Myth busted: “Overpriced wedding vendors”

Bridal forums worldwide are up in arms about the price of wedding vendors. The phrase “overpriced wedding vendors” is thrown about, and engaged couples are frustrated that the cost of a vendor increases with just the whisper of the word “wedding”. We’re here to address that misconception and tell you what you’re really paying for when transferring money into an “overpriced wedding vendor’s” pocket.

The misconception

There’s a general misconception flying about these days that ordinary vendors hike up their prices if their service has anything to do with weddings. For instance, a photographer may offer one price for a photo shoot, and then offer an exponentially larger price for a wedding photo shoot. Or, a venue may offer one price for a 40th, and a completely different price for a wedding. This is no mistake of the vendor, though it isn’t always to gain money out of unsuspecting engaged couples as some might believe.

Marriage vs wedding

Firstly, we must understand that a wedding is a WANT not a need. For some, marriage itself is a need, and to simply get married is relatively inexpensive. The legal documents and a simple civil court ceremony will put you back a few hundred dollars, so getting married isn’t the expense or the fuel for fire here.

The choice to hold a wedding (essentially, a party) is entirely yours – nobody HAS to have a wedding. This is what we must understand first before delving into why it “costs so much”.

The ‘bridezilla fee’

While this is a big generalisation, and of course not all weddings are the same, but a lot of weddings are high-pressure situations for vendors. There’s a certain expectation to perform for the couple’s “perfect day”, and this is essentially what you’re paying for- your expectation that everything will be perfect and will go off without a hitch.

While a 40th is a big deal, providing part of someone’s “perfect day”, “big day”, and “most important day of their life” is a massive deal, and often makes vendors up the ante especially.

Also, if anyone’s going to kick up a fuss about one little thing being wrong, it’s someone expecting a picture perfect service for their wedding day.

You’re getting married – don’t you expect the very best service for your day? The higher price is mostly attributed to the extra time and effort that vendors are expected to give for your wedding day.

You get what you pay for

While it’s easy to say “My photographer was only $200 for an entire day and he did a good job”, you really do get what you pay for. With wedding vendors, generally the higher the price the more you can expect from the service. For instance, a cheaper photographer may not have the same kind of experience, talent, or credentials a higher priced photographer may have. Perhaps a lower priced vendor has less to offer in their packages or leaves out specific extras that higher priced vendors may include in their quote.

If you’re after premium wedding vendors to create your dream wedding, be expected to pay a premium price.

The bottom line

In the end, although wedding vendors are at times expensive, they are worth every penny when your day really is “the best day of your life”.

Read related: How to avoid a wedding vendor disaster