Yay! You’re finally engaged and now it’s time to explore your venue rental options. While there are hundreds of beautiful wedding venues to choose from, one major factor that can entice or deter couples is price. The most common question that we face when conducting phone calls or touring couples is, “how much is a wedding?” The answer to this question is dependent on varying elements, however, we at Havasu Springs Resort fully believe in price transparency with our couples.
How Much Is A Wedding – Let’s take a look at the numbers
Venue Rental Fees (Ceremony & Reception)
- Base Wedding………………………..$5,000.00
- Peak Season Wedding………………$5,500.00
- Saturday Wedding……………………$6,000.00
- Peak Season, Saturday Wedding…..$6,500.00
Venue Rental Fees & Guest Counts
- Base Wedding
- 75 guests…………………$12,378.39
- 100 guests………………..$14,063.36
- 150 guests………………..$17,433.31
- 200 guests………………..$20,803.26
- Peak Season Wedding
- 75 guests…………………$12,911.39
- 100 guests………………..$14,596.36
- 150 guests………………..$17,966.31
- 200 guests………………..$21,336.26
- Saturday Wedding
- 75 guests…………………$13,378.39
- 100 guests………………..$15,063.36
- 150 guests………………..$18,433.31
- 200 guests………………..$21,803.26
- Peak Season Saturday Wedding
- 75 guests…………………$13,977.39
- 100 guests………………..$15,662.36
- 150 guests………………..$19,032.31
- 200 guests………………..$22,402.26
Havasu Springs Resort’s Estimated Average Wedding Cost (100 guests)
Estimate includes fees, expenses for the listed vendors: venue, food/beverage, music, photography, a photobooth, floral, & wedding coordination
Miscellaneous costs are also taken into consideration to allow a comfortable buffer in one’s budget.
- Base Wedding………………………..$28,800.00
- Peak Season Wedding………………$29,300.00
- Saturday Wedding……………………$29,800.00
- Peak Season, Saturday Wedding…..$30,400.00
Average Total Cost = $29,575.00
Wedding Date
Now that you know where you’re getting married, when are you to be wed?! When considering how much is a wedding the costs of our ceremony and reception packages, they’re entirely based on when you want to be married. Time of year and day of the week are the two determining factors in estimating venue rental fees. Our base rate for a ceremony and reception at THE POINTE WITH HARBOR ROOM is $5,000. If you’re looking to be wed during the week (Monday through Thursday) we do offer a 20% discount off your venue rental fee.
Because our weather is most enjoyable from March-May and September-November, we’ve labeled these durations as our peak seasons. If you wanted to book within these months, then your package cost would increase by $500, making your new total $5,500. There is an additional $1,000 fee to be married on a Saturday, as it is the most popular day of the week to get married. The cost for ceremony and reception on a “Peak Season Saturday” is $6,500. Because Arizona summers can be unbelievably hot, (hitting temperatures north of 115°F) we only offer indoor ceremonies from Memorial-Labor Day.
Guest Count
You’ve sent out your invitations and now you’re anxiously waiting for replies! As a general rule of thumb, 85% of the invitees will accept and attend your wedding day. With only RSVP’s to provide an estimated guest count, you never truly know who will attend your wedding. However, guest count plays a larger role in determining total cost than you’d think.
THE SPRINGS DINING’s food and beverage pricing is entirely dependent on your headcount, as every guest should be accounted for drinks and dinner service. Your total number of guests will also influence purchasing or renting decisions in regards to place settings. Pricing on items such as napkins, runners, chargers, or chairs can vary based on quantities. At our venue, we’ve seen an influx of our couples provide party favors for their guests, these have included but are not limited to drinking glasses, koozies, temporary tattoos, and shot glasses. If you are interested in offering your friends and families a little gift of gratitude, be sure to take your guest count into consideration.
Wedding Vendors
Ah, the most necessary parts to a successful wedding venture–vendors! We always suggest that our couples allocate ample funds for their vendors, as they tend to be competitively priced. When searching for reputable vendors, exercise due-diligence through evaluating reviews, prices, portfolios, experience, and recommendations. The service fees for vendors can certainly add up and inevitably impact the total cost of your wedding! To help avoid any sticker shock, we’ve included these costs in our estimated pricing for your occasion.
While we allow our couples to hire their own photographers, videographers, dessert artists and musicians, there are some exclusive vendors that we require here at Havasu Springs Resort. For food and beverage, our weddings do have to be catered by our on-site restaurant, THE SPRINGS DINING. As almost every food and beverage selection is customizable, the different catering packages fluctuate in price. Although we do offer plated dinners, this service does come at a higher price point and requires more effort from our couples. In our average estimate, we decided to include our buffet-style catering option, as that is what most of our couples elect for.
When looking at average food costs, we’ve estimated that typically our couples spend $5-$10/person on appetizers and $45/person on entrees. As far as beverage costs go, there are several different open bar and packages you can choose from. Most of our couples opt for our set-tab amount and then switch to a cash bar after, so that they can at least buy their guests a drink to celebrate. Depending on your guest count, the amount needed on your tab will vary, but $1,000 is a good starting price.
Some hot tunes are a must for a great party! Almost all of our couples choose to hire a DJ to play music for the ceremony and reception, so the costs associated with their services must be accounted for. While pricing for a DJ does vary depending on experience, region, equipment, and the allotted time booked, you’ll want to ensure that you’re receiving quality work! In deciding how many hours to hire your DJ for, we recommend that our clients consider their wedding timeline. We suggest having your music guru begin their day at the ceremony invite time and conclude at midnight.
With that being said, at our venue, we tend to see our DJ’s mixing up the hits for a total of 8 hours. For a standard set up and an 8-hour stream of your favorite bops, a general estimate would be between $2,000-$3,000.
How could you relive the magic of your special day without photos to reminisce? Shots of your special day are essential, therefore photography costs are naturally assumed in estimating the average price of a wedding. Typically, estimated totals for photo services are dependent on factors such as the region, quality, and allotted time booked. In the case of your wedding day, time is of the essence! While some couples find it important to have a photographer with them from the very beginning of getting ready til last call, this is not as necessary as one might think.
We suggest our couples evaluate their timelines for the day before booking a photography package. The standard photos we see from previous weddings begin with a few getting ready images and close with some dancing shots. Although booking times do fluctuate by couple, typically we see our couples elect for an 8-hour package. In regards to competitive pricing for our region, the cost for an 8-hour photo package marks between $2,000-$3,000.
Let’s be honest, in the scheme of planning the wedding of your dreams, the costs begin to stack up. In consideration of this, a majority of our couples opt out of hiring a videographer for their special day. Although owning a wedding video is relatively traditional, most people realize that they either forget about it or never watch it again. For the sake of a true estimate, we’ve excluded videography costs. However, if having a wedding video to treasure upon for years to come is something you’d like, then we just recommend including those costs into your budget!
A fun, yet economical way to liven up your reception is a photo-booth! Havasu Springs Resort does have one available for rent, being the Guac and Chips Photo Booth, produced by Photo Booth Supply Co. At a price of $600, your guests would have access to unlimited photos during your reception, as paper and ink costs are included in the rental fee. We’ve included this rental into our total cost estimation, simply because it’s so popular amongst our couples! Inserting a photo booth into your evening can ensure that all of your family and friends get a chance to take a picture with the couple of honor. Who doesn’t love a photobooth moment?
While some couples are willing to bear the task of doing DIY floral, most of our couples elect to hire a floral designer. If you want to enjoy the professional stylings of a true artist, we highly encourage you to explore the work of our exclusive florist, MERAKI BOTANICAL DESIGNS. With a variety of classical designs, Meraki meticulously crafts floral arrangements to suit the need of any wedding vision. In employing their services, you are given floral styling, design recommendations, and setup of all floral displays. As Meraki fully believes in repurposing your flowers to limit wastefulness, they will even transfer your arrangements from ceremony to the reception space.
Pricing for services does fluctuate depending on the type and quantity of flowers desired. However, when compared to the cost of floral services in other regions, Meraki Botanical Designs has proven to be a very economical option for our couples. When estimating the average cost for the stylings of Meraki Botanical Designs, the total rests at $3800.
For our couples that wish to enjoy the bliss of their wedding day, stress-free, we wholly recommend they hire a wedding planner. Luckily, we at Havasu Springs Resort serve as home to one of the best in the wedding scene. Our exclusive wedding and event coordinator here, POSH PLANNING & EVENT CO., has streamlined the wedding planning process. From wedding management, partial planning, to full-planning, they can execute any of your wedding desires.
When selecting the perfect package for yourself, we suggest evaluating what stage you’re at in the wedding planning process alongside your vision. If you need help picking a package that suits your needs, Posh Planning & Event Co. offers free consultations and can even customize packages for you. Generally speaking, a majority of our couples select the Wedding Management deal which starts at $1,800. Within this package, Posh’s clients receive unlimited correspondence, a detailed timeline, decor set-up, day-of vendor management, wedding coordination, and so much more. If you haven’t already visited her website, then you definitely should!
Wedding Budget
This is where things can get a little tricky! Creating an estimate for the average total cost of a wedding at our property can fluctuate depending on what you’re including in your budget. Some couples keep their budget sweet and simple, only including the costs for the day-of. While others consider their full wedding timeline, starting months before the day and finishing at the end of the honeymoon. The choice is entirely yours, but for the sake of providing you with an accurate estimate, we’re just going to focus on day-of wedding costs!
On the day of your wedding, the major contributors to the bill are going to be your vendors. In our estimation, we’ve accounted for your venue, food/beverage, music, photography, a photobooth, floral, & wedding coordination. Miscellaneous costs were also taken into consideration to allow a comfortable buffer in one’s budget. We urge our couples to consider these miscellaneous costs as an “emergency fund” to guarantee a smooth day. In our total, we’ve also chosen to add funds to compensate for gratuities. Although tipping is never required, it is a great way to show your appreciation for those who perfected the details of your special day.
Despite not including these factors in determining our average wedding cost, we do suggest that our couples evaluate the fees that can accumulate in preparation of your special day. Some pre-wedding dues are kind of unavoidable, such as the engagement ring, photos, invitations, save the dates, bachelor/bachelorette trips, apparel, decorations, signage, marriage license, accommodations, and the rehearsal dinner. These factors include but not limited to other charges that we expect or may accumulate when constructing your wedding budget!
Set your wedding priorities
Having a guest list and a budget can help determine your wedding components and these items will be of your greatest importance. What is your most significant gift on the list for the big event? These can be done without negotiation and should be your first priority if you want a good financial plan. After deciding which is the right thing to have, try saving some money. Take note that other options for saving on costs include choosing venues that offer varying reception necessities, eliminating rented equipment.
Comparing Wedding Venues
It’s no secret that the most successful wedding ventures are rooted in comparisons. How could you make a decision without weighing all the options? The determining factor for this choice is typically dependent on cost for value. Amenities and accommodations are extremely important in deciding what a venue can offer for your wedding. As our wedding venue rests inside beautiful grounds of HAVASU SPRINGS RESORT, wedding guests and couples reap the benefits of a waterfront property with a restaurant, convenience store, bars, and a variety of sleeping accommodations.
Opting for a resort-based venue such as our own, can provide your guests with the lasting impression of a vacation during the celebration of your marriage. It’s also important to keep in mind that venue costs largely rely on region. As our venue is located in Arizona, it has proven to be more cost-effective than others along the West Coast. Havasu Springs Resort provides their couples with a destination wedding for dimes, when compared to the hot-shot waterfront venues of states like California or Washington.
Destination Weddings
How Has the Cost of Weddings Changed Over the Years?
The average wedding costs in 2013 were $35,000. This increase was caused by inflation. It is common practice for vendors to make services or products more expensive or less effective as they were previously,” she explains. Moreover livability and competitive wages play important roles in final cost of production. The wedding cost for 2023 is a 26% increase from common wedding expenses in 2019 ($26K). In 2017, wedding expenses grew by around $28,000 to $295,000 between 2017 and 2018.
Additional Average Wedding Cost Factors
Depending upon the location or number, varying factors can affect the overall cost of a wedding. It is important to consider the average number of guests to be the starting rates for weddings and there are numerous factors involved such as a number or type of location of your wedding. While these numbers provide an overview of what you can expect, the final cost depends upon how each couples personalize their wedding.
We know that you’re excited and so are we! As much as we’d love to see you walking down the aisle tomorrow, we have to be realistic. It’s crucial to give yourself time to save money and prepare for one of the most important days of your life. A great way to execute a successful wedding day is to book a year or two in advance. We know, that’s a long time away.
However, we urge you to perfect your vision during this time. Think of color palettes and designs that peak your interest, so that you can achieve that vibe you’ve always wanted. Explore the work of popular vendors in the region to discover what creative styles you love and those you don’t really care for. Consider who you want to be at your dream wedding, to celebrate your marriage! Most importantly, take this opportunity to enjoy your engagement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good budget for destination wedding?
The estimated costs range from $10,000 to $25,000 and include venue, event rentals, catering, florists entertainment, food and entertainment.
Is it cheaper to do all-inclusive or not wedding?
Cost effectiveness. The typical cost of purchasing a complete package includes all the vendors, and is cheaper than contracting the other items separately.
What is a realistic price for a wedding?
According to The Knot, wedding costs for couples spent 2023 grew to $35,500. The couple expect to spend around $33K annually between 2024 and 2028. Based on a new Knot report it will increase from $5K in 2024 to $7k by 2023.
What is a reasonable budget for a wedding?
The cost of a wedding depends heavily on the location of the ceremony. Across the country, the average cost of a wedding varies from $2,080 to $18,064 depending upon the state, ammenities, vendors and style of the event.
