Understanding the Cost of a Wedding in South Africa

We hear this all the time: ‘Hi there, I want a wedding like the one you designed last weekend, how much did it cost?’”  But truthfully, bridefriends? Your wedding is not a pair of shoes; it’s not an object you can simply ‘add to your shopping cart before checking out. 

So how much does a wedding cost in South Africa? Planning your dream wedding involves understanding the various factors that influence costs. From venue choices to guest counts and everything in between, each decision impacts your budget.

Let’s delve into what you need to consider when estimating the cost of your perfect day.

Venues and suppliers’ fees differ hugely from province to province, and of course, every couple’s budget is different. You can easily have an intimate wedding at an all-inclusive venue for R850 per head, or you can have a Destination Wedding  3-day affair with all the bells and whistles which can cost you millions of rands. Not only does the style of the wedding affect the costs but also the season and the city you choose to marry in. Coastal cities and towns tend to come in more costly when it comes to weddings in comparison to their more inland counterparts.

Planning a wedding involves considering numerous elements—your vision, venue, guest count, and overall aesthetic—before we can provide accurate styling or budget estimates. 

Every Wedding Is Unique

At Oh Happy Day, we don’t believe in cookie-cutter weddings. Each celebration is tailored to reflect the personalities and preferences of the couple. This bespoke approach requires building a relationship based on trust and understanding, which takes time and open communication with our couples. 

When it comes to compiling a wedding budget, it’s up to our couples, and what is truly important to them. For some, food is the most important part and they would prefer to spend the majority of their budget on giving their guests a truly memorable dining experience. Decide on the catering prices per head you are willing to pay ahead of booking a caterer. For others, it could be all about the music and throwing an awesome party. The same goes for flowers, lighting, and attire. When it comes to budgeting for your wedding, pick your top non-negotiables and let your wedding planner take it from there.

The Myth of Fixed Costs

So, to answer your question, dear bridesfriends: the cost of a wedding does not exist as a fixed amount. It varies based on a multitude of factors (often referred to as ‘moving parts’) that you need to consider carefully:

  • Venue: Consider its location and distance from town, which affects travel fees for suppliers like makeup artists, stylists, and caterers.
  • Guest Count: Whether you’re inviting 50 or 200 guests impacts costs per table for décor, as well as catering and bar expenses per head.
  • Entertainment: Decide between a band or DJ, or perhaps budget for both depending on your preferences.
  • Catering: Choose between buffet-style or plated meals, which significantly affects your catering budget.
  • Florals: Decide on the scale of floral arrangements—lush or minimal, and consider whether you prefer in-season or imported flowers.
  • Decor: Opt for detailed or basic décor elements that align with your wedding theme and budget. We wrote a blog on this, read it here 
  • Cutlery and Glassware: Determine if you need specialized pieces or if the venue’s standard offerings suffice, affecting rental costs.
  • Rain Plan: Some venues will require you bringing in an additional tent or coverage for either the ceremony or cocktail hour, which also affects your overall wedding budget.

Crafting Your Wedding Budget

Trying to determine what the average cost is for a wedding in South Africa is not an easy task. Once you’ve thought through these elements above, you can begin to outline what you want your wedding to cost. 

Regardless of what venue or province you get married in, your venue and catering costs will be your biggest investments, followed by your photographer/videographer and your florist. By this stage you would have already noticed your wedding budget sitting at around the R200 000 mark, if not more. 

What is left to consider is dj and/or entertainment, décor hiring (chairs for example or most likely, additional lighting like fairy lights), your wedding cake, your bar requirements, hair and make up styling, bridal party attire and your stationery designer for on-the-day stationery elements like your seating chart, name cards etc. These are the basic elements you need to think about when compiling your wedding budget, and once everything has been booked in, it’s highly likely that your wedding budget will be sitting at approximately R350 000 or above. 

Compiling a wedding budget is a complex process, but we’re here to guide you every step of the way. Whether your budget is modest or lavish, the OHD team is committed to making your perfect day a reality whilst also honouring your wedding budget.

Ready to start planning your dream wedding in South Africa? Contact Oh Happy Day today for expert advice and personalised wedding planning services!

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