AND IF YOU PREFER TO READ, HERE'S THE SUMMARY OF THE PODCAST EPISODE!

I’m so glad you’re tuning in today because these are the kinds of real, practical details that no one really warns you about early on — but they can make a huge difference in how smooth (and stress-free!) your wedding weekend feels.

In this episode, I’ll cover the small but mighty expenses you’ll want to plan for, how to avoid the last-minute scrambles, and even a few tips to make handling these behind-the-scenes details feel easy and organized.

By the end of the episode, you’ll be ready to handle your wedding weekend like a pro — no surprises, no regrets. So grab a cozy drink, get comfy, and let’s dive into the five things you didn’t know you needed for your wedding!

Now, some of the things we’re going to talk about today might sound small at first — but trust me, they add up fast, both in terms of cost and peace of mind. Getting ahead of these now will save you so much stress later.

Let’s start with the very first thing you probably didn’t realize you needed to plan for — and honestly, it’s one of the most important protections you can put in place before your wedding day even arrives.

 

1. Event and Jewelry Insurance

Alright, first up: event and jewelry insurance.

And before you tune me out thinking “ugh, insurance sounds boring,” stay with me — because this could literally save your wedding day (and your wallet).

Event insurance basically protects you in case something unexpected happens — like your venue suddenly closes, extreme weather forces you to reschedule, or a guest gets hurt on-site. It’s the ultimate peace of mind knowing that if the worst-case scenario does happen, you’re financially protected.

A lot of venues actually require liability insurance now, but even if they don’t, having both liability and cancellation coverage is one of the smartest investments you can make for such a big event.

And don't forget jewelry insurance! Your engagement ring and wedding bands are probably some of the most sentimental and valuable pieces you own — and regular homeowners or renters insurance often doesn’t cover things like loss, damage, or theft properly. Getting a dedicated jewelry insurance policy is typically very affordable and can cover you in situations you didn’t even think about — like if your engagement ring suddenly disappears while you’re on your honeymoon. 

If you want a full deep dive on wedding and jewelry insurance, go listen to Episode 189, where I talk with Dustin Lemick from BriteCo — he breaks it down so clearly and it’s way less intimidating than it sounds. I’ll link to the episode in the show notes. 

So, bottom line: event and jewelry insurance might not be glamorous, but it’s one of those must-haves that protects all the beautiful things you’ve worked so hard to plan.

Okay, now that we’ve talked about protecting the things you already have — let’s shift gears for a second and talk about something you’ll need to budget for that’s super easy to overlook… and that’s travel expenses for your own wedding.

Yep, even if your venue is just a short drive away, you might need a little more flexibility in your budget than you originally thought.

 

2. Money for Travel to the Venue

Something couples don’t always realize until much later in the planning process is that you might end up needing to travel to your venue multiple times before the wedding day.

And those costs add up quicker than you think.

Let’s say you’re having a destination wedding in the Hudson Valley, and you live a few hours away in New York City. You’ll probably travel up there for your initial site visit, your tasting, maybe a final walkthrough or two, and then again for the actual wedding weekend. That’s gas, tolls, train tickets, hotels, meals… all things that don’t usually get factored into your “wedding budget” spreadsheet at the beginning.

Even for local weddings, it’s common to book a hotel room near the venue the night before — especially if you have an early hair and makeup start time. Trust me, you do not want to be waking up at 5 a.m. and stressing about traffic on your wedding day morning.

I’d advise setting aside a little “travel buffer” in your wedding budget from the start. Even just estimating two to three extra trips — and maybe a couple of nights in a hotel — can help you avoid scrambling later.

Alright, moving right along — we’ve talked about protecting your big investments and about budgeting for your travel.

But there’s another spot where couples often get caught off guard: tipping your vendors.

 

3. Vendor Cash Tips

Okay, so here’s the deal — tipping in the wedding world can feel super confusing.
It’s not always clear who expects a tip, who doesn’t, or how much you should be planning to give.

And while some vendors include gratuity in their contracts (especially catering teams), a lot don’t — especially independent vendors like your photographer, DJ, hair and makeup artists, and transportation companies.

If you haven’t budgeted for cash tips ahead of time, it can add up fast — and trust me, you do not want to be standing at the end of the night realizing you forgot to tip your transportation team or your bandleader and now you’re digging through your purse for crumpled $20s. (Been there with a client once — never again.)

Here’s a quick idea of who you might need to tip and how much to set aside:

• Catering Staff: Usually 15–20% of the food and beverage bill if it’s not already included.
  
  
• Hair and Makeup Artists: 15–25% of the service total, just like you would at a salon.
  
  
• Transportation Drivers: $50–$100 per driver, depending on the distance and number of hours.
  
  
• Band Members or DJs: $50–$100 per musician or DJ is a nice gesture if they did an amazing job.
  
  
• Officiant: If it’s a friend or family member, a thoughtful gift. If it’s a professional, a tip of $50–$100.
  
  

One of my favorite tips (pun intended) is to have your planner or a trusted person (like a parent or your MOH) hand out envelopes with the cash tips throughout the day so you’re not stressing about it. You can prep the envelopes a week or two before and just hand them off with a checklist of who gets what.

Alright, speaking of showing love to your team and guests — there’s one more sneaky little cost that tends to catch couples off guard.
And that’s welcome bag deliveries.

Let’s get into it.

 

4. Money for Welcome Bag Deliveries

You’ve probably seen those cute ideas for hotel welcome bags — little totes or boxes filled with snacks, water bottles, mini itineraries, and maybe a custom candle or local treats. They’re such a thoughtful way to greet your guests, especially if they’ve traveled for your wedding.

But here’s what a lot of couples don’t realize: if you’re leaving those bags at hotels, many hotels charge a delivery or distribution fee.

It’s super common for hotels to charge $5 to $10 per bag just to hand them out at check-in or place them in guests' rooms. And if you have 100 guests across a few different hotels? That delivery fee adds up really quickly.

Sometimes couples assume the hotel will just hand them out for free — but most front desks aren’t set up to handle that volume without a service fee attached.

Here’s what I recommend:

• Ask about delivery fees early. As soon as you block rooms, ask your hotel contact if there’s a fee for distributing welcome bags.
  
  
• Decide how you want them handled. Some couples opt to deliver bags themselves (or have a family member do it) to avoid the fees.
  
  
• Include it in your budget. Even if it’s just a few hundred dollars, it’s better to know upfront than be surprised later.
  

And one more thing — if you’re delivering welcome bags to multiple hotels, make sure you build in the time (and possibly extra helpers!) to coordinate drop-offs. It sounds simple, but when you’re a day away from your wedding and juggling a million last-minute details, every little task feels bigger.

 

5. Plan for Meals on the Wedding Morning

Alright, last thing you didn’t know you needed — a solid meal plan for the morning of your wedding.

This is such an easy one to forget because you’re so focused on everything else — getting hair and makeup done, getting dressed, making it to first look or photos — but trust me: you and your wedding party need to eat.

Wedding mornings are longer and busier than you think. Between early hair and makeup call times and the natural excitement of the day, it’s super common for couples and wedding parties to accidentally skip breakfast or lunch — and then realize they’re starving halfway through the ceremony or cocktail hour.

The best way to avoid this? Plan ahead for easy, grab-and-go food. Think things like:

• Breakfast sandwiches, bagels, or wraps that don’t need utensils
  
  
• Cut fruit and veggies
  
  
• Protein bars
  
  
• Hydration drinks like Gatorade or coconut water (especially if there’s champagne flowing early!)
  
  
• A few sweet treats for energy — like muffins or small pastries
  

And here’s another tip: assign someone to be in charge of the “getting ready” food.

Whether it’s your planner, your maid of honor, or a trusted friend, make sure someone knows to bring or set up the food at the getting-ready location so it’s there when you need it.

Because the last thing you want on your wedding day is to feel lightheaded, dehydrated, or cranky just because no one planned for breakfast. Your body (and your photos) will thank you!

 

CONCLUSION

Alright, loverves — now that you know the behind-the-scenes details that most couples overlook, you are so much more prepared than most.

It’s easy to get caught up in the big, sparkly parts of wedding planning — the dress, the flowers, the first dance — but it’s really the little things like these that make everything run smoother and let you stay fully in the moment.

By planning ahead for these small but mighty details — things like insurance, cash tips, extra travel expenses, welcome bag deliveries, and yes, making sure you have breakfast on the big day — you're setting yourself up for a wedding weekend that feels effortless, joyful, and exactly the way you’ve always dreamed it would be.

Because at the end of the day, your wedding isn’t just about beautiful details (though we love those!) — it’s about how you feel. And nothing feels better than walking into your wedding weekend knowing you have everything handled.