(financially) planning a wedding - Part 1: The Price of Love

It's 12-12-22 and wedding season is here! I mean, it's always the season in the Maldives...

One of the key determinants of a sustainable marriage, is the ability to manage your finances but it's not the most sexy topic to bring up right before your big day. Some of us are happy to go with the flow (or to Family Court to hand in divorce papers 2 weeks later) while others are adamant that one be financially secure before a life-long commitment.

In our race to gain those likes on instagram for the picture perfect photo at Salt Cafe' (they did not sponsor us...) or to appease the pressure from the families, a lot of us tend to have a grand party to celebrate marriage. With the crazy rent and ever increasing living costs, can we ever afford this dream?

This is the first part of a 3-part series covering the major financial considerations to plan for your wedding. The second part will explore budgeting and cost cutting techniques while the third part will answer the question - should I borrow money?

Part 1 - The Price of Love

It is perfectly okay to feel stressed coming up to your wedding but it is important to make sure that you are aware (and ready) for the cost of hosting a party.

Here are a few things that'll burn a hole in your wallet for those 3 hours of fun:

Venue & Catering

Prices at reputable establishments can start from MVR 150/- and even exceed MVR 500/- per person depending on the location, quality of food and instagramability. Assuming there are 200+ "essential" family and friends that must attend, easily the total cost can exceed MVR 50,000/-

You could consider going for a venue-only option and hire catering separately but not every place will allow that. Lonuziyaarai Park has become a popular venue for this. One thing that you may not have considered, is that the venue-only options may cost more since you may need to book the location several hours before the wedding to allow decorations to be set up. Some decorators may flat out refuse to start their work when the sun is shining the brightest (rightfully so) and you may end up having to book the park overnight.

Alternatively, you can ask (beg) your family to cook up a feast but this will only add to the stress and invite more comments (criticism). What's a wedding without getting mad at your loved ones, right?

On a final note, do keep in mind that most places will charge between 20-30% deposit in advance to secure your booking.

Photography

Apart from eternal resentment, the other lasting memories from the big day are photos and videos.

It's a smart move to go for a professional photographer since there is only once chance to get this right. There are so many horror stories where your friend who recently started a Facebook Page for "Name"-graphy screwed up and went AWOL.

That said, make sure you know what you want. Do you really want to go into the woods in Hulhumale' for a pre-wedding shoot while on-lookers judge your life choices? Are you okay for them to take close ups of you biting down on a piece of chicken after sweating for 3 hours? Negotiate and only pay for what you and your partner need.

Prices tend to start from MVR 3,000 and can reach up to MVR 15,000 depending on the quality.

Side note - be careful of photographers seeking advance payments, especially if they're not that well established. Have a look at their portfolio of previous weddings, how long they've been shooting for and how interactive they are with you. Only make your payment after you're sure that you've got the real deal.

Suit & Dress

Nothing judges your decision to skip gym and eat snacks more than the time when you try to fit into your wedding attire (jokes, you will look stunning, don't worry!)

As you want to look your best, it's good to consider going for a tailor-made option. Sadly for suits, there aren't many choices available. One of the cheapest is to visit Donad but do keep in mind to (1) lower your customer service expectations and (2) book in advance, especially during school seasons. A higher end option could be Hameedia where you can select the material, style and fit but may cost above MVR 5,000/-. Alternatively, you can visit Storia Fashion, with some great personalised service for under MVR 2,500/- but don't expect the same fabric and finishing quality. Be wary of local designers as a lot of them will only take your measurements but order it from overseas (to be fair, Hameedia does the same) at a much higher price. Sri Lanka isn't that far - fancy a trip?

Dresses are a whole other story. With plenty of options to consider, the best way is to visit the ones that you like and tell them your budget - most of them will be happy to provide materials at an affordable range. Just do not forget about non-brand home tailors as they can provide great value for money as well. Generally, you can expect this to cost between MVR 5,000 to MVR 20,000.

Don't forget the accessories like belts and shoes. The latter can not only be hard to find, but may cost between MVR 500 to MVR 2,000 depending on the quality.

Wedding Planners

This one is a bit tricky. It's generally a question of whether you can trust your friends to do a good job or whether you have enough money to avoid this stress altogether.

Professional planners charge upwards from MVR 20,000 and can exceed catering costs depending on the add-ons that you get. Similar to photography, the best way is to do your research and go with one that feels right. One rule of thumb is that more expensive does not always mean it'll be better.

Good companies go beyond the decorations and can even handle invitation cards, centre pieces, welcome boards and beyond. They may also help you obtain discounts from popular venues, musicians and photographers as well (but be careful that they don't mislead you into selecting their friends' business). Then again, if the planners are already familiar with the rest of them, it can make for a more smoother event overall.

The cheapest option is to, of course, purchase the materials that you need on your own and have your friends & family to decorate it for you.

Music

There are a few ways to go about this:

No music - the screams of running children and the noise of cutlery will do just fine.
Spotify - convince your partner that building a playlist is romantic (jk you just want to save money) and have your favourite tunes play throughout the party. Some venues may have their own playlist but it's risky.
Hire a musician.

The only option that'll cost you money will be number three but it might just be worth it. Speak to the musicians and outline your expectations. Most professionals will bring their equipment with you while others may request that you provide speakers.

Also, remind yourself that this day is about the both of you - so, booking that famous musician for the likes or to appease your friends, may not only be expensive, but you may not enjoy it anyway.

Prices tend to vary, starting from MVR 2,000 and up to MVR 7,000. It'll get cheaper based on:

Number of musicians - do you want a two-piece duo or a full band?
Hours of work - some may charge by the hour so maybe consider the exact time that you want them to be there. That said, it may ruin the aesthetic with musicians.
After party - would you like them to stay back longer? Do you want to bring in bodu-beru because its not too cliché enough for you?

Oh, and don't be stingy - make sure you feed them and be nice!

Makeup

Instagram is your friend: find your perfect fit. There are plenty of salons and independent artists who can provide you with this service.

Salons are a good idea when you reaaaaally want to treat yourself. Facial? Check. Mani-pedi? Check. Some obscure sounding new product that will definitely make you prettier and obviously will never overcharge you? Check. BUT, do make sure that you know what you need. The most cost-effective option is to pay for the services you need rather than paying for an entire package that includes items that make no sense.

Alternatively, independent artists are often happy to come to you and (for a price), stay throughout the wedding to do small touch ups as well. They tend to be the last person that you speak before you head onto the big stage so some of them are unofficially your cheerleader/breakdown support as well.

If you're unsure who to select, before you shell out the big bucks, ask if they do a free or discounted test make up session. This will help you (and them) to figure out the look you want to go for as well.

And please, for the love of all things holy, do NOT be tricked into: "I'm having a Name-Salon Wedding." Literally, nobody cares. But if you do, you do you.

Alternatively, ask a friend but be warned about quality aspects (by now, you can see a running theme here, I hope). Or, if you're confident enough, practice and do it yourself. It'll cost you next to nothing and in reality, no one can really tell. Just try not to have uneven eyeliners, okay?

Having said all that said, This is one area that you should not cheap-out on. Your makeup will be visible throughout the wedding and on your photos/videos. Choose wisely.

P.S. this is not only for the bride. Guys should give it a go as well (come on, it's 2022). You'd come to find that small touch ups for men are loads cheaper so why not?

Cake

Like birthdays, it almost seems absurd to have a wedding without a cake!

Once again, the cheapest option would be to make one yourself or via your friends or family but to pull off a good one may require professional intervention. As a wise person once said, thou shall not trust thy aunt.

While there are plenty of options available, the key consideration tends to be on the looks. In reality, none of the guests will remember the cake (unless it gives them diarrhoea) so worry not about it being perfect in every way.

In general, a wedding cake depending on the number of tiers can cost between MVR 1,500 to MVR 5,000. Make sure to research your options and choose not just on the aesthetics, but also on reliability and delivery services.

Registration and Misc. Expenses

By the time you consider all those expenses, it's easy to forget that you still need to pay the government to certify your relationship (what a world we live in).

Taking into account the thalassemia tests, online course and registration fees, you could be looking at a figure between MVR 1,150/- to MVR 2,000/-

Other miscellaneous costs to take into account could be:

Flowers - on average, real flower bouquets can cost upwards from MVR 750/- because what else will you do with your hands as you pose for photos? An alternative option is to build a plastic-flower bouquet (again, nobody will notice) which will not only be cheaper but will weigh less to hold.
Cards - gone are the days of spending tons on printing invitation cards when your guest list is just a Viber message away. You can consider hiring a graphics designer because you hate money or you can visit Canva to make it your own.
Ran Foshi - if you would like to make a BML transfer slip template for an engraved ran foshi, please leave this website immediately. Truth be told, Ran Foshi / Mahr is now over-commercialised and lost its meaning. You can choose from a variety of vendors and overpay (from MVR 1,000/- onwards) but it'll just have a the same lasting memory if not more meaningful, if you and your partner can create that together.

Is it over yet?

If you've made it this far, take a breather!

Planning a wedding is not an easy task but staying on top of your finances can help you navigate this stress more easily.

Make sure to stay tuned for Part 2: Budgeting, where we'll compare a series of actual wedding costs and figure out a good way to budget your expenses. Part 3 will look at the question, should you take out a loan for a wedding?