We’re starting a new feature on WomanGettingMarried.com, where we feature real weddings (like mine, below), and include not only the pictures from your wedding day, but include information on where you got everything, and how much it cost! Because really, what good is seeing a REAL wedding if you don’t know how much that table setting cost, or the dress, or that gorgeous vintage piece that you HAVE TO HAVE. It also serves to give you a ballpark of prices for various items, and what you can expect to pay. We’ll be featuring ALL budgets, whether they’re $10,000 or $100,000, because we know weddings come in all shapes and sizes. Click here to submit your wedding. With the introductions out of the way, I figured what better place to start than with my own wedding?!
Lindsay + Cory
Having just relocated to Nashville from NYC, we really had a hard time figuring out WHERE we wanted to get married! My fiance had lived all over the map, and I had lived everywhere from Miami to Memphis. But Miami was my hometown and my parents and siblings still live there, so it just made the most sense to have it there (plus, who doesn’t want to go for a fun weekend in Miami?!) I made several trips down there to look for venues with my mom, and it was harder than I thought it would be! Finding a wedding venue that wasn’t a wedding factory OR crazy expensive was proving to be very difficult. Just when I was about to give up and elope, my mom and I both e-mailed each other at 3 in the morning and said “What about the Bath Club?” The Bath Club is an historic, ivy-covered Mediterranean-style building located in Miami Beach, and it looks totally out of place amongst the high-rises, which is exactly what I wanted. We called them and ending up booking it a week later!
I wanted the vibe of the wedding to be rustic, elegant, intimate, and UNIQUE. Every bride strives for that, right? I wanted guests to feel like they were at a great, homey dinner party, despite the 110-person guest list. I really think we accomplished it, from the music selection to the menu. Because the building is from the 1920’s, it has all these great little details that I wanted to let shine through. The ceremony room had these amazing tile floors and Italian oil paintings, so there wasn’t that much I wanted to change. That’s the key, brides! If you find the right venue, you won’t have to spend money decorating it!
The big surprise of the evening was the song I walked down the aisle to, which was Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good.” I hired two University of Miami trumpet players, who arrived before the ceremony and blended in with the crowd. Right before I was set to walk down the aisle with my mom and my dad, they got up and started playing along to give the moment an extra oomph. It was such an amazing thrill to walk down the aisle to that song, that I had the biggest smile on my face the entire time! That…and because I was about to marry my best friend!
For the reception, we had long farm tables with lace runners and silver candelabras, and lots and lots of candles and amber uplighting, so the room had a warm glow. I didn’t go crazy with flowers…We had a mixture of bright red and pink flowers in very simple clear vases. I wanted it to feel as if I could have arranged them myself (that’s what my wallet was telling me, too!) Guests dined on food from Lyon+Lyon, the catering company of chef Ken Lyon, who has a great restaurant in Miami, Fratelli Lyon. The focus was on seasonal, farm fresh food.
Planning a wedding can definitely be overwhelming, especially when you’re doing it from afar! My mom, who lives in Miami, was such a great help that I honestly couldn’t have done it without her. She was running around, negotiating, and keeping me calm all at the same time. It was so nice to have something to plan together, too. We both went from knowing NOTHING about weddings, to sharing all the things we learned right here on my blog. One of the main things I learned throughout the entire planning process was this: It doesn’t matter what kind of flowers you have, what color tablecloths you get, or whether you serve chicken, fish, or meat…the best memories you have, the best photos you’ll get, are those that show you having the best time of your life. So remember to enjoy every minute of it!!
WEDDING BREAKDOWN
Venue: The Bath Club
Location: Miami Beach, FL
# of Guests: 110
Venue Rental Fee (for ceremony/reception): $2,700 (NOTE: The venue is under new management and this price has gone up. Click here to see my new write-up of The Bath Club.)
Catering:
- Passed Appetizers: $20/pp= $2,200
- Seated Dinner+Dessert: $66/pp (plus $10/pp upcharge for choice of entree) is $76/pp= $8,360
- Glassware+ China: $10/pp= $1,100
TOTAL: $11,660
Beverage:
- $3,300 for top-shelf liquor that we brought in from a wine/liquor store
- $8/pp corkage fee per person that our caterer charged us for bringing in our own alcohol
- $6/pp for beverage set-ups provided by the caterer
TOTAL: $4,800
Wedding Cake: $500
Flowers:
- Ceremony flowers: $300
- My Bouquet: $95
- Bridesmaids: $35/each (6)= $210
- Groomsmen and Father Boutonnieres: $10/each (9)= $90
- Mother/Grandma Corsages: $25/each (4)= $100
- Reception flowers and vases: $430
- Entryway arrangement: $140
- Outside flowers (for cocktail area): $60
- Placecard holder (roses and moss flowerbed): $150
TOTAL: $1,575
Décor:
- Candelabras: $40/each (13): $520
- Candles: $335
- Draping for reception area: $300
- String lights for outside: $300
- Lace table runners for farm tables: $10/each (10)= $100
- Napkins: $2/each: $220
- Other table linens: $130
- Table numbers: $80
TOTAL: $1,465
Furniture:
- 2 pedestals for ceremony altar: $180
- Clear Chivari chairs: $3.50/each (120)= $420
- Farm tables: $50/each (8)= $400
- Round tables: $10/each= $20
TOTAL: $1,020
Wedding Coordinator: $1,500
Music/DJ/Band:
- DJ: $1,500
- Ceremony music: $225
TOTAL: $1,725
Hair/Makeup:
- Hair: $100
- Makeup: $150
- $50 for additional hour for touch-ups before ceremony
TOTAL: $300
Photography:
$2,450 for full coverage of ceremony/reception/one-hour portrait session before wedding
Wedding Dress:
- Dress: $2,000
- Shoes: $150
- Veil: $150
TOTAL: $2,300
Additional:
- Invites: $700
- Wedding Favors: $220
With tips and tax, we ended up just under…
Total: $40,000
RESOURCES
Photography: The Portrait Haus Catering: Lyon + Lyon Wedding Cake: Joelle’s Desserts Chairs and round tables: Hitched Farm Tables: (catering company) Candelabras: Nuage Flowers: Dreams & Designs Table Numbers: Karolinaz Venue: The Bath Club Hair/Makeup: Makeup by Bo Dress: Atelier Aimee Jewelry: Carolee Shoes: Grazia Invites: Enfin, la Voila! Wedding Favors: I made a Mix CD
Click here to submit your wedding info and pics.
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Hi Pat! Thanks so much for writing in and recommending the site! We love new visitors. 🙂 Hope you are well! xo
So loved the five things and I so agree, the video of my daughters wedding is still precious to us. Pictures are great but video is a must. Loved the comfortable shoes idea also. I have several girlfriends that their daughters are getting married and I have recommended your very helpful web site to them. Keep up the good work. Your Ayden North Carolina connection
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Hi!
Thanks for writing in! It really does sound like they’ve gone downhill…which is ashame because I loved it as a venue (even before the renovations, which I haven’t seen). Apparently they were about to switch management right before we were going to get married, and I’m so glad that they didn’t because I could imagine what that would have meant for us (no wedding?!). I do not think anybody should rent a venue that is passing so many hands. It’s too bad, too, because it could be great under the right management. I’d love to see your wedding pics when you’re finished! We are always on the lookout for beautiful real weddings. 🙂
Me and my fiance visited during the Summer while Gary was still the Site Manager. He provided a site visit and stated he could work with us on the price, and that it would not be $13,000, since our date is actually during the low season for weddings and due to our low guest count. However, we recently went back to conduct another site visit. Only this time, management turned over (very unstable/insecure). We met with another representative, Chloe. She was not too professional. When it came down to requesting an estimated quote, with a condescending tone she stated, “do you really want me to say the price?” …as if, we could not afford it. We actually came with a blank check as well, so we could make the first deposit on the venue fee. (Also, little does she know, I did purchase an exclusive $13K Vera Wang gown). We are a young couple, which is why she assumed the Bath Club was out of our league/budget. She then compared the Bath Club to Vizcaya, which was laughable. If management was stable, if the staff was actually professional, I would definitely consider forking over a “Vizcaya” price for the Bath Club. However, Bath Club staff is snooty, and demonstrated an unwilling attitude toward working with possible clients. Apparently, they would rather make $0, then leave a lasting impression. FYI: Since my gown is Vera Wang, I will be submitting pictures of my wedding directly to Vera for publication of “real weddings” which reaches many consumers. It is their loss. I will no longer recommend Bath Club as an exclusive venue for weddings/special events, because of their management (or lack thereof).
Hi Laura!
Thanks for writing in! Yes, sadly the Bath Club has increased their prices. They were taken over by new management shortly after our wedding. I am in the process of getting updated info from them, so I create a new entry as soon as I get it! Thankfully they appear to keep dropping their rate (it was $20,000 as of 11/11), so maybe they’ll keep doing so. I do know that their new price includes some rentals (which ours does not) and they appear to have updated the property as well. Hopefully I’ll have this info to share with you shortly, but in the meantime thank you for commenting!
Hi Lindsay,
I came across your blog looking for information on The Bath Club, and I was so excited when I saw that the venue fee for your wedding was $2700. I thought perhaps it might have increased a bit but this was a feasible number for my wedding.
I got a very nice reply from the venue informing me of their current venue rental fee of $13000 a day.
Hope this helps any brides-to-be out there hoping for this location. Your wedding was gorgeous, Lindsay! Congrats on snagging this place for such a great price!
All the best,
Laura