Before you get married, you need to know approximately how much a wedding will cost. The cost of a wedding depends on your preferences. You can make it as extravagant as you want, but even with a smaller budget, you can still have an amazing wedding.

Budget

First and foremost, you and your fiancé should decide on the budget you want to spend. Adjust the budget to the expenses you want and expect to incur.

Below is an overview of what you can expect to spend on a wedding. In the example, we’ve considered 125 people, with 35 day guests and 90 evening guests. You can make a wedding as expensive as you want, but the amount mentioned below is an average. The cost of your wedding also depends on the number of guests you’ve invited.

Bridal Bouquet and Flowers

For a bridal bouquet, you’ll pay a minimum of €150. This is because the bouquet is specially made for you, and the flowers must be purchased if they are not in season. For additional floral decorations, you can expect a cost of around €250. In total, flowers will cost you €350. Decorating with flowers is, of course, optional.

Print Materials

For invitations, you should expect to pay about €2 to €4 per card. These cards have a standard design that you can personalize but can’t fully customize. If you want to design the card completely yourself, you’ll pay a higher amount. Always order extra cards than you think you’ll need. For 150 cards, the cost will be around €300.

You can also send save-the-date cards, which cost about the same as invitations. Additionally, you may want to print menu cards or name tags. If you order all these items from the same supplier, you’ll often get a package discount.

Wedding Rings

On average, you’ll spend around €1500 on wedding rings, but if you opt for simpler ones, there are rings available starting at €1000. So, expect to spend around €1500 for a set of wedding rings.

Photographer

For a wedding photographer, you’ll certainly spend at least €1500 for six hours of coverage. Each additional hour will cost around €100. A good photographer will also select and edit your photos. So, expect a cost of around €1500. You can also choose to hire a videographer, which is usually a bit more expensive but still in a similar price range.

Another good option is to buy a party photo app. With a party photo app, all your guests can take photos throughout the day. You’ll have all the photos gathered in one place, and it’s much cheaper than hiring a photographer. A party photo app costs about €130.

Wedding Dress and Suit

The wedding dress and suit are significant expenses for the wedding. You obviously want to look amazing on your big day, but it does come with a price tag. A wedding dress costs around €2000, and a custom-made suit will cost around €1500. You can, of course, opt for a less expensive dress or suit. The prices mentioned are typically average in the Netherlands. So, expect to spend around €3500 in total for both.

Wedding Planner

A wedding planner can be hired for various services. Do you only want a one-time consultation, or do you want them to be present at the wedding and help with the planning? A consultation alone usually costs around €100. If you want the wedding planner to help with planning, expect to pay around €3000. The wedding planner would ensure that everything goes smoothly on your big day.

Master of Ceremonies

For a professional master of ceremonies, you can expect to pay around €1000. A master of ceremonies is not mandatory. You can also ask someone from your family if they’d like to take on the role. These costs are optional!

Officiant

The cost of an officiant for your wedding can vary by municipality. On average, getting married at the municipality costs around €400. If you’re getting married outside the town hall, the cost is about €1000.

Wedding Venue

The wedding venue is one of the largest expenses. The price depends on the location you rent. Typically, renting a venue costs around €4000.

Catering

Catering costs depend on the number of guests you invite. Expect a price of around €20 per person, but if you want a more luxurious dinner, you’ll pay around €30 per person. For 35 guests, you would spend approximately €700 on dinner. You’ll also want snacks or hors d’oeuvres at the wedding, and drinks are not included in this price. Therefore, expect a total cost between €1000 and €1500.

Wedding Cake

The cost of a wedding cake is also based on the number of people. On average, a wedding cake costs around €7 per piece. A wedding cake for 35 people would therefore cost €245. If you want a more affordable option, you can also set up a table with small pastries or cupcakes.

Music

If you want to hire a singer with a background band, you’ll pay around €300 per hour. Typically, they’ll perform for at least two hours, meaning you’ll spend around €600. If you prefer just a pianist, you can hire one for as little as €100. If you prefer a DJ, it will cost around €1500. On average, couples spend about €800 on music.

Hair and Makeup

You’ll want to look beautiful on your wedding day, so it’s a good idea to hire a stylist for your hair and makeup. The stylist will work with you to find the best look. On average, hair and makeup, including a trial session, costs around €350.

Decorations

The cost of decorations depends on how many garlands, balloons, etc., you want. On average, couples spend around €150 on decorations. A photo booth is also a fun addition to your wedding, and you can rent one for around €300.

Wedding Car / Transportation

A wedding car is not mandatory and doesn’t have to be expensive. The price depends on the type of car you want to rent. Renting a wedding car with a chauffeur costs around €200 to €400 for 4 hours. That’s about €50 to €100 per hour. You can also choose to drive the wedding car yourself, which costs around €350 to €500. However, keep in mind that you won’t be able to drink, and it could cause stress. On average, couples spend about €400 on transportation.

Wedding Night

After the wedding, it’s time for the wedding night. The price for an overnight stay is around €250. You can make it as expensive as you like.

Honeymoon

After your wedding, comes the honeymoon, which you’ve probably been looking forward to for a long time. The cost of the honeymoon is also something you can adjust based on your preferences. On average, couples spend around €2500 on their honeymoon. If you want to go somewhere farther away, airfare will be more expensive. Destinations like Bali and Malaysia are still affordable for a five-star honeymoon. Expect to spend between €2500 and €5000 for two people.

Unforeseen Costs

There will always be wedding costs that you overlooked or that ended up being more expensive than planned. Therefore, always set aside 10% of your budget for unforeseen costs.

Other Costs

If you want all your bridesmaids to wear the same dress, you’ll need to buy them. Again, you can spend as much as you like, and the cost will depend on how many bridesmaids you have. You can also choose to give wedding favors at the end of the wedding. The price for these also depends on the number of guests.

Total Wedding Costs

Below is a pie chart showing the total wedding costs. If you take everything we’ve described above, the total cost of the wedding will be around €20,000. Keep in mind that not all of the things we’ve listed are necessary, and many of the costs can be omitted or reduced. The average wedding in the Netherlands costs around €15,000. You can make each option as expensive as you want, but be sure to decide on a budget together beforehand so that you can adjust all the costs accordingly.