There are many different kinds of weddings, but the term ‘luxury wedding’ stands out for several reasons! Besides sounding very fancy, the term luxury wedding also sounds very expensive. What does it take to plan a luxury wedding? Here are 10 quick facts to introduce you to the wonderful world of luxury wedding planning!

1. Luxury weddings are more expensive.

In North America, the average marrying couple spends about $28,000 on their wedding. For an event to qualify as a luxury affair in the wedding planning industry, however, the price must be about three times that amount!  Some couples having luxury weddings will spend up to $100,000 for the ceremony and decorative items alone, not including guest prices.

2. Guest prices are more expensive too

For a wedding to meet the threshold of ‘luxury’ in North America, the cost per guest is usually about $1000. For comparison, a more average priced wedding will include a guest cost of a few hundred dollars per person.

3. It’s not just about the price!

Spending lots of money isn’t the only thing that makes a wedding ‘luxurious’. There’s also a big emphasis on fine detail!

Clients who want luxury weddings are usually striving for perfection, and therefore pay strong attention to style. Rather than using place settings provided by the venue, a luxury wedding will feature plates made of fine china and imported silk tablecloths.

Where other clients might choose the save costs on certain decorative items in favor of prioritizing bigger details like venue size, luxury wedding clients will most often choose to invest money in both.

4. Luxury weddings are more customized

Whereas the average wedding invite might simply feature the marrying couples’ names, an invite to a luxury wedding might be made of a specific paper or material chosen by the couple according to their particular style, theme, or color scheme. Rather than serving a normal bottle of wine at dinner, a luxury wedding might feature one made especially for the couple bearing a label embossed with their names and wedding date. Part of what makes the wedding ‘luxurious’ is the inclusion of details that go above and beyond average to make the day a thorough celebration of that couple.

5. Luxury weddings are a more elaborate series of events

The average wedding in North America consists of a ceremony and a few associated events, such as a rehearsal dinner and a post-ceremony reception. Luxury weddings feature a much more elaborate series of associated events.  Some of the most popular events and details that luxury planners will be responsible for organizing include an engagement party, ceremony, rehearsal dinner, post-wedding brunch, entertainment, and activities throughout the wedding weekend, and accommodations and food for guests from out of town.

6. The clients’ expectations are higher

Because they are investing a much larger sum of money into their event, luxury wedding clients tend to be much more demanding. They might believe that, because they’re spending more than the average couple for your service, they may have more say in how you plan the wedding. This can be beneficial since you will almost always know exactly what they are expecting, but it can also result in clients being overly demanding and interfering with your planning process.

7. The guest’s expectations are higher

Part of the reason your clients are striving for such perfection in their luxury event is to impress their guests! Particularly if your client is of a particular level of prestige in their workplace or community, they might feel pressured to have a very elaborate and luxurious wedding.

8. Who are the clients of luxury wedding planners?

When some people think of ‘luxury weddings’, they think of celebrities and heiresses. While this is true, these people are not the only ones that celebrate their weddings in luxury. Many everyday business people, or people that have saved for a long time, also enjoy luxury events.