by Amy Weekley

Created on: April 15, 2009   Last Updated: April 16, 2009

As anyone planning a wedding can attest to, weddings are expensive. The dress, the reception hall, the cake - all of these things are costly and can quickly run up your wedding budget. But there are a few hidden costs that can take a chunk out of your budget. Here are 10 of the most common hidden wedding costs.

* Tailoring

Some dress shops will do tailoring and fitting for free, but many do not. The price of the dress may not include the cost of all the work that needs to be done to make it fit you like a glove, so ask about this when you walk into the shop, before you start trying on gowns. Wedding dresses require some intricate needlework to alter them, and this service will not come cheap.

* Rehearsal dinner

Traditionally, the groom's family throws the rehearsal dinner and absorbs the cost. But today's couples increasingly find themselves paying for the whole affair themselves, including the rehearsal dinner. Remember that you will be entertaining the entire wedding party, as well as the immediate families of both the bride and the groom. With such a large group, the rehearsal dinner will likely be expensive. Alcohol will drive up the cost even further, so keep that in mind.

* Gifts for the wedding party

Most couples present their wedding party with gifts at the rehearsal dinner. These gifts are intended to show appreciation for your wedding party's contribution to your special day, so they are probably not going to be cheap. If you have a large wedding party, this will drive up the cost for this portion of your budget as well. You will want to find gifts that adequately express your appreciation for their time and effort without breaking the bank.

* Unity candle

The unity candle ceremony is a beautiful part of the traditional wedding. You can find unity candles for a relatively low cost, but they can also be quite expensive. You will also need candle holders for the entire set, and some couples also like flowers to surround them on the table during the wedding. All of these things need to be taken into account when planning your budget.

* Disposable items runner, bubbles/birdseed, flower petals

Many churches require couples to provide their own aisle runner for the ceremony. Paper runners are available and fairly inexpensive, but they also don't look as nice as the more expensive fabric runners. A church with a long aisle will also run up your cost for the aisle runner, so keep this in mind.

Flower petals for the ceremony can be costly, and they will never be used

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