Average Cost of a Wedding in Canada 2022

Love may not cost a thing, but the cost of a wedding in Canada can drown you in debt. A typical Canadian wedding costs nothing less than C$42400. This figure includes the bride and groom attire, ceremony and reception, honeymoon, and other expenses.

However, the price of a wedding could be lower or more expensive, depending on what you want. You can expect the cost of a modest wedding to be from $28,000 CAD to $30,000 CAD.

There are many factors to consider when budgeting for a wedding, and these include:

• Food
• Venue
• Cake
• Wedding dress
• Band
• Drinks

You may also decide to use a wedding planner, which undoubtedly increases the expenses. A good option before any plan is to have an honest talk with the partner you intend to walk down the aisle with. You both have to put your heads together to understand how much you’re willing to spend.

Finance can be a touchy subject no matter who you’re discussing with, and this is even more true when there are other contributors to the wedding. Your budget will have to work with the date and the venue. You may also find it challenging to retain a photographer or band without pinning down a location and wedding date.

Canada has ten provinces and three territories. It is, therefore, logical that living in some parts of Canada is costlier than others. Provinces like British Columbia (Vancouver) Ontario (Toronto) Alberta (Calgary) are the top three expensive cities to live in. You should expect the median wedding cost in each of those places to be higher than the others.

Average Wedding Costs in Canada

The average cost of a wedding in Canada is $28,000 CAD excluding the honeymoon. This cost is for a modest wedding with about 150 guests. The more people you’ll have at your wedding, the higher the cost.

Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll likely spend on a wedding in Canada:

Wedding Planner

Average Cost C$3,000

There’s no fixed price to hire a wedding planner for your wedding. The amount you’ll spend depends on whether you’re engaging your wedding planner for a day or the duration of the event.

If you’re hiring your wedding planner for the day, expect to pay nothing less than C$2000. It may seem quite the sum, but a wedding planner isn’t just about hiring a professional to run your wedding.

It is about nurturing relationships and ensuring your big day is an unforgettable experience. The rule of thumb is to prepare to pay above C$2000 provided you don’t go beyond C$7500.

Wedding Venue

Average Cost C$2,500 – $10,000

Let’s face it. The cost of a wedding in Canada is much dictated by the amount you’d spend on the venue. If you live in an expensive city like Vancouver or Toronto, then you should expect to pay around C$2,500 per 150 guests for a modest event place or $47 per person per event day.

You can try to bring down the cost by crossing off a few things. But expect to spend half of your budget on the venue, food, and drinks. You may decide to bring your drinks to the site, but this will depend on venue management.

Cocktails at the venue usually cost more than if you brought them yourself.

Wedding Cake

Average Cost C$1000

The average cost of a wedding cake by a professional is a thousand dollars give or take. It’s possible to get a cake for less but you shouldn’t bet on it. However, you can decide to cut costs by hiring a friend or making the wedding cake yourself.

Wedding Dress

Average cost C$2000

The average cost of a wedding dress can skyrocket depending on what type of gown you have in mind. There’s a massive difference between a custom and a couture wedding dress.

While the former may cost as much as C$1500, the latter will easily set you back C$50000. For both dresses, the devil is in the details. Custom wedding dresses are taken off the rack and altered to suit your specifications.

On the other hand, a couture wedding dress is stitched from scratch, using the most premium materials and tailor-made designs for the bride.

Men’s Suit

Average Cost C$800

Luckily for potential couples, the men’s formal wear is one expense that won’t deal a heavy blow to the budget. Although a good custom-made suit will enhance your wedding, you can decide to rent a tuxedo which will save you even more money.

Wedding Cosmetics and Hairdo

Average Cost C$500

When it comes to a wedding, you’ve got to give it to the lady! It is a woman’s day, and it’s not a surprise the bride’s expenses far surpass that of the groom. A bride’s professional makeup can start at C$400 and climb into the thousands if she’s paying for her bridal train.

Once again, if you’d like to cut costs on your wedding, you can ask a friend to take care of your makeup. Taking care of certain activities in-house can save you thousands of dollars in costs.

Wedding Rings

Average Cost C$3500

Your wedding band is one item you shouldn’t pinch pennies on while planning your Canadian wedding. Asides from being the symbol of your commitment, it’s the one thing you’re most likely going to have around for a very long time.

The average cost of a wedding ring in Canada is C$3500. The decision on how much to spend on your wedding rings is part emotional and part rational. There are two questions you need to ask yourself:

• What are her expectations?
• How much can you afford?

The key is to strike a balance between the two. Firstly, every couple has a different situation. You have to know where you stand to see where you’re headed.

The two months salary rule for buying wedding rings is trash and should be treated as such. Your lady will always appreciate a fancy ring. But make sure that ring isn’t putting you in debt.

The cost of your wedding rings will be even costlier if you factor in the engagement rings. Whatever you do, think hard and choose wisely.

Wedding DJ

Average Cost CS$1500

Are you going to hire a band, get a DJ or do both? That’s totally up to you. A DJ is cheaper, but a Band will set you back some serious thousands of dollars. If you’re trying to save money, you should cross the band off your list and stick with a DJ instead.

To save even more money, compile a wedding playlist and have a family member or friend play them during the event; you might need some equipment for this.

Wedding Decor

Average Cost C$3000

The 2017 average cost of wedding decorations in Australia is $1810, but you can almost be sure that the number is higher for Canada. Many couples are willing to dig deep into their pockets to create the wedding of their dreams.

And with social media, you can expect the competition to be even more intense. A large venue will require more decorations, which means more expenses. That’s why it’s necessary to factor in the decoration costs at the same time you’re picking your venue.

Wedding Stationery

Average Cost C$2000

You might be surprised by the price, but there’s more to your wedding stationery than invites. Some of the items you’d need to consider include:

• RSVP cards
• Menu cards
• Ceremony programs
• Hotel cards

When you consider these items for 100 guests, the price begins to look a little too much.

Wedding Officiant Cost

Average Cost C$500

The official that will join you as man and wife can cost you anything from C$300 to C$700. This cost doesn’t include your expenses for a marriage certificate.

Marriage License Cost

Average Cost C$100

A marriage license has no fixed cost. It varies from province to province. You can get a marriage license for as low as C$60 in Saskatchewan and up to C$150 in Nova Scotia.

Wedding Photographer Cost

Average Cost C$4500

Wedding photographers have a full-time job on D-Day, and the price should be in proportion to the hours they work. For many couples, it is one area where they don’t spare the expenses to get what they want.

A wedding photographer creates memories that last a lifetime. If you want quality pictures, you must plan to spend big. To cut costs, you can hire a company that is willing to do both photo and video.

Wedding Audio/DJ Cost

Average Cost C$1000

The lighting and visuals determine the ambiance of your wedding. You have to make room for your budget for the slide shows, wiring, making sure the microphones are working while ensuring your DJ can play the music nonstop from dusk till dawn.

Wedding Transportation Cost

Average Cost C$500

It is becoming the trend for couples to make their entrance in creative ways – some of them simple. Nonetheless, you should err on the side of caution by setting down at least C$1000 for your transportation logistics.

Wedding Night Accommodation

Average Cost C$500

You cannot fully determine the cost of a wedding in Canada without factoring in hotel accommodations. It is smart for you to budget money for your first night as a newly wedded couple.

The amount you’ll spend on hotel lodgings or Airbnb can cost from C$300 to C$1000 and even more depending on the quality of the accommodations.

Honeymoon Costs

The average cost of a dream honeymoon in Canada is about $5000CAD for a few nights

While the wedding night accommodations take care of the epilogue of your wedding day, your honeymoon is the prologue to the beginning of your life as a couple. You can’t depend on any average cost for your honeymoon because it all depends on what you want to do and what you can afford.

You can decide to skip the honeymoon and add the money to the down payment for your home. That’s not a bad idea. If you choose to go, a lot will depend on where you go and the time of the year.

Be sure to pick a budget-friendly honeymoon destination where you can have fun without breaking the bank.

We would love to hear from couples in Canada! What do you think is a reasonable budget for a wedding? If you already had a wedding, how much did your wedding cost? What’s the craziest wedding budget you’ve seen?