Photo: Thompson Photography Group
As part of our real weddings series, “The Cost of Tying the Knot,” we ask couples to share their real wedding costs with us. If you’d like to be a part of the series, take our questionnaire, and we’ll be in touch. You are welcome to remain anonymous, or not.
Couple:
D, 27, Bride + J, 32, Bride
Current Neighborhood:
Upper West Side
Wedding Date:
July, 14 2018
Wedding Location:
Basilica Hudson, Hudson, NY
How We Met:
We met online and quickly realized this would be the forever story we were both looking for. Lucky for us, we were both supported by big, loving families who were thrilled to see us each so happy.
How did you choose the venue and how did it live up to your expectations?
We chose the Basilica in Hudson for so many reasons. The first was the size. We have BIG families and knew we wanted to include all of our friends in the celebration. That took our guest list up to about 300, and 240 RSVP’d yes! So we needed something that would accommodate that crowd. Second, we wanted something close enough to NYC that people could just stay a night (and not need a flight). Finally, the look and feel was so incredible, industrial chic with gorgeous summer greenery, which we loved.
Cost Breakdown (240-person wedding):
Venue: Basilica Hudson……………………………………………………$7,000
(A BIG discount, HALF PRICE, because we picked a summer date, not far out, that they were trying to get booked.)
Caterer: Hickory BBQ…………………………………………………………$15,000
Jeweler: Greenwich St. Jewelry………………………………………$8,000 (4 rings)
Officiant: A family friend…………………………………………………….FREE
Gowns: RK Bridal and Schone Bride………………………………….$4,000 (2 dresses)
Band: Silver Arrow Band……………………………………………………$5,000
Florist: Shoving Leopard Farm………………………………………….$1,000
Event Planner: Hudson Valley Ceremonies………………………$2,000
Photographer: Thompson Photography Group………………..$3,100
Videogrpaher: Love’N Pixels…….……………………………………….$1,200
Cake: Adams Fairacre Farms………………………………….…………$360
Invitations: Minted…….……………………………………………………….$500
Hair and Makeup: One on One Salon……………………….……….$2,500 (2 Brides and wedding party)
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Total…………….……….…………….……….…………….……….…………….…$51,660
Photo: Thompson Photography Group
Of all your expenses, what was the most surprising cost? What did you feel you got the least value out of, and what did you get the most value out of?
Nothing felt like we overpaid. I had to come to terms with some of the amounts, because I had envisioned a smaller wedding. But serving that many people for that price was a real win!
Getting the venue at half price made the whole thing feasible. Otherwise we would have been really pinching everywhere else. See if there are dates that don’t sell easily and if you are flexible, go for it!
The Basilica gives couples access to the venue space from 12pm on Friday to 12pm on Sunday. The property includes the main building, which holds the ceremony and reception spaces attached together, as well as a small art gallery space adjacent to the main building. We used the small gallery and outdoor space to welcome guests Friday night and the main reception space for a Sunday farewell brunch. It was an incredible deal! We originally envisioned a fall wedding, but when they offered half price on summer dates we knew we had to make it work because it was too amazing and so all-inclusive!
I think we saved by picking our own flowers. We worked with Marina at Shoving Leopard Farm. She offers a “Pick Your Own” package, where you and a few friends come a few days before the wedding and pick as much as you like from her incredible nursery. This means we had to be flexible about exactly what we would be getting, but we mostly wanted fresh, seasonal, and bright, which would work in July. We gathered some moms, aunts, and cousins, and Marina put out snacks and showed us how to use shears. It was a really fun event that we held Friday morning. We then went to the venue, and with help from our families put together 100 small arrangements. They were totally fine overnight with a little water. Marina did our two bouquets and the boutonnieres. Our bridesmaids (sisters) put together their own bouquets from the pickings. It was a wonderful part of the weekend and I truly believe we had the most gorgeous flowers (better than I had imagined) for a much smaller cost! They looked stunning and fresh, and we made a fun event out of it. I loved that special touch.
Our event planner went above and beyond and saved us money with her inside connections at every turn. Hiring her was the BEST decision we made. She knew our venue so well and had lists of awesome vendors for us to choose from. We loved her!
Photo: Thompson Photography Group
What were your best and worst wedding day moments? Any surprises crises?
The entire day was a joy. I think my favorite part was the ceremony. Bright light streamed in and all the anticipation building up felt worth it as we shared intimate vows with our closest friends and family. Everyone was smiling so big it hurt!
The cake took a topple in the fridge, but our coordinator handled it without us even knowing there was a problem! We can’t thank her enough! She kept us totally sane and had everything covered so we could just enjoy the day and weekend.
If you had it all to do over again, what would you have chosen to do differently?
We would have figured out how to get more cool air into our space. It doesn’t have a full AC system, and we had an 80+ degree day in July! Otherwise, we wouldn’t change a thing!
