Based on the city where you live, a wedding budget can feel like pinching pennies or easy like a Sunday morning. 21Ninety is exploring what different wedding budgets can afford a couple in 2024 based on wedding planner’s expert opinions. Our team focused on major cities and asked planners to weigh in on venue, food, florals, entertainment, and attire for specific price points.
This series will focus on three budgets: $60,000, $400,000 and $1 million.
$400,000 in Atlanta, GA
Brittany Sharp is the owner and creative director of The Sharp Standard. While she has planned events and weddings all around the country, many of her brides have tied the knot in Atlanta.
As wedding designs and wedding attire have become more elaborate over the years, Sharp has seen an increase in the budgets for weddings.
“The design for some weddings alone tops $100,000 so before you’ve even added in food, you’re already at six figures for your wedding.” Sharp explained. “In Atlanta, $400,000 would be a large budget for a wedding of 150-200 people,”
Today’s wedding costs are high because of the costs of products used for design including florals, linens and more. Sharp says they’re also high because people are increasing the number of invited guests. More guests equal more money.
Sharp provided 21Ninety with a detailed breakdown of the type of wedding couples can expect to have with a budget of $400,000 in the Atlanta area.
Venue
For a $400,000 budget, Sharp suggests three different venues: Foundry at Puritan Mill, Factory Atlanta and the Atlanta History Center.
It’s important to remember that the day of the week you choose to have your wedding on is a major factor on venue costs. Foundry at Puritan Mill for example, costs $3,500 for events held on Sunday through Friday. Saturday events at that same venue cost $4,500.
When considering a venue it’s also important to see what is included in the rental. Some venues provide tables and chairs as a part of the price a couple pays. Also consider what requirements certain venues have. Some won’t allow you to bring in your own food or beverages meaning that you will be beholden to that particular venues costs for what guests will be offered to eat and drink.
Menu
Sharp and her team typically recommends plated meals for luxury weddings which a $400,000 budget would fall into.
Here is a previous menu for one of Sharp’s luxury weddings:
Hors D’oeuvres
- Mini loaded baked potatoes with sour cream, scallions, cheddar cheese and bacon
- Skewered blackened shrimp cocktail with sweet yellow tomato compote
- Fried green tomato stuffed with pimento cheese topped with red pepper aioli
- Grilled jerk chicken with spicy mango salsa, corn taco (GF)
Salad
- The wedge salad with iceberg Lettuce, crispy Bacon, grape tomatoes and ranch dressing (GF)
Main
- South City Kitchen’s Boneless fried chicken with black pepper gravy and cedar plank Grilled Salmon served over white cheddar macaroni & cheese and sauteed green beans
Vegetarian and Vegan Entree
- Vegetable Napoleon: Marinated and grilled vegetables layered with herbs sauced with roasted red pepper coulis
Dessert
- Wedding Cake
Florals
It may come as a shock but Sharp says that almost half of a $400,000 budget would go toward flowers. Yes, that’s $200,000 for wedding florals. With that price, a couple would get an extensive floral design.
“From elaborate ceremony decor to tons of options for the reception decor, a large floral budget allows a couple to not only have tons of floral centerpieces, but also unique types of centerpieces and types of flowers used,” Sharp says.
Entertainment
A $400,000 budget in Atlanta would allow you to get both a DJ and a live band.
“We’re in a city full of performers, so there are plenty of wedding vendors that you can usually get at a reasonable price,” Sharp said.
Attire
Sharp says that a $400,000 budget would allow for a couple to afford custom wedding pieces including a custom wedding gown and tuxedo. However, she says that you could probably purchase custom pieces for only the ceremony.
“If you are looking to do custom looks for both the ceremony and the reception, then we may have to move some numbers around, but I definitely feel that you would be able to get a few custom pieces,” she says.