What's Your Hidden Cost(S) So Far?

[linaco80]

Hi Girls, 

my FI and I are paying for our wedding, I am super excited with all the planing and my TA has been super supportive and helpful, besides these boards are super good. I am using a TA from Destination Wedding which allows you to enjoy many perks (and she is awesome) the only thing is that all is adding up quickly and things that I never thought about: fresh flowers for my hairdo, postage, gifts for the wedding party, Over Time in case I would like more services (photographer, DJ, etc), petals for the flower girl, shipping cost to bring my decor, cake topper or cake decoration, vendor fees which they are disclosed upfront, but the only disadvantage is that when I booked I did not look into the vendors that the resort offers. For us vendors were the next steps in the process, because just choosing the resort had its own research and homework. Now it is the time to select vendors and this can be frustrating (I recommend you to look into that before you book), basically you are given options to either go with their vendors in order to avoid the vendor fee (whether you like it or not) or just make a financial decision and follow your heart and pay for the vendors you really want PLUS the tedious vendor fee , so far those have been my "hidden costs" which I am not so happy about, but I did not look into that when I was resort hunting. (The DJ is the only "hidden cost" that we really do not call "hidden" because our DJ rate plus the resort vendor fee ended up to the same cost that we would have paid for the DJ offered by the resort).

 

We have a budget and we can be flexible for some things that will make sense, but we are not planning to go over budget for unreasonable things that the resort offers and have to come home to pay bills. I love the resort and have no regrets but, I just feel that if we want "a bit of this or some of that" it will cost us so much $$$ geezz    ..what is your hidden cost so far ?or the cost you never thought about?...I think it will be helpful for future brides who are planning and also myself. Thank you 

Edited July 28, 2014 by linaco80

[Mrsktobe]

Hmmm. Ours is a little different as we are staying on a resort but having our ceremony/reception off the resort at a beach club. I would say the hidden costs for us were the following

 

- Cake - off the resort for 55 people, that adds up

- Lighting for our venue, as it's a rustic beach location

- Miniscule décor I can't bring down like a gazebo

[Sabes44]

Our "hidden" costs are:

 

• My fiance wanting to a more expensive room than I would have chosen
• Getting married the weekend before at the courthouse just the two of us (hotel room, food, photographer) 
• Potentially adding live music or a DJ

[linaco80]

@ I never thought celebrating out of the resort, it might have been better for me, sounds good

@@Sabes44 I am not sure if you know but usually the couple will be upgraded to the next level (room), so if you chose the most expensive room, you might not be upgraded. Live music would be my best wish for my welcome party, but at this point I have to put that on the wish list and decide it later

I forgot to mention my sand kit for the ceremony which was never included AND the TONS of things that are coming on the way and surely I will be posting here

[MJTK]

I wouldn't say 'hidden' completely. .its on their website but it's kinda all so foreign that I didn't really see all the costs....Our Resort we are paying 2200 for the wedding upto 20 guests and them we have to pay an additional 20.00 for each person above that...which cost goes to the chairs, champagne toast and cake...well 10 of us will be standing up aka BP and we still have to pay for chairs etc... just makes no sense... theres so many more 'hidden' but not so hidden costs that seem ridiculous when it's all inclusive..but FI isn't worried he's more free with money than me but he's paying so guess I can't worry so much

Edited July 29, 2014 by MJTK

[linaco80]

@@MJTK agreed, my package says "free ceremony decor" up to 24 people...really? after that is $15 per person for a cover chair so I want to think I will end up paying for the ceremony too. in other words I will pay anyways for the decor and for the same cover chairs that they use for weddings every week/month..so it is not free

[Sabes44]

@ I never thought celebrating out of the resort, it might have been better for me, sounds good

@@Sabes44 I am not sure if you know but usually the couple will be upgraded to the next level (room), so if you chose the most expensive room, you might not be upgraded. Live music would be my best wish for my welcome party, but at this point I have to put that on the wish list and decide it later

I forgot to mention my sand kit for the ceremony which was never included AND the TONS of things that are coming on the way and surely I will be posting here

@@linaco80 Unfortunately our resort doesn't upgrade to the room we want.  They only have about a dozen of those rooms and they don't allow it.  So instead we are giving our upgrade to my sister who will be celebrating her delayed honeymoon.  The TA we are working with was able to get us great pricing and we ended up saving over $1,000 on the room anyways so I can't really complain.  It is just more than I would have spent, but its a super awesome room!

[calgarybride2015]

Good thoughts ladies. I know when I upgrade to the private location that I now have noone free and I pay them all - but never did I read anywhere I pay for more chairs and champagne/appetizers as that was included in my package. Time to see what the cost per is!!! My resorts price list is fairly extensive so while I may have an extra cost because I never thought of it when I made my initial budget - they didn't hide them from me so I can see they charge. This extra chair charge etc isn't there so hope I am ok. But gives me questions to ask!

 

 

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[calgarybride2015]

So I went back over my price list, etc. this morning over breakfast.

 

Their info is so extensive, so it bugs me that nothing is listed about only getting 10 chairs, etc. but in their extras price list (which I mean includes everything) they do have a price list of chairs which is $2.50 each and the toast/appetizer which is $4.15 each.  

 

As people mentioned above - kind of annoying you are paying for physical chairs because I am sure they are paid 10x over, if not more.   Not sure I would pay more for the toast part as I have so many non drinkers that I already have to pay open bar for!!!    

 

So depending what my WC says, I guess this could be my hidden cost!   and it may no longer be hidden because of you awesome ladies.

 

When I initially looked over the price list, I ignored the extra furniture part because I thought it was more the people who are planning the fancier weddings, in fancier locations than their norm, as some chairs even show there is an extra transportation charge!

 

 

We have a budget and we can be flexible for some things that will make sense, but we are not planning to go over budget for unreasonable things that the resort offers and have to come home to pay bills. 

 

This is totally me for my wedding as a whole.  Somethings I know just aren't going to be foreseeable, or what have you, but I am trying hard to be realistic and stick within my budget.  So I have ex'd some things, I have compromised on others, but some I just flat out pay because it means a lot to me.

I wouldn't say 'hidden' completely. .its on their website but it's kinda all so foreign that I didn't really see all the costs....Our Resort we are paying 2200 for the wedding upto 20 guests and them we have to pay an additional 20.00 for each person above that...which cost goes to the chairs, champagne toast and cake...well 10 of us will be standing up aka BP and we still have to pay for chairs etc... just makes no sense... theres so many more 'hidden' but not so hidden costs that seem ridiculous when it's all inclusive..but FI isn't worried he's more free with money than me but he's paying so guess I can't worry so much

 

Agreed.   We had 10 free before we upgraded to the private area for ceremony/reception.  I know my cake is fine and the size depends on the number of people (I can't control this).   But it never dawned on me I would pay for extra chairs LOL!!! who knew!

 

It does irk me we are on an all inclusive and I am paying for an open bar.  That is my resorts charge when you extend your reception time.... you pay per person at the open bar and the DJ, nothing else.    I know they can't control who is going to drink, but when 12 and over is adult - seems unfair as they are under age for crying out loud!!!     Annoying to say the least, but not a hidden cost as their forms are quite descriptive of this cost. 

 

A little mad about the chairs, as this will be about a $85 cost extra for me.   Not sure I even want to price out the toast/appi's price.  Leave that for another day LOL!

Edited July 30, 2014 by calgarybride2015

[linaco80]

@@Sabes44 very good that you got a good option for the room and the most important thing is that you love it and will enjoy all the benefits. my resort offers room upgrade but they do not sat yet anything, base on "availability"

ceremony: comes with 24 free chairs after that $15 each

free cocktail for up to 40 after that $10 each

if 15 rooms are booked, free up to 40 people $10 after that

semi private dinner: free up to 40, $25 after that.

I think that what makes me upset is that the resort tries to nickel and dime you when you are bringing thousands of dollars in business, and what is horrible about my resort is the outrageous vendor fee...I recommend to anyone to look at the vendors that your resort offers because if you dont like that ...it comes to two options: use who you dont want OR pay what you dont want and bring who you want...that drives me crazy.