JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Planning a wedding these days can feel like navigating a maze, especially with prices on the rise due to tariffs and supply chain issues.
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Tanya Hendricks is a wedding planner who also manages the Old Spanish Quarter venue. She said it’s not just flowers and food, rental companies are feeling the pressure too.
Many rental items, like charger plates and specialty linens, are imported. When international costs go up, those increases trickle down to couples.
Tiffany Finn, a bride-to-be and wedding planner, said she’s noticed the changes.
“I have seen a little increase in pricing,” Finn said. “It would be more so with raw materials, but I think it is kind of expected. We looked at a bunch of different venues. We kind of came down to the ultimate decision of just doing something a little bit more intimate.”
Like Finn and her fiancé, many couples are adjusting their wedding plans as prices shift and timelines become less predictable.
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“We are getting last-minute bookings,” Hendricks said. “I’m getting folks that are booking October, November, December, trying to cram a wedding in at the last minute.”
Hendricks gave a few ideas to keep the costs manageable for weddings.
“If you’ve got flowers that you can use at the ceremony or the bridesmaids’ bouquets, bring them inside, reuse them,” Hendricks said.
Finn gave a few tips too.
“Always look for different specials that are happening and not only that, looking around, taking your time,” Finn said.
The Associated Press also suggested buying local and buying from non-tariff countries. Buy used and from vendors that promise not to pass on the taxes.
