{"id":187073,"date":"2018-09-18T22:47:28","date_gmt":"2018-09-18T20:47:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/?p=187073"},"modified":"2026-06-05T21:03:15","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T19:03:15","slug":"dream-wedding-planning-costs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/dream-wedding-planning-costs\/","title":{"rendered":"How to (Not) Plan Your Dream Wedding and How Much It Costs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Everyone tells you your wedding will be the best day of your life. But nobody warns you about everything that can go wrong (and I&#8217;m not even talking about the weather). That&#8217;s what we&#8217;re here for. Consider this your honest wedding planning guide so you can make fewer mistakes than we did. <strong>You&#8217;ll find out how quickly you can plan a wedding like ours, roughly how much it costs, whether you need a wedding coordinator or a DJ, and how to keep your guests entertained.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"GzHI2cT1NkY\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Vzali jsme se! \ud83d\ude0d - Loudav\u00fdm Krokem\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GzHI2cT1NkY?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/dream-wedding-planning-costs\/#The_Day_Before_the_Wedding_It_Looked_Like_Our_Guests_Would_Starve\" >The Day Before the Wedding, It Looked Like Our Guests Would Starve<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/dream-wedding-planning-costs\/#How_Quickly_Can_You_Plan_a_Wedding\" >How Quickly Can You Plan a Wedding<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/dream-wedding-planning-costs\/#Rings_and_Dress_%E2%80%94_All_Bought_Online\" >Rings and Dress \u2014 All Bought Online<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/dream-wedding-planning-costs\/#No_Hairdresser_%E2%80%94_I_Did_My_Own_Makeup\" >No Hairdresser \u2014 I Did My Own Makeup<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/dream-wedding-planning-costs\/#A_Wedding_in_Reverse_%E2%80%94_Why_You_Should_Get_Married_in_the_Evening\" >A Wedding in Reverse \u2014 Why You Should Get Married in the Evening<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/dream-wedding-planning-costs\/#Our_%E2%80%9CDream_Venue%E2%80%9D_%E2%80%94_The_Worst_Choice_We_Made\" >Our &#8220;Dream Venue&#8221; \u2014 The Worst Choice We Made<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/dream-wedding-planning-costs\/#The_Manager_Tried_to_Force_Goulash_and_Schnitzel_on_Us\" >The Manager Tried to Force Goulash and Schnitzel on Us<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/dream-wedding-planning-costs\/#Youre_Not_Using_Our_Kitchen\" >You&#8217;re Not Using Our Kitchen!<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/dream-wedding-planning-costs\/#Your_Guests_Will_Go_Hungry_Declared_the_Manager_in_Charge_of_Catering\" >Your Guests Will Go Hungry, Declared the Manager in Charge of Catering<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/dream-wedding-planning-costs\/#How_We_Handled_the_Music\" >How We Handled the Music<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/dream-wedding-planning-costs\/#Whats_Worth_Investing_In\" >What&#8217;s Worth Investing In<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/dream-wedding-planning-costs\/#Your_Guests_Will_Entertain_Themselves_%E2%80%94_But_Here_Are_Some_Ideas\" >Your Guests Will Entertain Themselves \u2014 But Here Are Some Ideas<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/dream-wedding-planning-costs\/#1_Chocolate_Fountain\" >1) Chocolate Fountain<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/dream-wedding-planning-costs\/#2_Polaroid_Photos_and_a_Guest_Book\" >2) Polaroid Photos and a Guest Book<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/dream-wedding-planning-costs\/#3_Where_We_Have_to_Travel_Within_a_Year\" >3) Where We Have to Travel Within a Year<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/dream-wedding-planning-costs\/#4_A_Message_to_Open_in_Ten_Years\" >4) A Message to Open in Ten Years<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/dream-wedding-planning-costs\/#Do_You_Need_a_Wedding_Coordinator\" >Do You Need a Wedding Coordinator?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/dream-wedding-planning-costs\/#How_Much_Does_a_Wedding_Cost\" >How Much Does a Wedding Cost<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Day_Before_the_Wedding_It_Looked_Like_Our_Guests_Would_Starve\"><\/span>The Day Before the Wedding, It Looked Like Our Guests Would Starve<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Our wedding was supposed to be a fairy tale planned <strong>without stress, drama, or frayed nerves.<\/strong> And a fairy tale it turned out to be. Everything went exactly as it should have (no, it wasn&#8217;t a disaster \u2014 it was magical), but we were on edge the whole time. The day before the wedding, we were desperately searching for pizza delivery to our venue because it looked like half our <strong>guests were going to starve.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-52855\" src=\"https:\/\/www.loudavymkrokem.cz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/LuckaLukas_wedd-143.jpg\" alt=\"The perfect wedding\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Quickly_Can_You_Plan_a_Wedding\"><\/span>How Quickly Can You Plan a Wedding<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Luk\u00e1\u0161 proposed in <strong>December 2017.<\/strong> We wanted a summer wedding, which meant we needed to find a venue as fast as possible. I suspected the most beautiful ones might already be fully booked. We managed to grab a Thursday slot (26 July 2018) \u2014 the rest of the summer at our dream venue was long gone. Once we&#8217;d secured the venue, I started sorting out the dress. <strong>The venue, dress, and invitations are really the only things you need to arrange well in advance. Everything else we sorted out just a month before the wedding.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-52851 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.loudavymkrokem.cz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/LuckaLukas_wedd-68.jpg\" alt=\"We planned our wedding online\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rings_and_Dress_%E2%80%94_All_Bought_Online\"><\/span>Rings and Dress \u2014 All Bought Online<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I had a crystal-clear vision of my <strong>wedding dress, which I&#8217;d found on Pinterest.<\/strong> A gorgeous two-piece number with a fairy-tale skirt and a loose lace top. I couldn&#8217;t find anything similar in local bridal shops. Then it hit me \u2014 why search for something similar when I could just order the exact dress I&#8217;d pinned? I tracked down the studio that made it, sent my measurements, and prayed that Luk\u00e1\u0161 had measured me correctly. <strong>When they arrived, they fit like a glove, and I smugly declared that our wedding was going to be completely stress-free.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The same approach worked for the rings. <strong>We visited several jewellery shops and nothing caught our eye.<\/strong> That evening, I <a href=\"https:\/\/www.izlato24.cz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">picked a ring online<\/a> in about five minutes, telling myself that the little band I&#8217;d be wearing was probably the most boring ring in the world, because it&#8217;s just a circle. Once again, I struck gold. The ring arrived looking even more beautiful than it had on the website, and I decided it wasn&#8217;t such a boring circle after all.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I thought I had this whole wedding thing figured out. But then the first real problems appeared.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"No_Hairdresser_%E2%80%94_I_Did_My_Own_Makeup\"><\/span>No Hairdresser \u2014 I Did My Own Makeup<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I couldn&#8217;t find anyone locally I&#8217;d trust with my look for the big day, so I decided to do my own hair and makeup. That morning, I lounged in bed with my maid of honour watching The Simpsons, and <strong>before lunch I hopped out, curled my hair, did my makeup in fifteen minutes, and went to eat.<\/strong> I couldn&#8217;t have asked for a more relaxed pre-wedding morning.<\/p>\n<p>TIP: Want to look flawless but not confident enough to do your own makeup? Put yourself in the hands of a skilled <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bozska-kate.cz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>makeup artist<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-52852\" src=\"https:\/\/www.loudavymkrokem.cz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/LuckaLukas_wedd-118.jpg\" alt=\"DIY makeup and hair for the wedding\" width=\"600\" height=\"900\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Wedding_in_Reverse_%E2%80%94_Why_You_Should_Get_Married_in_the_Evening\"><\/span>A Wedding in Reverse \u2014 Why You Should Get Married in the Evening<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A long lie-in and plenty of time \u2014 that&#8217;s what an evening ceremony gave us. The wedding kicked off with a reception at five o&#8217;clock, meaning I had until at least two in the afternoon, when we&#8217;d scheduled photos with Luk\u00e1\u0161 and the bridesmaids. So why an evening wedding? <strong>Getting married at noon is the worst idea<\/strong> because if the sun is out, you&#8217;re guaranteed the harshest lighting conditions for photos. <strong>Hard light and harsh shadows are nobody&#8217;s friend.<\/strong> Plus, you actually get a decent night&#8217;s sleep beforehand.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Our_%E2%80%9CDream_Venue%E2%80%9D_%E2%80%94_The_Worst_Choice_We_Made\"><\/span>Our &#8220;Dream Venue&#8221; \u2014 The Worst Choice We Made<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">While everyone admires our wedding venue in photos, I actively talk anyone out of choosing it. It was beautiful, sure, but if we hadn&#8217;t been in the middle of university exams before the wedding and had even a little time to search for somewhere new, I&#8217;d have changed it in a heartbeat. What would I pick today? Probably the gardens of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.zamekmitrowicz.cz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mitrowicz Castle, because the owner is brilliant.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">When we visited the venue manager at Stodola Su\u0161ka for our first meeting in December, we were thrilled. She came out with all the right phrases: &#8220;anything is possible,&#8221; &#8220;we can handle the catering, vegetarian is no problem,&#8221; and &#8220;we&#8217;ll decorate everything exactly how you want.&#8221; We drove away buzzing, paid the deposit, and didn&#8217;t think about it again.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-52853\" src=\"https:\/\/www.loudavymkrokem.cz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/LuckaLukas_wedd-227.jpg\" alt=\"Wedding catering wasn&#039;t straightforward\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Manager_Tried_to_Force_Goulash_and_Schnitzel_on_Us\"><\/span>The Manager Tried to Force Goulash and Schnitzel on Us<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">By the second meeting in February, the excitement had faded. <strong>The manager pushed a menu full of schnitzels, goulash, and a roast pig, because &#8220;that&#8217;s what guests enjoy.&#8221;<\/strong> I left feeling utterly defeated and miserable \u2014 the only consolation being that we could still change it. After carefully studying the menu she&#8217;d offered, though, we realised there was no way to piece together the light, healthy reception we&#8217;d envisioned.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">After an extensive search for the right caterer, we contacted I Feel Good in Prague about two and a half months before the wedding. After a brief chat about our vision, they put together a perfect menu and even offered a tasting picnic. We excitedly told the venue we wouldn&#8217;t be needing their catering and looked forward to the picnic.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_52858\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-52858\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-52858\" src=\"https:\/\/www.loudavymkrokem.cz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/LuckaLukas_wedd-02.jpg\" alt=\"Stodola Su\u0161ka review\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-52858\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">We wouldn&#8217;t recommend Stodola Su\u0161ka for a wedding<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Youre_Not_Using_Our_Kitchen\"><\/span>You&#8217;re Not Using Our Kitchen!<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the venue manager&#8217;s response was a flat-out no. We were stunned \u2014 there was nothing about this in the contract, and nobody had ever mentioned it. When we demanded an explanation, she suddenly said she&#8217;d try to convince the owner. <strong>She kept dodging and stalling until just 3 weeks before the wedding<\/strong>, when we finally got a clear answer: no outside catering allowed, because they wouldn&#8217;t let us into the kitchen. She offered to have their own chef cook our I Feel Good menu instead.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-52850\" src=\"https:\/\/www.loudavymkrokem.cz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/LuckaLukas_wedd-169.jpg\" alt=\"With the bridesmaids\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Your_Guests_Will_Go_Hungry_Declared_the_Manager_in_Charge_of_Catering\"><\/span>Your Guests Will Go Hungry, Declared the Manager in Charge of Catering<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I&#8217;d love to tell you that was the end of the headaches, but it wasn&#8217;t. <strong>The day before the wedding, we arrived at the venue and the manager announced \u2014 in front of the bridesmaids and family \u2014 that the guests would go hungry.<\/strong> I stared at her in disbelief. How could roughly \u20ac1,800 worth of food for 30 people not be enough? &#8220;You worked out the portions with the chef yourself, so surely the maths adds up,&#8221; I protested. &#8220;Yes, but you said your guests don&#8217;t eat much.&#8221; &#8220;EXCUSE ME?&#8221; That was the last straw. Luk\u00e1\u0161 pulled me away, reassuring me it would be fine. For the record: half the food was left over. But we spent the entire day before the wedding figuring out where to order extra food.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I&#8217;d also love to tell you that was the only issue with this fairy-tale venue, but it wasn&#8217;t. Not a single promise they made was kept. <strong>They forgot to set up the sound system and the fairy lights on the wedding arch in advance. Thankfully, we hadn&#8217;t relied on the manager and brought everything ourselves just in case.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-52856\" src=\"https:\/\/www.loudavymkrokem.cz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/LuckaLukas_wedd-369.jpg\" alt=\"Beautiful wedding dress and flower crown\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_We_Handled_the_Music\"><\/span>How We Handled the Music<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We went with live music for the ceremony, but for the indoor reception we relied on Spotify. And honestly, it was one of the best decisions we made. We had two playlists \u2014 one calm and chilled for before the ceremony, and another for dancing afterwards.<\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Whats_Worth_Investing_In\"><\/span>What&#8217;s Worth Investing In<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I always knew my big wedding splurge would be the photographer. And I&#8217;m so glad that, while the venue choice was terrible, the photographer was an absolute winner \u2014 Olda from <a href=\"http:\/\/necomodreho.cz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">N\u011bco Modr\u00e9ho (Something Blue).<\/a> I think his photos speak for themselves. But what they won&#8217;t tell you is that <strong>Olda isn&#8217;t just a brilliant photographer \u2014 he&#8217;s also a wonderful person you&#8217;re genuinely happy to have at your wedding. We liked him so much that we consider him a friend today (and we hope he feels the same).<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Our other big investment was the team from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dibproduction.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DIB Production.<\/a> We saw their work about six months before the wedding and instantly knew we needed them. We didn&#8217;t just want a wedding video \u2014 we wanted a DIB wedding video.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Your_Guests_Will_Entertain_Themselves_%E2%80%94_But_Here_Are_Some_Ideas\"><\/span>Your Guests Will Entertain Themselves \u2014 But Here Are Some Ideas<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We worried about what our guests would do at the reception. Turns out, there was nothing to worry about. You don&#8217;t need anything. No games, no gimmicks. That said, a few touches can add a bit of extra fun.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-52848\" src=\"https:\/\/www.loudavymkrokem.cz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/LuckaLukas_wedd-18.jpg\" alt=\"Wedding games and activities\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Chocolate_Fountain\"><\/span>1) Chocolate Fountain<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Our biggest wedding hit. Who says food can&#8217;t be entertainment?<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Polaroid_Photos_and_a_Guest_Book\"><\/span>2) Polaroid Photos and a Guest Book<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Signs reading &#8220;I want to get married too&#8221; and &#8220;I only came for the food&#8221; lured even our grandparents into posing. By the end of the evening, we had a full <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fler.cz\/zbozi?where=zbozi&amp;search=svatebn%C3%AD+kniha+host\u016f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">wedding guest book<\/a> stuffed with Polaroids.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-52854\" src=\"https:\/\/www.loudavymkrokem.cz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/LuckaLukas_wedd-258.jpg\" alt=\"Fun wedding signs\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Where_We_Have_to_Travel_Within_a_Year\"><\/span>3) Where We Have to Travel Within a Year<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We let our guests decide where we&#8217;d travel the following year. They dropped destination suggestions into a box, and in the early hours of the morning we drew three at random. How we&#8217;re getting to Antarctica, we still haven&#8217;t figured out.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_A_Message_to_Open_in_Ten_Years\"><\/span>4) A Message to Open in Ten Years<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">When I was little, I wrote a letter to my future eighteen-year-old self. This time, though, it wasn&#8217;t me writing to my 35-year-old self \u2014 it was our wedding guests. They had the chance to write us a message that we&#8217;ll open in 10 years.<\/p>\n<p>TIP: <span data-sheets-formula-bar-text-style=\"font-size:13px;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;font-family:'Arial';font-style:normal;text-decoration-skip-ink:none;\">If you do want to plan a few activities, check out these <\/span><a class=\"waffle-rich-text-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.svatba.wtf\/neokoukane-svatebni-hry\/\" data-sheets-formula-bar-text-link=\"https:\/\/www.svatba.wtf\/neokoukane-svatebni-hry\/\" data-sheets-formula-bar-text-style=\"font-size:13px;color:#1155cc;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:underline;font-family:&#039;&#039;Arial&#039;&#039;;font-style:normal;text-decoration-skip-ink:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">creative wedding game ideas<\/a><span data-sheets-formula-bar-text-style=\"font-size:13px;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;font-family:'Arial';font-style:normal;text-decoration-skip-ink:none;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-52847\" src=\"https:\/\/www.loudavymkrokem.cz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/LuckaLukas_wedd-130.jpg\" alt=\"The perfect wedding\" width=\"600\" height=\"900\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_You_Need_a_Wedding_Coordinator\"><\/span>Do You Need a Wedding Coordinator?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Our wedding was magical, despite all the planning headaches and all the stress caused by the venue. And yours will be too. You don&#8217;t need a coordinator or months of work to plan a beautiful wedding. <strong>All you need is a clear vision, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.klenota.cz\/Blog\/Snubni\/Svatebni-checklist-co-vse-je-potreba-zaridit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">wedding planning checklist<\/a>, a few phone calls and meetings. And nerves of steel.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Much_Does_a_Wedding_Cost\"><\/span>How Much Does a Wedding Cost<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We didn&#8217;t set a strict budget, but roughly planned for the wedding to cost around \u20ac8,000, expecting about 55 guests. In the end, only 30 of us attended, but it still cost more. The final bill came to approximately \u20ac8,900 \u2014 not counting our time, six months of driving back and forth to the venue, and various small expenses.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Venue hire: \u20ac800<\/li>\n<li>Music, officiant, photographer, videographer: \u20ac2,480<\/li>\n<li>Hotel accommodation for all guests: \u20ac1,280<\/li>\n<li>Catering: \u20ac1,775<\/li>\n<li>Flowers: \u20ac480<\/li>\n<li>Guest transport after the wedding: \u20ac50<\/li>\n<li>Wedding invitations: \u20ac50<\/li>\n<li>Outfits for the bride, bridesmaids, and groom: \u20ac1,315<\/li>\n<li>Wedding rings: \u20ac520<\/li>\n<li>Chocolate for the fountain: \u20ac40<\/li>\n<li>Guest book: \u20ac36<\/li>\n<li>Instax film: \u20ac68<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Everyone tells you your wedding will be the best day of your life. But nobody warns you about everything that can go wrong. Here&#8217;s our honest guide to wedding planning \u2014 the mistakes, the magic, and the final bill.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":52859,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","rank_math_title":"Dream Wedding Planning: Mistakes, Tips & Real Costs","rank_math_description":"Honest wedding planning guide with real costs, tips on venues, catering disasters & what's actually worth investing in. Learn from our mistakes!","rank_math_focus_keyword":"wedding planning","rank_math_seo_score":""},"categories":[679],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-187073","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-our-travel-opinions"},"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/loudacci_prskavky_1200px20.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Lucie Kone\u010dn\u00e1","author_link":"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/author\/lucie-konecna\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187073","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=187073"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187073\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":187085,"href":"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187073\/revisions\/187085"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52859"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=187073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=187073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudavymkrokem.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=187073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}