Hidden CostS Alterations Your wedding dress budget shouldn’t just include the purchase of your dress. Alterations can cost between $300 and $500, so it’s important to go into your appointment with a budget of how much you intend to spend in total – alterations and all. Undergarments & Accessories Along with alterations, you should in- clude the cost of undergarments and your accessories. Though you probably have lingerie for the night of your wed- ding, you’ll need to consider what un- dergarments you want to wear during the ceremony and reception. Whether it’s a nude bra and panties, shapewear, a slip, or a bustier, you should calculate that cost into your budget along with your garter, shoes, jewelry, and veil. Postage Stamps may not seem all that expen- sive, but typically when you’re sending an invitation suite, you’ll have to pur- chase special postage based on the size and weight of the envelope. This increases the cost of your postage, and if you’re inviting 100 guests or more, you can expect to pay a decent amount. Cake Cutting When meeting with prospective bak- eries, ask if cake cutting services are included in the price of the package. Oftentimes, you’re only paying for the design and possibly the delivery of the cake. If the cake cutting services are not included, ask about pricing and if the utensils for the service are included or if you’re expected to provide your own. Tipping Review your contract and check with your vendor to see whether tips are in- cluded or not. After tipping your offici- ant, servers, bartenders, DJ and emcee, set-up and tear down team, and more, you’ll be spending a good sum of mon- ey. Make sure you set aside a few hun- dred dollars for tips and discuss who will be in charge of tipping before the wedding day. Refer to our budget track- er in the 40-page Wedding Planner at the back of this magazine for an idea on how much to tip each service! Meals for Your Vendors Remember, your vendors will spend as much time at the venue on your wed- ding day as you will. Just like you and your guests will need dinner, they will, too. Meals should be provided to any vendor present during the ceremony and/or reception. Overtime Be sure to ask your DJ, emcee, photo booth provider, bartenders, and venue clean-up staff how much it costs if your reception runs over. It can be awkward to ask your guests to leave, and why should the celebration end? In case you run in to some late-night guests who just can’t stop dancing, it’s better to know in advance how much you’ll be paying for an extra hour or two. Insurance You should consider getting insurance on the more expensive things for your wedding. When purchasing the en- gagement ring and wedding bands, see what kind of insurance and warranty the shop offers. You should also con- sider having insurance on your venue, rentals, and honeymoon. Your Wedding Consultant and Travel Agent can direct you on how much insurance you may need.❤ 32 | TODAY’S BRIDE READ MORE AT TODAYSBRIDE.COM