by Kimberley Heit

Created on: April 25, 2009

The majority of surveys reveal that couples end up spending more on their wedding then they initially anticipated. This can lead to financial strain during the newlywed period. If you want to come in under budget, you need to be aware of the common hidden costs that can derail a wedding budget.

The following list highlights 10 common hidden wedding costs:

1. Photography costs

Photography is notoriously known as one of the key areas that incurs hidden costs. Many photographers will not release the photographic negatives, or full size digital images to the couple. This means that all prints and albums have to be ordered through the photographer and you are at the mercy of their price list that is often subject to change. On the wedding day itself, many photographers only include around 6 hours of their time as part of the standard fee. This is not adequate if you want professional photos from the point you get dressed, till key moments during the reception. Finally many photographers charge a transport surcharge if your wedding location is more then 30 miles away from their office.

2. Reception over time fees

Many reception venues only include the room until a specified time and drinks packages are usually for around 5-6 hours. If your ceremony goes over the specified time, the hourly rate to extend the reception can be quite prohibitive.

3. Cake cutting/bagging

A lot of reception venues charge extra to have your wedding cake sliced and served to guests on plates, or bagged for them to take home. This charge is usually several dollars per head, so it can really add up if you have a large number of guests.

4. Stationary costs

The stationary requirements for a wedding seem to be on the increase. Besides the usual invitations, programs and seating cards, there are now; save the date cards, location cards and separate reception cards to name just a few. Often couples do not order enough supplies at the outset and it can be very more expensive to order small quantities at a later date. In addition postage costs are often not fully considered because stamps are a relatively small cost individually. However, they add up quickly when you have 100 or more invitations to send. In addition many couples end up selecting invitations that do not fit within the guidelines for a standard letter and therefore often have to pay double in postage costs.

5. Venue decoration

It is fairly typical to have some form of decoration at both the ceremony location and the reception venue. Sometimes

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