You’ll Want to Splurge on These Things for Your Wedding

Don’t get stingy with these guys.

February 22, 2017

Natalie Schack,

Photo: June Cochran Photography

You only get married for the first time once, so trial and error doesn’t really work here. You don’t want to go into debt (seriously, don’t do it!), but you also don’t want to spend the rest of your life wishing you had commissioned that ceremony video. A lot of the splurge-or-save cost/benefit analysis definitely depends on your resources (do you have a talented baking aunt who can whip up an awesome cake?) and priorities (you’re a big orchestra buff and have always envisioned a string quartet at your ceremony).

Photo: Amber Schoniwitz of Schyne Photography

Our advice? Do you. A lady with a history of body-image anxiety who just wants to feel confident and beautiful on her day should spend extra time on her dress. Someone who hates dance parties (no, really, they exist) should feel free to cut the DJ. Cocktail connoisseurs? Put a little more into the bar. This night is about you! Here are a few elements we think are worth the splurge, and why.

Photography

A sick dance party could make your night, week and maybe even year. Marriages, however, are for life, while kegs run dry and memories fade. Decades from now, photos are what you’ll have left of the event you spent months planning. Don’t scrimp! Getting your friend’s cousin to shoot the thing on the cheap may sound like a good idea, but, when he gets tipsy or doesn’t know how to work in low lighting or misses key moments, you won’t get a do-over. Ulp.

Food and drink

Here’s a shocker: Guests love to eat and drink! While your beautiful favors and cute, custom logo may have killed at the check-in table, people are prone to remember how much they loved the grub. Good food doesn’t necessarily have to be the most expensive food, either. A fun novelty treat, like a food truck or action station, can really make dinner more memorable. Got a crowd that’s more about taste than frills? Ditch the typical plated surf ’n’ turf and go for a casual vibe. You could do build-your-own poke bowls or plate lunches with homestyle comfort food from famous spots. Think Tanioka’s or Rainbow Drive-In, go-to classics for ‘ono grinds that guests will love.

Photo: June Cochran Photography

Locale

The right venue can do all the heavy lifting of ambience on its own, without flowers or décor or fancy live music. A lovely, intimate garden, sweeping views of the ocean or stunning vintage architecture will be front and center in guests’ minds long after they go home for the night. And, unlike ceremony florals, custom letterpressed stationery or multi-tier, sugar-flowered cakes, your guests will be interacting with the gorgeousness all event long.