How Much Do NYC & Brooklyn Weddings Cost: A Deep Dive

Planning a wedding in New York City or Brooklyn can be an exhilarating yet daunting experience. The city's vibrant energy and endless possibilities are matched only by the potential for sticker shock.

To help you navigate the financial landscape, Rose Ahn Events has compiled this guide on wedding costs in New York City and Brooklyn.

Key Factors Influencing Wedding Costs

  • Guest Count: As you might expect, the number of guests directly impacts catering, venue rental, and other per-person expenses.

  • Date & Season: Peak wedding season (spring and fall) often commands higher prices for venues and vendors. Off-season weddings can be a great way to save on costs.

  • Venue Type: From intimate loft spaces to grand ballrooms, venue choices significantly impact budget, especially when certain vendors are required by a venue.

  • Level of Service: Full-service venues often include catering and decor, while others require more vendor coordination.

  • Photographer/Videographer: High-quality professionals can significantly impact your budget.

  • Entertainment: Live bands, DJs, and entertainment options vary widely in cost. There are many different ways to create the vibe you’re looking for on your special day.

  • Flowers & Decor: This can range from simple and elegant to extravagant and over-the-top.

Average Wedding Costs in NYC & Brooklyn (Based on Industry Data)

  • Couples typically spend between $30,000 and $100,000+ on their NYC/Brooklyn wedding. This is a broad range, and costs can easily exceed $200,000 for luxury or very large weddings, and micro-weddings can dip below the low end of the range.

  • Key Expense Breakdown (Average):

    • Venue: $10,000 - $50,000+

    • Catering: $10,000 - $30,000+

    • Photography/Videography: $5,000 - $15,000+

    • Entertainment: $3,000 - $10,000+

    • Flowers & Decor: $3,000 - $10,000+

How a Wedding Planner Can Help You Navigate Costs

  • Develop a Realistic Budget: A planner will work with you to understand your financial priorities and create a budget that aligns with your vision.

  • Negotiate Vendor Contracts: Planners have established relationships with vendors and can leverage their expertise to secure the best possible pricing.

  • Identify Cost-Saving Strategies: From exploring off-season dates to suggesting alternative entertainment options, planners can help you find creative ways to save money.

  • Streamline Vendor Communication: A planner acts as a central point of contact, ensuring smooth communication and efficient coordination between all vendors.

  • Prevent Cost Overruns: By meticulously tracking expenses and proactively addressing potential issues, planners help minimize unexpected costs.

Investing in a Wedding Planner can help in multiple ways

While the cost of a wedding planner may seem like an additional expense, it can ultimately save you money and alleviate significant stress. A skilled planner brings invaluable expertise, allowing you to enjoy the planning process while ensuring your dream wedding comes to life within your budget.

Ready to start planning your NYC/Brooklyn wedding? Contact Rose Ahn Events today for a complimentary consultation. We'll help you navigate the complexities of wedding planning in this dynamic city and ensure your special day is unforgettable.

Dave Chung
The Beginnings of Rose Ahn Events

Hi there! My name is Rose. I’m the founder and owner of Rose Ahn Events, a New York City-based wedding planning company providing full-service planning and wedding management services to couples getting married in New York, Hudson Valley, and beyond. Although I’m not one to share much publicly, one of my goals this year is to be more courageous when it comes to my business, and want to start sharing more about who we are, what we do, and why we love weddings and events!

I started my professional career in the early 2000’s and I wouldn’t be honest if I said the movie, Wedding Planner, had no influence in me becoming a wedding planner. I had moved to New York City after graduating to become an advertising executive, and the idea of being a wedding planner as a job seemed somewhat of movie fantasy. Fast forward to 2011, started on a new team at another ad agency. A couple of months into the job, they asked if I’d be interested in producing the team’s inaugural global summit in Madrid, Spain. Without hesitation, I said, “yes!” but it was truly a “fake it ‘til you make it” moment as I navigated language barriers, reading through countless reviews of different restaurants and vendors - in a country I’ve never stepped foot in, and coordinating travel and accommodations of 50 of our leads from around the world. I continued to plan 7 more global summits for the team that were held all over Europe and the States - Istanbul, Budapest, Paris, Miami, Chicago, and grew to 200+ attendees!

When I planned my first summit, it never occurred to me that this “project” could ever become a business. In 2016, I took my first step at creating Rose Ahn Events, coordinating weddings and Korean first birthdays for my friends. Today, Rose Ahn Events is full-fledge wedding planning and wedding management company currently serving the New York City, Westchester county, and expanding to serve the broader Hudson Valley area. As a Korean-American married to a Jamaican, I love working with multicultural, interracial couples looking to blend their cultures together because it’s in those details that we can create a wedding that is distinctively yours. And I hope I get the opportunity to work with you to create your own timeless, stunning wedding that tells your unique story.

Rose Ahn