 - Prepare yourself for the costs it takes to develop the film.
You can expect to pay roughly $15-$20 for each camera roll of film. If your guests filled up 10 cameras, that’s around $200! We recommend including this cost in your overall budget (along with the actual cost for the cameras) to ensure full preparation.
4. Thank You Notes
Yah Photography
We usually recommend couples try to send out their thank-you notes no later than 2 weeks after the honeymoon ends. Not only does this take time, sending out thank you’s may cost you a pretty penny. Consider the cost of stationery, stamps/postage, and any special additions you want to include (like a custom stamp or design by a stationery artist).