CONGRATS! You are engaged! But, now what? You need to start planning your wedding. And before you can get started you, most ask, “How much does a wedding cost in Chicagoland”.




After planning and designing weddings for the past 25 years, this question is still the number one on everyone’s mind and the most important question when getting started, so we decided to break it down in VERY realistic terms so it is easier to understand.
We will be talking about wedding costs in the Chicagoland area in an existing venue – this should hold true for most weddings in Larger City markets like: Chicago, L.A., San Fran, Dallas, NY. This will not be the case in smaller markets as costs will be significantly less.
When planning a Tented wedding, you need to add on between 25-40% for tents, generators, tech, floors, walls added decor and customized pieces.
No two couples are alike, nor are two weddings a like. There are so many different circumstances that determine wedding costs, but here is a general breakdown for a 200 guest wedding in Chicago during *PEAK wedding season on a Saturday night: (Peak Wedding Season are Saturday nights between late May-Dec)
Wedding Planner: 15-20% of Total Budget (Full-service planner)
Venue: $18,000-$30,000 (Existing Venue – Not a tent)
Catering/Bar: $100,000 ($400-$600pp – this includes tax and gratuity and basic rentals. This does NOT included upgraded wine or champagne or liquors)
Band: $25,000-$50,000 (This is dependent on a local or non-local band and After Party needs)
Decor $150,000-$350,000 + (Floral, Lighting, Furniture)
Rentals $20,000-50,000 (Chairs, Linens, China, Chargers)
Photography $25,000 – $50,000
Videography $18,000 – $25,000
Printables $18,000-$35,000 (Save-the-dates, Invites, Day-of Pieces)
Beauty $3,000-$15,000 (Hair, Makeup, Wedding Dressers)
Transportation $3000-$10,000 (Depending if ceremony is off-premise from the reception)
Plus there are other things to consider: Welcome Gifts, Wedding Party Gifts, Hotels, Other Parties, Attire, Honeymoon, Brunch and Gratuity.
Can you plan a wedding in Chicago for under $300,000? Of course. Budgets are ultimately decided on 2 choices: Guest count and Priorities. These help shape all decisions which a good planner will be able to guide you on the right decision for you and your vision that focus on this spend range.
Can you plan a wedding for OVER $300,000? Absolutely! The sky is the limit to what you want to visualize with your planner and producer. Our very experienced skill set and high level involvement is best for weddings who plan on investing over this range.
Hope this helps answer the popular question of how much does a wedding costs in the Chicagoland area.
XOXOX, BLISS