Pritzlaff Building Wedding Cost Breakdown $106K

Pritzlaff Wedding Cost Breakdown — This couple spent $106K on their beautiful wedding at the Pritzlaff building.
All Photos by Valo Photography.

We love Milwaukee’s Pritzlaff Building. It’s great for weddings and we are super excited about this Pritzlaff cost breakdown! Not only is the wedding amazing, but the couple used three Married In Milwaukee Family Members – Character D Films, Sound By Design and the Priztlaff Building.

To top it off, it was shot by our good friends at Valo Photography – check out the full image gallery here. Read on for their cost breakdown, but we recommend starting with this awesome film by Character D:

Comparing Wedding Costs

Remember that not all weddings are created equal, so be aware of this when comparing their costs. For example, almost half of this couple’s budget was spent on their rings and flowers/decorations (see flower/decoration breakout below). Another large portion of their costs went to catering, an open bar and linens.

Quick Facts:

Number of Guests: 221
Ceremony/Reception: Pritzlaff Building
Total Costs: $106,238

Pritzlaff Building Wedding — Invitations and stationery cost this couple $3,000, while their cake cost $1,094
Photos by Valo Photography

Wedding Essentials ($12,807):

- Invitations/Stationery: $3,000
- Wedding Cake: $1,094
- Wedding Photographer: $3,813 (included photography and photo booth)
- Videographer: $2,000
- Officiant: (complementary from neighbor)
- Wedding Planner: $2,900

Flowers and Decorations ($23,842):

1 Bridal Bouquet: $325
5 Bridesmaid’s Bouquets: $425
7 Corsages & 14 Boutonnieres: $424
Stage Cover, Runner & Aisle Decor: $1,550
Room Drapery: $3,000
LED & Pin Spot Lighting: $1,750
25 Table Centerpieces and Decor: $6,975
Head Table Decor: $1,700
Crystal Chandeliers & Lounge Furniture Rentals: $1,200
Misc. Floral & Decor: $1,070
Labor, Delivery, Set-up & Tax: $5,423

Pritzlaff Wedding Decorations — More of the decorations and flowers that made this wedding so beautiful.
Photos by Valo Photography

Reception and Ceremony Costs ($37,508)

Reception/Ceremony: $5,494
Ceremony Music: $968 (string quartet and flamenco guitar)
Catering: $16,015
Drinks: $8,267 (included: open bar all night)
Desserts: $357 (Purple Door Ice Cream)
DJ: $1,795
Rentals: $4,612 (linens)

Pritzlaff Building Wedding Milwaukee — This couple had both their ceremony and reception at the Historic Pritzlaff Building.
Photos by Valo Photography

Attire, Jewelry and Beauty ($23,290):

Dress: $5,500
Groom’s Attire: $400
Bride’s Shoes $120
Rings: $16,000
Bride and Bridesmaids’ Hair and Make-up: $1,270

Bridal Fashion Milwaukee — The bride’s dress cost $5,500 and the groom’s attire was $400, but it was the rings that took up a large portion of their budget at $16K. Photos by Valo Photography

Other Costs ($8,791):

Rehearsal Dinner: $3,818 (Hotel Metro)
Wedding Party Gifts: $200
Favors: $0 (didn’t provide any)
Hotel Suite: $0 (complimentary with Hotel Metro rehearsal dinner)
Transportation: $1,415 (round-the-clock shuttle )
Ice Sculpture: $2,758 (ice luge and an ice curtain; custom engraved monograms from Art Below Zero)
Cotton Candy Machine: $600
Honeymoon: $0 (gift to the couple)

Milwaukee Wedding Ice Sculpture — The rehearsal dinner was at Hotel Metro; The two ice sculptures were provided by Art Below Zero.
Photos by Valo Photography

A Note from the Bride and Groom

We asked the bride and groom to tell us about their planning and budgeting process, and this is what they had to say:

My husband and I got engaged on 12/23/12. Since we knew we would have a large guest list and couldn’t pull off the wedding of our dreams in less than a year, we opted for a 6/21/14 date. Our initial budget was $60,000 but as you can see above, we soared over that with flying colors!

Our guest list had over 300 people on it so we wanted to keep people entertained the entire evening. When guests arrived before the ceremony, they were greeted with a glass of champagne and escorted to their seats. The ceremony lasted a little less than 30 minutes, and afterwards the guests were guided to cocktail hour with accompanying music by the string quartet and flamingo guitar that also played our ceremony.

Instead of place cards, we had a calligrapher write everyone’s name and table number on large mirrors. Instead of a traditional guest book, we had several bottles of champagne with silver and gold markers so people could write their well wishes. With all of the events being held at the Pritzlaff, we wanted to make sure that everyone was kept engaged and that each activity didn’t last too long. We opted to have open bar the entire evening, with the exception of dinner where guests were offered red or white wine. Dinner was followed by dancing, complete with an ice luge that had our signature drink called the “Wirthenburg” since my maiden name is Wirth and my husband’s last name is Brandenburg. That was a huge hit!

We also had an ice curtain with 10 strings of ice blocks that had our custom monogram engraved in each block. We also had a cotton candy machine, assorted candies that accompanied our cake table and mini ice cream cones and ice cream sandwiches that kept everyone full. Roughly an hour before the reception was to end, we offered late night snacks that included a slider bar, chips and dip and mini quesadillas.

Because there aren’t any hotels within walking distance of the Pritzlaff, we offered a round-the-clock shuttle that took guests to and from their nearby hotels. With such a large number of guests, we opted not to do the garter or bouquet toss so everyone could enjoy the music and food that was provided. Overall it was the best money we’ve ever spent. The personal touches were what really kept people talking.

– Amy and Jim, Bride and Groom

A BIG thanks to the bride and groom, Amy and Jim, for sharing their awesome Pritzlaff Building wedding and to Valo Photography for the photos! If you’re currently working on your wedding budget, make sure to read through our previous articles featuring real Milwaukee wedding cost breakdowns.