WACO, Texas — With inflation costs and high demand for wedding supplies, couples are having to take a second look at their budgets before tying the knot.
A new survey from "The Wedding Report" shows the average cost of a wedding was up 25% in 2021, with a cost of over $27,000.
Luis Reyes and Diana Castillo are getting ready to walk down the aisle in October. They've already booked a venue, bought the decorations and finished the guest list, but said it wasn't cheap.
"We've gotten almost everything we wanted somewhere near our price range--after our budget went up a little bit," Reyes said.
Caitlin Delgado, wedding planner and owner of CMDesigns weddings in Waco, says she's seen the prices skyrocket for a few wedding essentials.
"Travel and flowers are probably where I'm noticing the biggest increase," she said. "The cost of the flowers plus labor and travel is just adding up very quickly compared to what we could do before."
Reyes and Castillo said they had to cut corners a few places. That included choosing mostly artificial flowers and limiting their guest list.
"We can't afford to invite your cousin's best friend's neighbor," Reyes joked.
Christopher Matthews, owner of The Palladium in downtown Waco, said while business at the venue is nearing pre-pandemic levels, some couples are choosing to have their events on off days to save money.
"They get nervous and they say, 'Well you know what, we really want to have a nice wedding but we don't want to spend the full price. Maybe we'll do it on a Sunday,'" Matthews said.
Both planners and venues recommend planning far in advance to secure the services you want and at an affordable price.
"Start as soon as you get engaged. Because that gives you time to shop around a look for what you want," Castillo said.
