In Nigeria especially, every couple wishes to stick to their wedding budget. However, this is not always the case as hidden costs keep creeping up and significantly increasing the wedding budget.
Many Nigerian couples are not always ready for these hidden wedding costs and may end up being frustrated at how much they still have to spend on all those hidden costs.
It is important to be aware and take note of these hidden costs you are most likely to encounter when planning your wedding in Nigeria and be prepared for them in order to ensure that you are able to stick to your budget.
1. SERVICE FEES AND LOGISTICS.
Almost every Nigerian Wedding vendor charge a percentage for service fee and logistics and this is normally not part of the main fee.
Whenever you get a quote from a Nigerian Vendor, be sure to ask them for the service fee and logistics fee, because not all of them remember to add it to their quotation.
2. TRANSPORTATION AND ACCOMMODATION EXPENSES
It may surprise you that apart from the normal running around transportation expenses, your vendors may actually charge a fee for this, especially if your event is out of state for the vendor.
Even for some in state vendors like your makeup artist, hair stylist, photographers and videographers may have to come to your hotel a day before to ensure that there are no disappointments where time management is concerned.
3. COMPLIMENTARY SERVICES
Some add-on services come at an extra cost. For example, a makeup artist may not add any complementary services to their packages, so you may have to pay extra for touch-up’s.
Your wedding planner may charge extra to provide coordinators that would help assist or may charge extra for other complimentary services, which may not be a part of their main services, like asoebi shopping and sorting.
Read also: Nigerian Wedding Decorations: 8 Important Things To Consider And Note
4. SET UP AND TEAR DOWN
Some decorators charge a fee for set up and tear down and this is not a part of their main fee. And it may run into millions, depending on the vendor.
5. VENDOR MEALS
Nigerian vendors will find a way to get food from the caterers. So if you do not prepare adequately for them, you will end up with a shortage of food because vendors can count up to 100 or more depending on how large the wedding is and the number of vendors providing services for the event.
6. MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES
You’d be surprised at how many other things that would crop up and would need emergency funds. You wouldn’t want your wedding planner coming to you at every moment demanding for some money to sort out some things.
Read also: 7 Interesting Nigerian Wedding Reception Games To Keep You And Your Guests Entertained
7. OVER-TIME COSTS
Many vendors will charge an overtime cost, especially for the reception after- party. Starting with the venue.
Some Nigerian Wedding Vendors, like your DJ, MC, Ushers, Makeup Artist, hair stylist etc… will also charge an additional fee for staying over-time at your event.
8. V.A.T
VAT is a consumption tax paid on all goods and services provided in or imported into Nigeria.
Many Nigerian Wedding Vendors now include VAT in their quotes, so be prepared for this additional cost from some of your vendors.
While some Nigerian wedding vendors charge for VAT separately, some vendors have already included this in their main fee.
9. BRANDING OR CUSTOMISATION
Personalised items cost more than normal items. Your decorator may charge you an extra fee to have your walkway branded or customized to your taste. Your drinks vendor may charge an extra fee to brand your wedding drinks too.
10. WEDDING STATIONERY
Wedding stationery in Nigeria means Wedding invitations and wedding programmes, but it is quite broad and may include guestbooks, table name cards, thank you cards, hand props and basically all things paper, bridal party cards etc. This can also add up to your wedding budget.
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