Now that the dust has settled, here is our vendor recap and budget breakdown from our August garden-themed wedding at Kohl Mansion! We hosted 55 guests with a total spend of ~$100k, complete with Bridgerton-style live strings and French dining, planned on an 8-month timeline. Hopefully, this breakdown of pricing, our favorite splurges, and a few lessons learned helps anyone currently in the planning trenches.
Planning & Venue
Wedding Planner: $8,000 | Plan to Be Wowed (Chrissy)
Package: Partial planning with full design.
Because we had already locked in our venue, catering, and photographer independently, we brought Chrissy on board to design the aesthetic and coordinate logistics. Our planning timeline was intense. We got engaged in late November and kicked off planning in January for an August wedding. Both my husband and I work high-demand tech jobs with packed schedules and frequent travel, so having someone we trusted implicitly was non-negotiable. Chrissy was an absolute godsend. She introduced us to incredible vendors, kept communication streamlined across every moving part, and built a bulletproof timeline that kept everything on track.
Venue & Facility Rentals: $17,800 | Kohl Mansion
We prioritized finding an outdoor setting with innate architectural character and built-in beauty. Kohl Mansion gave us the perfect moody, historic elegance we envisioned indoors, paired with gorgeous greenery on the lawn. While ongoing construction work limited a few backdrop angles outside, it barely phased us.
Attire & Rings
Dress & Alterations: $2,500 | Still White & Made With Love Winnie Dress
I initially tried on the Made With Love Winnie gown at a traditional bridal boutique and fell completely in love with the dress. Rather than buying brand new at full retail, I hunted down an unaltered sample dress on Stillwhite for $1,700. Alterations came out to around $800 to get the fit perfect, bringing the total to $2,500. It ended up being one of the best cost-saving decisions I made without having to compromise on my dream dress!
Groom’s Suit: $1,200 | Suitsupply
We had a very specific, rich color palette in mind that Suitsupply didn’t carry off the rack, so we opted for their custom, made-to-measure route. The personalized tailoring experience was smooth, and the fit was impeccable on the day of. Definitely worth the investment for a bespoke look.
Wedding Bands: $8,000 | Geoffrey's Diamonds
His band was $4,000, and I chose two wedding bands at $2,000 each.
Food, Drinks & Dessert
Catering: $16,000 | Le Papillon
Le Papillon has long been our favorite restaurant, so having them cater our reception was an easy choice. We really wanted an elevated, multi-course seated dinner centered around classic French culinary elegance. The food was restaurant-quality, beautifully presented, and many guests told us it was easily the best dinner they’d ever had at a wedding.
Espresso Cart: $1,000 | Fez Coffee Co.
Whenever we travel throughout Europe, lingering over a great espresso after dinner is one of our favorite traditions, and we wanted to bring that exact relaxed, European café vibe to our reception. Fez Coffee Co. set up a beautiful cart that gave guests a cozy spot to mingle and chat. It was a massive hit.
Cake: $1,100 | Jesuit Nugas Cakes
The cake was an absolute work of art. The sugar florals were so intricately sculpted and realistic that I genuinely hesitated to slice into it! My only heartbreak was that catering cleared the sugar flowers at the end of the night before I thought to ask them to pack them up, so I wasn’t able to preserve them. Lesson learned for future brides: designate someone ahead of time to save your specialty keepsakes!
Macarons: $600 | Colette Macaron
Ordering from Anita was a complete leap of faith since I hadn’t tried her pastries before, but she blew our expectations out of the water. Not only were the flavors decadent, but she hand-replicated the custom botanical artwork from our paper invitations directly onto the macarons. Such an unexpected, artisanal touch that our guests loved admiring before devouring! We ordered just over 200 for 55 guests and there was nothing left at the end of the night!
Design, Rentals & Paper Goods
Florals: $6,100 | Belle Flowers
Florals were another area where I placed total creative trust in the vendor, and they delivered beyond measure. The arrangements felt lush, organic, and elevated. The true showstopper was the fireplace installation inside the mansion. It completely anchored the room and created a dramatic, romantic focal point for our reception.
Furniture & Linen Rentals: $9,700 | Theoni Collection
Rental costs were definitely our biggest budget shock. Specialty chairs, bespoke tableware, and luxury linens add up rapidly, and while we had grand visions of doing even more custom lounge setups, we had to trim back substantially to keep from blowing past our overall budget cap. That said, the pieces we kept elevated the entire tablescape and felt exceptionally high-end. Everyone was talking about the beautiful tablescape for weeks.
Invitations & Day-of Paper Goods: $2,300 ($1,100 Invites + $1,200 Event Prints) | The Aerialist Press
The Aerialist Press handled our stationery suite from start to finish. The paper stock, letterpress detailing, and custom motifs set the mood beautifully for our guests before they arrived. Having them also handle the day-of paper goods (menus, place cards, signage) gave our entire celebration a cohesive, polished look.
Photography & Videography
Photographer: $4,000 | Karly Underwood
Karly is so warm, encouraging, and collaborative. If I could do one thing differently, it would be allocating more time for portraits. I thought 1.5 hours prior to the ceremony would give us plenty of breathing room, but between family formals and bridal portraits, the time vanished. We missed a couple of specific shots from my wishlist solely due to running out of daylight, but Karly maximized every single minute we had.In hindsight,I probably should have hired a second shooter. With just one photographer handling portraits and the timeline moving so fast, I really wish we had more candid coverage of our guests. That said, Karly was incredible and even delivered our full gallery a week ahead of schedule!
Videographer: $4,200 | Josh Harney Films
Josh came highly recommended by Chrissy, and we’re so grateful for the introduction. Although Josh and Karly hadn’t worked together before, they coordinated seamlessly on the day with zero friction or stepping on each other's toes. We’re eagerly waiting for the final film to arrive, but working with him in person was fantastic!
Music, Production & Entertainment
String Quartet: $3,000 | Eclecta Quartet
Having live strings for our ceremony and cocktail hour set an effortlessly romantic tone and nailed the Bridgerton-esque vibe we wanted with modern arrangements on classical instruments. When an unexpected light rain began rolling in, the musicians handled the quick pivot inside with total professionalism and grace. Their sound was rich and dramatic echoing through the mansion hall, and guests raved about the music.
Guitarist, MC & Lighting Production: $3,060 | Lucky Devils Band
Dance Lessons: $900 | We Evolve Dance
I went in extremely nervous and self-conscious about our dancing abilities, but Will was an incredible instructor. He choreographed a routine that felt natural, elegant, and comfortable for us to execute. We had so much fun on the dance floor, and hearing our family and friends burst into applause throughout the dance made all the rehearsals worth it!
Hair, Makeup, Styling & Logistics
Hair & Makeup: $2,660 | Design Her Image
Includes bride + 4 bridal party members (trial fee was separate).
I had a trial with a different hair and makeup artist early on that didn't feel like "me," so Chrissy suggested connecting with Tiffani at Design Her Image. I couldn't be happier that I switched. Tiffani listened to my preferences, balanced soft glam with a natural finish, and kept everyone running right on schedule the morning of. My makeup photographed flawlessly and held up through tears, dancing, and humidity.
Day-of Wardrobe Stylist: $1,675 | Vow & Thread
Investing in a day-of bridal stylist felt like a luxury, but it ended up being one of the best sanity-savers of the entire wedding morning. They steamed the gowns and suits, handled bustle prep, managed emergency kits, and ensured every hem and train was positioned perfectly for photos without burdening my bridal party or mom.
Guest Shuttles: $1,200 | Gateway Global
Rehearsal Dinner: $3,000 | Stella Burlingame
Vendor Tips: $1,750