"Don't Worry About Not Having Money! Do You Know the Least Amount You Can Spend on a Wedding?"

2016.09.28 published

I can't have a wedding because I'm short on money...

Are there any brides out there who want to have a wedding but feel like they can't because of finances? With the average cost of a wedding being around 3.5 million yen, many brides might be thinking, "I can't spend that much money!"

Don't give up on your wedding! Do you know how wedding costs work?

When you hear that the average cost of a wedding is 3.5 million yen, it can be shocking. However, the actual out-of-pocket expenses might not be that high.* This 3.5 million yen is the amount paid to the wedding venue, meaning it represents the actual expenses of the wedding. You can offset the total cost of the wedding with the monetary gifts you receive from guests◎.

For example, if a wedding for 80 guests costs 3.5 million yen... With a monetary gift of 30,000 yen per person × 80 guests = 2.4 million yen, the out-of-pocket cost would be 1.1 million yen. While it might be difficult to prepare 3.5 million yen, 1.1 million yen sounds more feasible, right?♩

Additionally, there are two more strategies to reduce the costs of your wedding, which I will now introduce♡

Strategies to reduce wedding expenses ① Decrease out-of-pocket expenses

First, let's look at how to reduce your out-of-pocket costs.* As mentioned earlier, if you receive a 30,000 yen gift from each of your 80 guests and the total cost is 3.5 million yen, your personal expense will be 1.1 million yen.

The lower the out-of-pocket expense, the less burden there is on the bride and groom.* By the way, do you think smaller weddings or larger weddings tend to have higher out-of-pocket costs?

The answer is that larger weddings tend to have lower out-of-pocket costs.* You might wonder why the out-of-pocket costs decrease as the number of attendees increases. Let me explain the mechanism behind this!

Weddings have fixed and variable costs!

Wedding costs can be divided into "fixed costs," which do not change regardless of the number of guests, and "variable costs," which do change based on guest numbers.*

Fixed costs include items necessary for holding the wedding, such as "venue rental," "wedding dress," "bouquets," "attendant fees," and "photography/video." These costs remain the same regardless of guest count◎.

Variable costs, on the other hand, cover items that increase with guest numbers, such as "catering," "beverages," "paper items," and "favors." These costs fluctuate based on how many guests you have◎.

The balance between these fixed and variable costs is incredibly important for weddings!

What should we do about fixed and variable costs?

Fixed costs are necessary when planning a wedding.* However, if you can lower these fixed costs, the overall wedding expenses can significantly decrease! For instance, skipping the color change and only wearing a wedding dress, or receiving a discount on venue rental during a bridal fair can substantially reduce expenses◎.

Variable costs are expenses incurred per guest; let’s say it costs "13,000 yen for food + 4,000 yen for drinks + 1,000 yen for paper items + 5,000 yen for favors = 23,000 yen" for each guest.

Assuming each guest contributes 30,000 yen in gifts, then 7,000 yen would count as fixed costs. Since fixed costs do not change regardless of guest count, more guests mean more coverage for those fixed costs, which leads to lower out-of-pocket expenses.*

Let's look at some examples of fixed and variable costs*

I mentioned that the more guests you invite, the better you can cover fixed costs and reduce your out-of-pocket expenses. Let's explore how much difference that can make!

[When fixed costs are 1.6 million yen]

Assume the fixed costs of the wedding are 1.6 million yen (venue rental 500,000 yen + attire for bride and groom 400,000 yen + flower arrangements 100,000 yen + photography/video 300,000 yen + attendant/MC/beauty, etc., 300,000 yen).

If you invite 150 guests, the out-of-pocket cost will be 550,000 yen!

If you invite 150 guests, the variable costs would amount to 3.45 million yen (13,000 yen for food + 4,000 yen for drinks + 1,000 yen for paper items + 5,000 yen for favors = 23,000 yen × 150 guests).

Fixed costs of 1.6 million yen + variable costs of 3.45 million yen = total wedding costs of 5.05 million yen.

Total wedding costs of 5.05 million yen - 4.5 million yen (expected monetary gifts of 30,000 yen × 150 guests) = out-of-pocket cost of 550,000 yen.

If you invite 50 guests, the out-of-pocket cost will be 1.25 million yen!

If you invite 50 guests, the variable costs would be 1.15 million yen (13,000 yen for food + 4,000 yen for drinks + 1,000 yen for paper items + 5,000 yen for favors = 23,000 yen × 50 guests).

Fixed costs of 1.6 million yen + variable costs of 1.15 million yen = total wedding costs of 2.75 million yen.

Total wedding costs of 2.75 million yen - 1.5 million yen (expected monetary gifts of 30,000 yen × 50 guests) = out-of-pocket cost of 1.25 million yen.

The more guests you invite, the more economical your wedding becomes♡

With fixed costs remaining the same, the out-of-pocket cost when inviting 150 guests is 550,000 yen, and when inviting 50 guests, it is 1.25 million yen, resulting in a difference of 700,000 yen! Isn't it surprising that as guest numbers increase, the out-of-pocket costs decrease?

Of course, this is a rough calculation and can vary significantly based on the monetary gifts, but typically, the more guests there are, the lower the out-of-pocket expenses tend to be.* Just be cautious if the variable expenses per guest exceed the expected monetary gifts per guest (30,000 yen).

Strategy to reduce wedding expenses ② Keep it small

While I mentioned earlier that the more guests you invite, the lower the out-of-pocket costs will be, planning a small wedding from the start is also a great way to reduce those expenses.*

Many wedding venues offer affordable plans for smaller gatherings, such as a 20-person family-only package. If it's just family, you can even schedule your wedding on cheaper weekdays!* For brides who want to get married but are unsure, it might be worthwhile to consult about a small wedding plan!

Wedding costs depend on your perspective!

When you hear that wedding expenses are 3.5 million yen, it can be daunting. However, if you think about your out-of-pocket costs and focus on the actual expenses for the wedding, it might actually be achievable.*

If you and your partner are a working couple, you might be able to save the wedding expenses in about six months! By carefully considering the costs associated with your wedding, I hope you can have a happy wedding.*

Of course, while the wedding is for both of you, don’t get so caught up in saving money that you forget about the guests who are dedicating their time and resources to attend!♡

➡ Check out more articles on money and savings here＊