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What Is the Average Cost of a Wedding in Austin in 2021? | Austin, TX Wedding Planners




One of the most asked questions we receive about planning a wedding is, "What is considered the average cost for a wedding in Austin?" We wish we could give you a straight answer, but it varies quite a bit since every wedding is a custom event. Some people might want to splurge, while others want to cut costs. The cost of a wedding can change drastically based on different factors. The guest count, the day, the place, the vendors, are all examples of factors that can make quite the difference. It's your big day and your budget, so we polled all the most successful vendors in the Austin wedding industry to compile the averages for you.


To help you decide how to spend your money, we have included explanations behind each price to illustrate how much behind-the-scenes work is actually put into the creation of a beautiful wedding. If you were to have a fully staffed wedding, with every possible vendor, your Austin wedding could cost you close to $45K, and here's why.


 

BAND ​AVERAGE COST: $7,500 FOR A 8-10 PERSON BAND Highly talented musicians and their team provide music for your special day, but some people might not know what all goes into running a professional band. Factors you might not consider include insurance, gas, tour bus or trailer storage and upkeep, marketing and advertising, website management, promotional photoshoots, performance videos, and more.

CAKE ​AVERAGE COST: $1,500 OR STARTING AT $7 PER PERSON Bakers must plan, shop, prep, bake, design, decorate, deliver, set up, and clean up. When it comes to running their business, they must perform administrative duties like communication, emailing, overseeing contracts, bookkeeping, managing inventory, etc.

CATERING ​AVERAGE COST: $75-100 PER PERSON FOR FULL-SERVICE CATERING ​ Catering sales managers and the talented culinary team spend a lot of time researching, strategizing, cooking, tasting, selecting ingredients, and writing menus. Besides making the food, they must transport plates, utensils, serving utensils, serving trays, linens, heaters, platters, hot boxes, glassware, coolers, ice, trash cans, and more. Hiring a trustworthy team of professionals will also alleviate the burden of having your closest friends and family setting up and taking down tables and chairs.





DAY OF PLANNING + COORDINATION AVERAGE COST: $1,900-$3,000 A planner spends countless hours answering emails, taking and making phone calls, conducting meetings, site visits, tastings, connecting with your vendors, putting together paperwork, navigating timelines, floor plans, and acting as a liaison between your family, friends, and guests. They will coordinate your rehearsal, assist the officiant with their speech, bustle your dress, plate up your dinner, keep you on your timeline, conduct your grand exit, pack up your belongings, and ensure your gifts make it home safely.

DESSERTS ​AVERAGE COST: $5 PER PERSON, OR PER PIECE Making individual gourmet desserts takes a whole lot of time and labor that is put into meticulously decorating your wedding cookies. Whether or not you want to choose between a dessert station, just a cake, or both is definitely something to think about.

DJ ​AVERAGE COST: $1,500 ​ DJ's are the emcee at your reception, they set the mood for every special moment, they get people up on the dance floor, and keep the crowd entertained. They also set up, test, and tear down their equipment while maintaining a level of professionalism that allows you to ease your mind so you can actually enjoy your reception. DJ’s invest several hours into the months, weeks, and days leading up to your wedding, customizing playlists to your requests and creating fun mixes.


FLORALS ​AVERAGE COST: $5,000 Florists spend hours designing looks, ordering flowers, processing flowers, assembling arrangements, transporting arrangements, and setting up and breaking down at each wedding. They make your vision a reality by creating the recipe for your dream design, calling wholesalers to check the availability of the flowers you are hoping for, and sourcing and securing additional decor. There are also various supplies and to-do’s needed that add to the business costs, which can include vases, refrigeration, advertising, marketing, responding to inquiries, and setting up design appointments. HAIR & MAKEUP ​AVERAGE COST: $250 FOR BRIDE, $175 FOR BRIDESMAID/MOTHER A professional makeup kit is around $3,000, and a hair kit is $1,000, and the costs don’t stop there. There are expenses like insurance, gas, travel, licensing, continued education, general business expenses, etc. Hours are spent blending the perfect colors, styling, applying lashes, clip-in hair extensions, veils, headpieces, all to create that picture-perfect wedding look for the bride and bridal party.

ICE SCULPTURES ​AVERAGE COST: $500 There are a wide range of ice sculpture designs to choose from, including personalization and monograms. Not only are the sculpture artists dealing with and designing the ice, they are masters of their display equipment, packaging supplies, delivery, and setup. The ice must be set up and displayed in such a way that it lasts the entirety of your reception. ​

LIVE MUSICIANS ​AVERAGE COST: $1,000 FOR 2 HOURS INCLUDING CEREMONY AND/OR COCKTAIL HOUR Whether it be for the ceremony, cocktail hour, or both, live musicians know how to set a mood. They have equipment considered the best of the best, take time to travel, time to set up, time to tear tear down, and put a lot of time and effort into honing their skill and personalizing the songs that are most important to the couple. ​

OFFICIANTS ​AVERAGE COST: $500 Besides time spent doing administrative tasks, officiants spend hours investing entirely into the couple. They learn about the couple, their story, their love, dreams of the future, traditions, vows, and any other extra customs specific to their ceremony. Officiants typically participate in the ceremony rehearsal the day before the wedding and act as the ringleader on the actual wedding day.

PHOTOGRAPHER ​AVERAGE COST: $5,000 FOR 8 HOURS Photographers are tasked with taking photos of every special moment during your wedding day. Not only do they have to purchase the newest gear and editing software, but after the wedding is over, they still have to edit every single picture. It can often take a photographer over 40 hours to edit the photos from your wedding.

PHOTO BOOTH ​AVERAGE COST: $1,000 A photo booth is a place where guests come together to create fun and lasting memories. There is a lot of high-end equipment that has to be purchased, taken care of, transported to and from reception venues, and let’s not forget the backup equipment just in case an accident strikes. They also can either set up your customized background in real life or as a backdrop on the camera.


VENUE AVERAGE COST: $7,500 FOR A PRIME SATURDAY EVENING To run a venue, there are property taxes, rent, utilities, internet, landscaping, maintenance, insurance premiums, and administrative duties which must be paid regardless of if there are weddings or events booked. When there are events, there are additional costs such as venue cleaning, staff to set up and tear down tables, chairs, linens, and an on-site venue manager for the duration of the wedding. VIDEOGRAPHY ​AVERAGE COST: $4,000 Some costs a videographer has is insurance, music licensing, gear, computer systems, payment processors, software updates, data storage, travel costs, editing assistants, web designers, graphic designers, and shipping and packaging. There are also many hours spent after creating the film where videographers add the perfect soundtrack. Gear, cameras, tripods, lights, audio gear, microphones, audio recorders, even a drone are items your videographer has purchased to make your wedding video so magical.


WITH MUCH LOVE, ​A PART OF YOUR LOCAL WEDDING COMMUNITY



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