Sauntera Weddings · Ideas
A Real Ontario Wedding Budget: 90 Guests, $64,025
Every line item from an actual Prince Edward County wedding
Estimates are useful; receipts are better. This is the complete, real budget of a 90-guest November wedding in Prince Edward County — about two hours from Toronto, most guests GTA-based — with every amount including tax. It landed at $64,025, squarely in the average-to-upscale band, and the choices behind each line are as instructive as the numbers.
The big three: venue, food, bar — $29,700
Venue rental: $9,000 — including the rentals and decor catalogue and two day-of coordinators, after a $5,000 off-season discount for the November date.
Food: $14,600 — 100 meals covering guests and vendors, a three-course dinner, late-night pizza and a dessert bar, tax and tips included.
Open bar: $6,100 — signature cocktails included; the contract had a $70-per-person threshold and the couple got $600 back for coming in under it.
Photo, video, music — $14,750
Photography: $6,500 for nine hours with two shooters, plus $150 for the photographer's hotel.
Videography: $2,700 for eight hours, one shooter.
Live band: $4,800 for a five-piece with backup singer through cocktails plus three hours — with risers ($500) and party lights ($100). No DJ: the band plus a Spotify queue covered the night.
Everything else
Attire: $4,000 — a $2,000 dress found on Etsy needing no alterations, a $500 second dress, and a $1,500 custom tux.
Accommodation: $3,000 — a 10-bed house for the wedding party, two nights.
Florist: $2,950 — bridal and five bridesmaid bouquets, seven boutonnieres, two ceremony arrangements, sixty bud vases, delivery and setup.
Hair & makeup: $1,400 · Photobooth: $1,400 · Transportation: $1,000 for a 44-seat bus.
Wedding-weekend food: $1,150 · Rings: $1,175 · Tips: $800 · Bubble tea bar: $700 · Alpacas at cocktail hour: $700 · Guest book (a signed guitar): $400 · Legal marriage: $400 · Cake: $300 · Stationery: $200.
What they skipped — and what it teaches
No paper invitations (digital), no favours (gifted by a friend), no separate planner (the venue included day-of coordination), no DJ (the band covered it). The lessons that travel to any budget: the off-season date alone was worth $5,000; asking about off-list packages and shorter hours works; many vendors take 3–5% off for cash or e-transfer; and cutting whole categories beats shaving every line.