The Wedding in "Father of the Bride" Would Cost Over $500K in Real Life, Says a Planner

When Annie Banks married Bryan MacKenzie in 1991’s Father of the Bride, her father, George Banks, famously balked at the per-head cost of $250. Annie and Bryan’s original guest list include 572 of their nearest and dearest, putting the potential cost of their wedding at more than $140,000. The details were flawless, though: A tented reception dripping with string lights and floral garlands; crystal stemware and Champagne in the hand of every guest; Annie’s lace and satin gown, inspired by real-life royalty; new landscaping and updates that showed the Banks family home at its best; and full-service planning from wedding expert Franck Egglehoffer, who even shoveled the venue’s front walk himself after an unexpected snowstorm.

By booking a wedding date during the first week of January, choosing Annie’s home for the reception venue, and planning their nuptials in just five months, Annie and Bryan might have been able to trim some of their costs, scoring deals on available vendors, in-season flowers, and other details. But the overall cost would still be much higher than the bill George Banks paid, says event planner Laura Ritchie of Grit & Grace, who helped us price out a similar event at today's cost. With an estimated 300 guests invited and 250 attending (that’s about half of Annie and Bryan’s list, but double the 150 George tried to cut it to), the family could expect a per head cost of $1,500 to $2,000. That means, from start to finish, we're looking at roughly $500,000—which would be "on the low end," says Ritchie.

While the film skips over plenty of common costs associated with a current luxury wedding—the rehearsal dinner, welcome party, welcome bags, beauty team, and social media content creator—we were able to identify many of the big-ticket items (but factored in those missing costs when arriving at our $500,000 estimate). Of course, as fans of the movie know, the most important moments in any wedding—like Annie and George playing basketball in the driveway, George giving the couple a cappuccino maker in a nod to their meeting in Italy, and the just-before-takeoff call from Annie to George before the honeymoon—are priceless. 

Stationery: $10,000

A full suite of paper products, from save-the-dates to day-of menus, in the couple’s traditional aesthetic—ivory cards with black script—adds about $10,000 to the bottom line. 

Church Ceremony: $3,000

Annie and Bryan held their ceremony at a neighborhood church (exteriors were reportedly shot at Hope Christian Fellowship in San Gabriel, California, while Trinity Church of Santa Monica provided the interior spaces). "Church ceremonies typically have a donation amount associated, plus fees for musicians," says Ritchie, who ballparks the facility fees at $1,000, the trio of musicians performing while George escorts Annie down the aisle at $1,500, the bride’s and groom’s simple gold bands at about $375 each, and the post-ceremony toss at about $200. "It would be $200 for just rice and cones, but if it's real petals add hundreds more!" she says. (However, since many venues no longer allow this—it’s difficult to clean up and dangerous for birds—the Banks family might save a little here.)

Fashion: $10,000

Grace Kelly’s gown—reportedly the inspiration for Annie’s classic lace-and-satin ballgown—cost $60,000 to make in 1956. We think a modern-day Annie would choose something like the Mary Catherine gown ($6,000) from Sareh Nouri, with its high lace neckline, long sleeves, back buttons, and taffeta skirt. And though the custom sneakers Annie’s father makes for her at his shoe shop are priceless, you can copy the look with custom Air Force Ones for $200, says Ritchie.

The rest of the family invests in all new clothes for the wedding—a cocktail dress with beaded embellishments (today, that might be $268) for the mother of the bride, Nina; a new jacket and pants for the bride’s younger brother, Matty ($140, plus tailoring)—but George tries to dodge this cost by wearing a vintage tuxedo from 1975. When the seam rips, he trades it for a knockoff Armani—which turns out to be navy instead of black; a genuine Armani single-breasted wool crepe tuxedo would cost $3,995 now (and comes in either navy or black).

Flowers: $40,000

Annie and Bryan’s florist goes all out, with overflowing arrangements of pink and white blooms backed by tons of lush foliage lining the aisles at the church and encircling candelabras on the reception tables; matching garlands over every doorway, across the church’s balcony, and on the stair rails; and bouquets, boutonnières, and floral crowns for the bridesmaids, groomsmen, family, and flower girls. Ritchie, with help from Sweet Root Village, prices this at about $40,000. 

Home Improvements: $5,000

The Banks family home—24 Maple Drive in San Marino, California—might just be the real star of this movie. Two different homes stood in for the house in the film: 842 El Molino Avenue in Pasadena is the famous front, while 500 North Almansor Street in Alhambra was cast for its basketball court and backyard. Zillow puts the current estimates of these homes at between $2.8 and $3.6 million, but to get their home ready for the big day, the Bankses invested even more: They hired a moving truck to remove their furniture, installed a border of tulips in the front yard, painted outside and in, tidied the gardens, and updated the electric (among other improvements). 

"Landscaping to make your private home look its very best is likely not a part of the official wedding budget, but we always prepare families as they will likely want to do this for themselves," says Ritchie. "Allocating at least $5,000 for new florals, fixing walkways, new mulch, and ensuring guest-facing facilities are just right is probably a smart idea!"

Food, Beverage, and Cake: $90,000

After Annie vetoes veal as the reception entrée, George tries to keep costs down by convincing the caterer to serve chicken instead of seafood. He’s unsuccessful, but the price difference is probably only about $10 to $20 per person, says Ritchie. "Veal wouldn’t necessarily be a crowd pleaser for 250 guests, so the bride was right on that front!" she says.

Switching from a seated dinner to a buffet might have changed the cost—but not always for the better, since over–purchasing for a buffet can inflate your budget while leaving you with excess food at the end of the night. At a seated dinner, costs go up to allow for extra staff. "With 250 guests and a black-tie event, we would always encourage a seated dinner to ensure the best experience for the guests, though," says Ritchie. 

The signature drink is Moët & Chandon Champagne, with bottles and glasses on every surface. "Champagne can add up because it goes down so fast!" says Ritchie. At a conservative estimate of two glasses per person—one passed as guests arrive and one for the toast—Annie and Bryan would need seven cases (that’s 83 bottles!) at a cost of $4,000.

During their first visit with wedding planner Franck, Annie and her mother choose a four-tiered round cake: their first wedding decision, and the one Franck says will set the tone for the entire wedding. George balks at the $1,200 price tag—about half of the current cost of a similar cake at $2,600. 

Tabletop Rentals: $20,000

The upgraded rentals—like crystal Champagne flutes and cushioned Chivari chairs—likely didn’t come from the caterer, says Ritchie. "Table rentals outside of what the full service caterer can provide would likely be things like a specialty chair, linens, chargers, a three-piece glassware set, flatware, and hemstitch napkins. About $80 per guest is a good allocation."

Tent: $50,000

A tent sized to accommodate 250 guests with a dance floor (but no other flooring); generators; and basic lighting runs about $40,000 says Ritchie; add a stage and hardscape skirting for the band, and you'll need $10,000 more. This cost should also include any needed permits and research. "Checking noise ordinances and HOA rules are a big deal with at-home weddings—not to mention working with proper tent companies that can check locations of sewage, drain fields, etc., throughout the property," says Ritchie. 

Lighting: $7,000

The string lighting in the tent isn’t too complicated, but it would require time and labor, says Ritchie. She also points out that holding the wedding on a January afternoon means much of it would take place after dark, requiring an investment in safety lighting, too. "In the winter, the sun also sets early, and lighting is incredibly important," she says. "In addition to the lighting you see, there’s also uplighting and pinspotting for the atmospheric lighting needed at home weddings to properly see and move around the property."

Valet Parking: $1,800

The one cost-cutting strategy George refuses to give up is slicing the parking attendant budget, hiring only two instead of four (the movie doesn’t specify whether these savings were offset by the fines charged by the police who show up to clear the street). "Valet is so important! We adore a great valet company and it’s the first and last taste of the wedding experience for guests—certainly not a place to skimp," says Ritchie, who enlisted MJ Valet for help pricing Annie and Bryan’s wedding. "For [the wedding at] George Banks’ home, it’s likely that everyone drove and no mass transportation like shuttles were used."

Other Details: $10,000

As any past father of the bride can attest, the details can add up fast. Add $2,000 for the bride and groom’s all-day limousine, which shuttled them to the church, back to the house, and to the airport for their Hawaiian honeymoon; $600 to $1,600 for ice sculptures ("a great element for a January wedding," says Ritchie); $300 each—plus an attendant—for heaters brought in after the surprise snowstorm; $3,000 for restrooms; and at least $3,000 to cover last-minute weather-related pivots. The three swans that wander the reception would be an extra cost (and would need a handler); though Ritchie hasn’t worked with swans, she did hire "two very in love llamas" that charged hundreds of dollars to mingle just during cocktail hour. 

Photographer: $25,000

The cost of hiring a photographer to capture every extravagant detail of the wedding? Ritchie estimates $25,000. Since so much of the wedding takes place after sunset, Annie and Bryan would have needed a photographer with experience in low-light situations.

Wedding Planner: $45,000 to $75,000

In 1991, wedding planner Franck probably charged a flat fee for his services, which Ritchie would put at around $25,000 today. However, a full-service luxury planner is more likely to charge a percentage—often 12 to 15 percent of the expenses outside of fashion and travel—putting his final total between $45,000 and $75,000.