A bride has admitted spending almost $100,000 on her wedding was a “big waste of money” – but she has no regrets.
Claudia Sokolova, 26, and her now husband Nick, 29, from Sydney, tied the knot in front of 68 guests in August after three years of dating.
Claudia, a marketing manager, told FEMAIL she wanted her wedding to look “timeless” and “classic” – and it certainly did, but it was also expensive.
“Two things can be true at the same time – yes, the wedding was a waste of money, but it was also the best day of my life,” she explained.
“I enjoyed every second of my wedding and wish I could do it all again. “But it's a very expensive, lengthy process that causes a lot of stress.”
Claudia Sokolova, 26, and her current husband Nick, 29, tied the knot in front of 68 guests in August after three years of dating
The couple spent nearly $100,000 on all wedding-related expenses, including a month-long honeymoon trip to Bali
The price for the bridal shower, bachelorette party and month-long honeymoon in Bali was also included in the total price. They also paid for most of it themselves from their savings, but had a little help from family.
The most expensive item was the venue rental worth $20,000, followed by the honeymoon trip worth $7,500 and the wedding dress from KWH Bridal Boutique worth $7,000.
For $5,650, they hired Bumpy Road Catering and served shared plates of pork, chicken, gnocchi, bread, a huge grazing platter, several salads, Nutella crepes, panna cotta and more.
There were also expenses that Claudia admits could have been avoided — like $2,500 for Botox and fillers and the $120 wedding dress — but she wanted them.
“Ultimately, your wedding will be about what you and your partner want and what is within your financial means,” she said.
And spending nearly $100,000 on the wedding would make the couple happy — so they did it.
“If you're not someone who handles stress well, are an introvert, don't like attention, and don't want to spend money, then you may want to reconsider the size and cost of your wedding,” she added added.
“Two things can be true at the same time – yes, the wedding was a waste of money, but it was also the best day of my life,” Claudia explained
The venue was the most expensive at $20,000
“People really romanticize DIYs.” “Nobody thinks about how long it will take to do all these little jobs,” she said
The couple met through a mutual friend, but by that point Claudia was “done with dating.” However, her friend put in a good word and convinced Claudia to meet Nick.
“If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have gone out with him,” she said.
“At the end of the first date I leaned in for a kiss and he gave me his cheek, but looking back I now know it's because of how much of a gentleman he is.”
Since Claudia has a marketing and events background, planning the wedding wasn't stressful and she enjoyed organizing everything.
“I’ve been planning events for years, so I knew what I was getting into,” she said.
“It's a strenuous process, but for me it's where I thrive.” Not everyone will have the same experience. I’m probably in the one percent that likes doing these things.”
She added that many people think that planning a wedding is just “ordering some food, drinks and a dress,” but there are many more levels.
The hardest thing, she said, is when it comes to “money and family.”
“Everyone has their opinion, but no one but me is footing the bill.” The family wants to invite other people you've never met, and do you know how much it costs per head to have someone at your wedding? Claudia said.
For $5,650, they hired Bumpy Road Catering and offered shared plates of pork, chicken, gnocchi, bread, a huge grazing platter, several salads, Nutella crepes, panna cotta and more
When asked if she would do anything differently, Claudia answered “no” other than “enjoy the day a little more.” Instead of a guestbook, there was an audio phone for attendees to leave a special message (left), and there was a cocktail hour (right).
While many people try to cut wedding costs by making the elements themselves, Claudia offered a “reality check” and said the final product may not be as inexpensive as you think.
“People really romanticize DIYs.” “Nobody thinks about how long it will take to do all these little jobs,” she said.
“If you have the tenacity to go to the flower market at 4 a.m. and make all your bouquets yourself, my hat is off to you.”
“I knew from planning events and my years of working in marketing how long everything really takes.”
Since she worked full time, owned a business, and was in the middle of wedding planning, Claudia had a few DIY ideas, like the invitations.
But the time it would take her to make everything and the cost of the raw materials wasn't worth it.
“It wouldn't make much difference than getting a decent price from a good provider.” “You really have to consider both sides,” she said.
As for the advice she would give other brides-to-be, Claudia said: never go into debt to finance your wedding, recognize where your priorities lie and take things one step at a time
There were moments when the couple sat down and considered canceling the entire event for financial reasons.
They thought about investing their money elsewhere – but at the end of the day, they both wanted to have a big wedding to celebrate their marriage.
“I have a huge family, I've dreamed about my wedding day since I was a little girl, it's something I've always wanted. And my husband also wanted a big party with all his friends,” Claudia said .
They thought about investing their money elsewhere – but at the end of the day, they both wanted to have a big wedding to celebrate their marriage
She added that some on social media have criticized her for spending so much money that it could have been used for a house deposit – but she disagrees.
“The average price of a house in our suburb is $1.2 million – we can’t afford that right now,” she said.
When asked if she would do anything differently, Claudia answered “no” other than “enjoy the day a little more.”
“We could have saved an extra thousand dollars here and there, we could have bought $9 bottles of wine instead of drinking cocktails. “But the reality is that weddings cost a lot of money,” she added.
How much did everything cost?
PHOTOGRAPHY: $4,500 @henrypaulphoto
FOOD: $5,650 @bumpyrdCatering
ALCOHOL: $6,000
VENUE: $20,000 @ravensthorpeweddings
FLOWERS: $7,500 @ivylanecollective
HARPIST: $1,500 @rebekah.harp
MUSIC: $4,500 @thewhitetree
DRESS: $7,000 @kwhbridal
Bridesmaid dresses: $450
Bridesmaid gifts: $500
HAIR: $850 @bridalhairbyceleste
MAKEUP: $1,800 @chloedaymua
GROOM'S SUIT: $1,300
Groomsmen Suits: $1,300 @institchu
Groom's shoes: $650
GROOM’S GIFTS: $300
ACCESSORIES: $50
STYLING: @be_designed
AUDIO GUESTBOOK: @offthehook.au
VIDEOGRAPHY: $1,500
GUEST TRANSPORTATION: $1,450
REHEARSAL DINNER: $50
JEWELRY: $2,500
Bachelorette party: $700
SHOES: $600
BRIDAL TISSUES: $120
BOTOX & FILLER: $2,500
BEAUTY: $1,500
BRIDESMAID PAJAMAS: $300
CHANGES: $500
SIGNAGE: $300
STYLING: $6,300
Marriage License/Marriage License: $1,500
WEDDING RINGS: $500
PET ACCOMMODATION: $660
SAVE THE DATES: $180
INVITATIONS: $500
MISCELLANEOUS: $1,500
ADDITIONAL OUTFITS/CLOTHES: $800
CONTENT: @bzeventsandsocialco_
Honeymoon: $7,500
TOTAL: $94,410
As for the advice she would give other brides-to-be, Claudia said: never go into debt to finance your wedding, recognize where your priorities lie and take things one step at a time.
She said there will always be the “wedding tax” – that items cost twice as much simply because it's for a wedding.
“Look for different options, but remember that in the wedding industry you always get what you pay for,” she said.