Yo, the Peep's Budget Breakdown and Vendor Review

I was never planning on doing this post. It seemed less evasive to show you a picture of Mr. Peep in bed the day after our wedding than showing you the nitty-gritty details of our budget.

BUT a few weeks ago Mama Peep commented that every penny spent on our wedding seemed well spent. So maybe this post is an ode to my good work- my hours and hours of hunting for the best vendors and feeling like we really did spend 'our' money well. I say 'our' money because most of it really was a no strings attached gift from our beyond generous parents.

That said, here is a rough estimate of all the gory details.

Budget: Originally I wanted to keep it under 20,000, but then we got an unexpected boost from our in-laws. So overall goal: $25,000.

Venue, Rentals and Reception: Budget: 50% or 10,000k.
Actual: ~$11,000
Venue: $1,000

Rentals: $200
Reception: $9,692, which included:
Hor d'ouves, Dinner, Wine and Beer (+ Wedding night suite included):
$125 per head * 60 people (+ 3 kids) + tax (9.8%) +service charge (20%) Plus valet parking for our vendors.

Hotel Vitale: A+. They even threw in a free massage the day before the wedding! I am not going to lie, we got a Friends and Family discount at the Vitale. The service was beyond top notch.

Added expense: Bringing in our own wine. Since Mr. Peep is in the wine industry, this was really improtant to us, and well worth the cost.
Out of the Peep's personal collection and budget: ~$300.

Cupcakes: Budget $200.
Actual: $300.

Miette: A++. I would have been able to stick to the budget, but Mama Peep was worried we'd run out, so I added another 50 or so to the order. In the end, we had a TON of cupcakes left over.

Paper Goods: Budget: $300
Actual: $581.
Save the Dates: $96.

Baron Cards: A. I loved our eco-friendly save the dates, and I really do think they set the tone for our San Francisco wedding.

Invites: $450

This may have been one of my biggest wedding mistakes. I love'd our invites, but we spent too much on them!

Programs, Escort Cards, Menus, Signs: $35. Thanks to a 50% off sale a Paper Source, I got most of our paper goods on the cheap!


Dress: Budget for everything bridal: $2500.
Actual total: $2,760.
Dress, including alterations: $2500 + Tax= 2,700.
Amy Kuschel Dress: A+. The hit of the party; I felt 100% beautiful.

Veil: Free, upcycled my Mom's veil.

J. Crew shoes on sale: $60.

Jewelry: Gifts and borrowed.


Grooms Attire: Paid by a Proud FIL Peep: $850, suit, shirt, tie, and shoes.


Photographer: Budget: $2,500.
Actual: $2,500 plus tax= $2,700.
Blueberry Photography: A. I HEART Amanda, best deal for our money. How can you put a price tag on someone who captured every great moment of our day?

Our package included: an engagement shot, 7 hours on the day of the wedding, an engagement and wedding slideshow, and all images on disk.

Florist: Budget: $1,200
Actual: $1,450

Huckleberry Karen: A. I heart Huck Karen. Not only do we share the same name, but our dog's name is Huckleberry. It was a perfect match.

Music: Budget: $1,000.
Actual: $1,229
Ceremony Cellist: $230
San Francisco Music Conservancy: A. I never did get a chance to introduce myself to our Cellist, but from what I remember he was great.

DJ: $999.
DJ David Carvallo rocked the dance floor all night long!! Amazing!


Gifts: Budget:?? Ekk, I don't think I ever really made one.
Actual: $900.
Guest Gifts: Welcome Bags, Carbon Offsets, and Chocolate favors: ~$300. Carbon Offsetting our wedding was my favorite 'thing' we did.

Wedding Party and Parents: ~$600. Includes: clutches, earrings and wraps for the ladies, and ties and converse shoes for all the men. Plus, a great pen for Papa Peep and I think this includes Mr. Peep's wedding gift- Dodger Stadium cuff links. Go Blue!



Good thing we got some extra cash for this category. It seems like a lot, but these extra touches to our loved ones were really worth it. And again, look at how happy our guests where:


Officiant: Budget: $300.
Actual: $800.
Yo, Rabbi's aren't cheep, but Rabbi Shriebman was well worth it.


Jewish Ketubah (Wedding Contract) Actual: $200.


Makeup: Budget: ??
Actual: Not totally sure as Mama Peep paid the bill on the day of the wedding, guessing ~$200. I really tired to spend less on this, but c'est la vie. At least I felt beautiful!


Day of Coordinator: Budget: $0. Actual: $0. I wish I would have hired a professional. Sigh. Lesson learned.

His and Her Wedding Bands: Budget: $1,500
Actual: $1,200 plus my extra band which was a gift from Mr. Peep. hehe. We love our rings.


Drum Roll....
Actual Spent: $23,869!!!

This does not include the Rehearsal Dinner and the Honeymoon- both were made possible by our Mr. Peep's rents. Nor does it include the day after brunch at the Americano, but I am pretty sure that ate up the rest of our budget.

So there ya have it- the nitty gritty of the Peeps budget. What do you think is your best wedding budget 'deal'?