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again. Silk petals can be less expensive than real ones, but even at that, they can take up a good portion of your wedding budget. After the ceremony, most couples like to have the guests blow bubbles or throw birdseed, but don't forget that these things cost money as well. You'll need to have enough for each guest to participate, and these things can be expensive, especially if you go for fancy packaging.

* Programs

Wedding ceremonies typically have a lot of people involved, and those people should be recognized. Depending on where you have your programs printed and what style you choose, wedding programs can be pretty pricey. You'll need enough programs for all the guests and wedding party members, plus a few extra, so keep that in mind when selecting your programs.

*Soloist/organist

Some churches have the cost of the organist or soloist included in their fee, but many do not. If you have a friend or relative who is willing to play or sing for free, you can get away with ignoring this cost, but otherwise you will have to pay for the music during your ceremony. These people are performing a service that will help add ambience to your ceremony, so it's not wise to skimp on this cost.

* Favors

Favors are an important part of the reception. They give the guests something to remember your special day, and they dress up the tables a bit. But favors are often overlooked in the wedding budget. If you have a short guest list and choose inexpensive favors, you may not have a problem with the cost here. But if you have a lot of guests coming, you'll need to keep a watchful eye on the cost of your favors.

* Thank-you cards

Thank-you cards are a vital part of post-wedding etiquette. Even though they technically come after the wedding, they cannot be ignored as part of the wedding budget. They don't have to be as nice as the invitations, but your cards should reflect the style of your wedding. Since you will also likely receive gifts from people who did not attend the wedding, you will probably need a large amount of cards, and this will not be cheap.

* Stamps

With the cost of stamps going up nearly every year, postage for your invitations and thank-you cards can drive up your wedding budget pretty fast. At .42 per stamp, 50 invitations and 50 thank-you cards will cost a staggering $42. If you have a big wedding with a lot of guests, the postage alone will cost a pretty penny. Don't forget about the postage when planning out your budget for invitations and thank-you cards.

If you're not careful, your wedding budget can rapidly run away from you if you haven't taken everything into consideration. But with a little caution and forethought, you can keep these hidden costs under control and stay well within your budget.

Learn more about this author, Amy Weekley.
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