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Saturday, November 10, 2007

Breaking down the D.C. budget

The following break-down is from the Fall/Winter issue of Brides Washington Magazine, a Brides Magazines/Modern Bride publication. They did a random survey of vendors around the area to get a snapshot of the cost for wedding services. How accurate does everyone feel this is?

Music:
  • 5 hours of live music by a 12-piece vareity ensemble: $9,000
  • 5 hours of service by the most sought after dj in D.C.: $4,000
  • 4 hours of basic DJ service by a wedding professional with 12 years experience: $800
Reception:
  • 3 course plated dinner and premium open bar, one hour of passed hors d'oeuvres, and champagne toast at a high-end hotel across from the White House: $215 per person
  • 3 course plated dinner, 4-hour open bar, cocktail hours with hors d'oeuvres, and champagne toast, at a historic ite in Annapolis: $84 per person
  • 3 course plated dinner at a standard banquet hall in Hunt Valley: $45 per person+ $800 reception site fee
Photography:
  • Premium package from photojournalist-turned-wedding photographer with 16 years of experience, including 10 hours of wedding-day coverage plus and assistant, and an album: $6,000
  • Premium package from photographer with 10 years of experience, including engagement shoot, eight hours of wedding-day coverage and an album: $4,700
  • Standard package by wedding photographer with 5 years experience, including 10 hours of wedding-day coverage and an album: $1,580
Cake:
  • Fondant-covered cake with handcrafted sugar flowers, by a celeb baker featured on the Food Network, serves 120: $1,700
  • Fondant-covered cake with Swiss dots from a French bakery in Georgetown, serves 140: $735
  • Standard sheet cake with basket-weave design, by Maryland grocery store chain, serves 120: $250
Flowers:
  • Hand-tied bouquet of anemones, ranunculus, roses, and galax leaves, by an up-and-coming D.C. florist: $185
  • Bouquet of cymbidium orchids, roses, hypericum berries and bear gras, by a family-run flower show in Annapolis: $150
  • Bouquet of roses and hypericum berries by a florist in Baltimore: $125

4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think it's a mix of accurate and not so accurate. The prices for the most expensive options I think are pretty dead on accurate. But $85 a plate for a medium budget reception and open bar I think is too low...most places are closer to a $100 and that's not even for anything particularly fancy. Whereas the medium range for photography (4,700) I think is a little high...you can find excellent experienced photographers doing full day coverage for 3,500 easily. I would put 4,700 into the "expensive" category.

Saturday, November 10, 2007 9:41:00 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I think the price for flowers is a little low. I just got a quote for $300 for one bouquet for in season, traditionally inexpensive flowers and it is not even in this area. We are having a destination wedding because DC was too much money.
http://reluctantlybridal.blogspot.com

Tuesday, November 13, 2007 1:22:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

As a wedding photographer myself, I would just like to point out that years of experience have very little to do with price. It's really just a matter of supply and demand. I know some fantastic wedding photographers who have only been shooting for a couple of years. I also know some very experienced ones who have been doing it so long that they've lost their creative edge. Although you want someone experienced, I think that the difference between 5 years and 15 years would be totally undecipherable to most people. Just my two cents. :)
Love the blog!

Tuesday, November 13, 2007 6:16:00 PM  
Blogger Mrs. NearlyWed said...

I think the "median" is skewed because in DC you can find photographers in excess of $8000 and $10,000. For $3000-$3500, there are absolutely fantastic photographers to choose from that will give you awesome images.
As for florists you can very easily find bridal bouquets from terrific designers in the $185-$250 range without a problem.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007 7:21:00 PM  

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