What Do Weddings Really Cost?
When couples start planning a barn wedding, one of the first questions is: how much does it really cost? The truth is, there’s no single number.
At Black Saddle Barn, a barn wedding venue in North Bay and Muskoka, weddings often run between $20,000 to over $70,000+ depending on guest count, style, and priorities.
In this blog, we are showing you an example of a wedding that was at our venue in 2025. The couples names are Cynthia and James. They had an elegant and fun wedding. It was a showstopper. This blog and breakdown of the costs of each item, will help give you an idea and a way to make a realistic budget for your wedding. Take the numbers that we have provided and use that as a template. Don't want to spend as much on catering? Then you can adjust that to a more realistic number for you. Photographer cost more than the one listed? Well, increase that column to accommodate your dream photographer. Each wedding, each couple, and each vendor is different. What one person spends on florals isn't what someone else wants to spend on florals. Use this as a road map to help you decide and prioritize.
Every couple is different.
To give you an idea, here’s a breakdown of common wedding costs at barn venues like ours. It's hard to know what each vendor will cost - this will help give you a guide to what you might expect.
Costs will be determined by the number of guests, food choices, location, etc.
Bonus: There's a table at the end with all of the numbers broken down per category to see what a wedding like Cynthia + Jame's would cost you. Keep in mind, the numbers are based on a wedding booking for 2025.
PRIORITY
Barn Style Wedding Venue
Average range: $5,000–$30,000
This is a priority. Without a venue, nothing else can be confirmed.
Your venue sets the stage for everything. A barn wedding venue isn’t just about the space. It also shapes the vibe, flow, and photos of your day.
Smaller barn style wedding venues may cost around $5,000, which larger more luxury barn style wedding venues can cost you $30,000+ JUST for the barn itself. Make sure you ask what's included and how long you have access for.
At Black Saddle Barn Wedding + Event Venue, couples get full access from Friday until Sunday, with the option to extend their stay. Everything that is onsite is available to the couples at no extra cost (tables, chairs, farmhouse, pavilion, barn, washroom building, property, and much more!). Our Weekend Wedding Rental Collection investment for 2026 is around $11k (includes the Farmhouse, Barn, Pavilion, Washroom Building, full access to the property, tables, chairs, and so much more!). We also have Elopement and Midweek Collections available.
Tip: Most couples book their venue 12–24 months in advance. If you want a peak summer or fall date, earlier is better.
Planning 101: 9 tips to make wedding planning easier
Wedding Photography & Videography
Average range: $2,500–$20,000+
Your wedding photos will outlast every other detail. Barn weddings especially benefit from a photographer who knows how to work with natural light and rustic textures. Great photos aren’t just about the big moments; they capture the small in-between memories too. Your photographer should be capturing all of the details that you've worked so hard to plan (and pay for). There are so many details and moments that you won't see on your wedding day - make sure you hire someone you can trust will capture those for you to look back on forever.
A professional mid range photographer might cost you about $6,000 depending on your location and what is included in the photographers collection. Adding videography for your day can often cost the same as photos. Some photographers have an option to add on video for a lower cost. If videography isn't in your budget, consider a content creator to capture content from your day and create some fun reels for you!
Tip: Book your photographer as soon as your venue is locked in. Popular photographers can book out a year or more in advance. Don't book a photographer only based on budget - find someone roughly in your budget and then adjust your budget if needed to hire someone you are confident in and click with. You cannot redo these photos! It's worth increasing your budget here, and decreasing your budget in another area.
Read: How Far in Advance Should You Book Your Wedding Vendors?
Wedding Catering & Bar
Average range: $5,000–$25,000+
Catering is usually the largest cost. For barn weddings, caterers also bring the essentials — linens, glassware, cutlery — that venues often don’t include. If your caterer doesn't provide this, they should let you know so you can rent them.
When you think about feeding guests for roughly 9 hours, that isn't going to be cheap. There are ways to lower costs with your cocktail hour and midnight snack, but typically the main dinner will be the highest cost. Think about if you want a plated dinner, family style, or buffet - this will also determine the cost. If your main caterer is also providing the food for cocktail hour and the midnight snack, the cost will be higher.
Why it matters: High-quality wedding caterers are limited, and bar service requires a licensed team. These vendors go fast, especially in Muskoka and North Bay.
Tip: Costs depend on your menu. Buffet and plated dinners can price differently. When hiring a cater or bartender be sure to ask them what they include and do not include. Example: Does the caterer provide cutlery, plates, and glasses? Does the caterer clear plates? Does your bartender clear glasses? Who will fill water glasses? You'd be surprised by the answers, and each company is different.
The above article is a basic example. The prices seem a low for the muskoka and north bay area.
Wedding Florals
Average range: $5,000–$20,000
Wedding florals bring the barn to life. Bouquets, centrepieces, ceremony arches, and accent arrangements transform a rustic venue into something magical. Arrangements that are larger will cost a lot more, however, the impact will also be a lot more! The Pinterest photos you've probably saved for floral decor and bouquets will likely cost you around $20,000+. A trendy bouquet can cost around $500+. Be sure to have a priority list for your florals. If you invest in bouquets, you can keep the cost lower by having your florist order loose florals for the tables and put them in bud vases. There's no bad investment with florals - they make a huge impact!!
Tip: Repurpose ceremony florals for the reception to save on costs. For example, ceremony arrangements can double as reception décor. Be sure to ask if the quote includes delivery service and set up.
Wedding Rentals & Décor
Average range: $3,000–$6,000
Chairs, tables, charger plates, linens, draping, or signage. Barn venues often provide a blank canvas, so rentals are what bring your theme together.
Rental Cost Examples for 150 guests:
Tables $50+ each x 19 tables
Chairs $5.50+ each x 150
Total rental cost: $1775 + HST + delivery and pickup
Tip: Ask your venue what decors are part of your rental. Maybe they have some items you're eyeing for. Prioritize rentals that will show up in photos, like ceremony arches or table settings, over small details most guests won’t notice. At Black Saddle Barn Wedding + Event Venue the tables and chairs and some other decor is all included in the Weekend Wedding Rental.
Find your style through here + lots of tips.
Another Tip: Also check for your wedding venue's social media posts / website and bookmark previous weddings you're interested in. Most of us tag the vendors we partnered with!
Music & Atmosphere
Average range: $3,000–$5,000+
DJs, live bands, and lighting shape the night’s energy. Lighting and drapery also fall here, creating the mood for both ceremony and reception.
Some DJs will MC your wedding. Some will bring extra lighting, props, photo booths, and more. Ask for a detailed list of their package options. This will also determine the cost.
Tip: Ask if your DJ or band can cover both ceremony and reception sound. Watch them on YouTube if you'd like a full experience of their set. Make sure the DJ you hire has licensed music downloaded and isn't relying on internet to play your music on the spot. With rural venues internet isn't always great, so it's essential that the DJ is doing it properly on their end.
Need a tool for wedding budgeting? Check out this one from Wedding Wire.
Cake & Desserts
Average range: $800–$1,500
From a tiered wedding cake to cupcakes or late-night sweets, desserts add a fun personal touch.
Tip: If you’re serving a plated dessert with dinner, you may not need a huge wedding cake. A smaller one can be just as meaningful (and save money).
Coordination & Planning
Average range: $2,000–$7,000
A day-of coordinator keeps everything on schedule so you can enjoy your day. Barn weddings, with multiple vendors and moving parts, benefit from this extra layer of support. If the planning is overwhelming, hire a wedding planner to take the lead for you. Hiring professional planners and coordinators will elevate your wedding and also ensure that you aren't being asked 1000 questions the day of the wedding.
Tip: Even if you don’t hire a full planner, a day-of coordinator is worth every penny for peace of mind.
Wedding Blog to Check Out: Wedding Planning Timetable
The Big Picture
There’s no one price fits all.
- One path: cozy and meaningful. Budget around $20,000–$30,000. You pick a smaller guest list. Maybe simpler wedding décor. Still great food. Great wedding photos. Close friends & family.
- The other path: full celebration. Think $60,000–$70,000+. Luxe wedding florals, dramatic lighting, premium rentals, custom details at every turn.
The trick isn’t hitting a magic number. It’s knowing which areas matter most to you. Start with the priorities (venue, photography, catering) and layer in the extras that bring your vision to life. Other vendors such as florists, hair stylists, and makeup artists also book up very fast. Once you have your venue, the rest falls into place.
Here at Black Saddle Barn, we see every version: intimate, heartfelt, bold, all-out experiences. Wherever you land, your wedding can match who you are—and feel exactly right.
KNOW MORE ABOUT US.
What Would a Wedding like Cynthia and Jame's Cost?
For a wedding like Cynthia and James, here is an example of what each vendor would cost. Keep in mind that it might be different based on your location, number of guests, and personal preference.
Cynthia and James booked most of their vendors in 2024 for their 2025 wedding.
Their guest count was roughly 160.
CATEGORY + Cost Breakdown
Venue: Friday to Sunday rental
$10,000
Catering: cocktail hour (charcuterie table), buffet style dinner, late night snack (sliders and crudite/cheese)
Also included all glassware, gold cutlery, plates, tablecloth, napkins
$22,000
Desserts: wedding Cake and 150 cupcakes and decor stands
$1200
DJ service: included strobe lights, ceremony, and reception
$3300
Florals: 8 wine barrel large arrangements, head table 4 ft runner, vase centrepieces (20 tables of 3 vases each of fresh florals ), corsage (4), boutonnières (11), bridal large bouquet, 4 bridesmaid bouquets, 2 baskets of rose petals, delivery service and setup
Vases and greenery table runners made by the mother
$7500
Rentals: 165 chairs and pads, 165 napkins, large love sign, 165 white antique style charger plates, large gold seating chart and cards, 3 large easels, floral arches, aisle florals arches (8), head table backdrop with neon sign, cake and love neon signs, 20 light pink cheesecloth, 9 gold table numbers
$4600
Drapery: drapery throughout the barn and chandeliers
Also includes setup/takedown and delivery
$1500
Bartending: Two bartenders and includes everything except alcohol (some inclusions were custom drinks, signage, ice, mix, cups, etc)
$1800
Alcohol: based on the type of wine and alcohol selected and they had an open bar
*They could also have guests pay for drinks, which would mean the cost of the alcohol would be covered, plus they would make money - depending on the cost. A good tip would be not to do open bar the entire night - guests are very wasteful when it's open bar. Have cocktail hour be open bar, have wine on the tables, and then have a set price per drink for anything after dinner. Even a toonie bar will help cover the cost.
$4500
Day of Coordination: included staff onsite to do final touches and be the point person for all vendors
$2400
Photography: included 8 hours of coverage
$2800
Beauty: Hair and makeup for bride, two moms, and 3 bridesmaids
$1800
Outfits: brides dress, grooms suit, shoes + accessories for both
$5500
Officiant: free (a friend who is a legal officiant)
$0
TOTAL INVESTMENT: $68,900
MORE PHOTOS FROM CYNTHIA + JAMES WEDDING By ANz Photography
