{"id":18767,"date":"2020-08-13T10:03:29","date_gmt":"2020-08-13T15:03:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/?p=18767"},"modified":"2020-08-13T10:03:29","modified_gmt":"2020-08-13T15:03:29","slug":"breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors","title":{"rendered":"Breaking Down the Budget\u2014Part 1: General Cost Factors"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As your event planning training will quickly teach you, every client you work with is going to come with <a href=\"\/blog\/2018\/03\/event-planning-course-sample-the-budget-breakdown\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a budget<\/a>. Sometimes, they\u2019ll already have a set figure in mind when they walk into the initial consultation. Other times, they may need assistance with determining how much money they should be spending on their event. In some cases, it may be a matter of <em>rethinking <\/em>the budget they\u2019ve proposed, in lieu of one that\u2019s more realistic.<\/p>\n<p>After all, most of your customers aren\u2019t going to know the costs that go organizing an event. Part of your job will be to guide them in the right direction. Luckily, your <a href=\"\/blog\/2020\/03\/maximize-your-time-at-home-by-getting-an-event-planning-certificate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">event planning training<\/a> will turn you into a budget expert! As the industry pro, you\u2019ll be exactly the right person your clients need!<\/p>\n<p>So, what typically <em>are <\/em>the most common budget priorities and general cost factors when planning an event? Your training will give you the full breakdown, but in the meantime, this two-part series will provide you with a crash course!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T110042.885.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"672\" height=\"448\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18772\" src=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T110042.885.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T110042.885.png 672w, https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T110042.885-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors\/#The_Budgeting_Process_Determining_Priorities\" >The Budgeting Process: Determining Priorities<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors\/#Direct_vs_Indirect_Costs\" >Direct vs. Indirect Costs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors\/#Cost_Factors\" >Cost Factors<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Budgeting_Process_Determining_Priorities\"><\/span>The Budgeting Process: Determining Priorities<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As an <a href=\"\/blog\/2020\/03\/the-job-description-of-an-event-planner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">event planner<\/a>, you can\u2019t have a proper understanding of how much money a specific event will need, until you fully understand the <em>scope<\/em> of the event itself. For starters, you\u2019ll need to know what your client wants included as part of their celebration. Once you have this list, you can prioritize these things in terms of their importance to the overall success of the event.<\/p>\n<p>Another critical component to budgeting is staying mindful of current industry costs. This way, you can create cost estimates more accurately, in order for you client to best understand where their money will be going. This will then make it possible for you two to sit down together and revisit the things they want included within the event.<\/p>\n<p>In order to <a href=\"\/blog\/2018\/06\/stretch-budgets-and-shrink-guest-lists-with-a-certificate-in-event-planning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">decrease unnecessary spending<\/a>, it may sometimes be necessarily to adjust certain things within the budget, or cut them out altogether.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Direct_vs_Indirect_Costs\"><\/span>Direct vs. Indirect Costs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Every single event you plan will involve both direct and indirect expenses. <strong>Direct costs <\/strong>refer to the fees associated with basic event components, such as the service rates chosen for the event\u2019s different vendors and suppliers.<\/p>\n<p>Typically, direct costs are straightforward. If you want Service A, you merely pay the cost and you will have it. Direct costs are also a bit easier to budget, since you have more possible options at your disposal. For instance, if your client wants <a href=\"\/blog\/2020\/07\/distinguishing-your-role-wedding-planner-vs-on-site-venue-coordinator-part-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a venue<\/a> for their event, the price to rent the venue would be considered a direct cost. However, your client can save money on this direct cost by decreasing the hours the venue will need to be rented, finding a cheaper venue, etc.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T105949.142.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"672\" height=\"448\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18771\" src=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T105949.142.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T105949.142.png 672w, https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T105949.142-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Indirect costs<\/strong>, on the other hand, are a bit trickier. Because they aren\u2019t inherently related to any specific element of your client\u2019s event, they can be harder to predict ahead of time. Rather, indirect costs are circumstantial, and can sometimes piggyback on other event services.<\/p>\n<p>For example, say you\u2019re going through a vendor to rent out A\/V equipment for the event, and you choose to set everything up the night before the big day. You may wind up having to pay a security fee in order to hang onto that A\/V equipment overnight. That security fee would be considered an indirect cost.<\/p>\n<p>Another example would be if your client decided to supply their own food and drinks for their event, taking place in <a href=\"\/blog\/2018\/07\/corporate-event-planning-course-sample-researching-venues\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a rented venue<\/a>. That venue may have mandated policies, wherein there are additional fees for cake-cutting, uncorking, etc. on their premises. These extra fees would also be indirect costs.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t worry, though! The more event planning training and experience you get, the easier it\u2019ll be for you to anticipate potential indirect costs.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cost_Factors\"><\/span>Cost Factors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The following are common cost factors that will influence the budget for <em>every <\/em>event you organize over the course of your career\u2026<\/p>\n<p><strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T110206.301.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"672\" height=\"448\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18774\" src=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T110206.301.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T110206.301.png 672w, https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T110206.301-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>1. Number of Guests<\/h3>\n<p>This is a major one! <a href=\"\/blog\/2017\/05\/narrow-down-wedding-guest-list\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">How many people<\/a> your client wants to attend their function will affect:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The total number of seats and tables required<\/li>\n<li>The size of the venue space required<\/li>\n<li>The size of the catering team \u2013 more people means more food and drinks!<\/li>\n<li>The number of <a href=\"\/blog\/2020\/02\/4-wedding-favors-that-guests-do-not-want\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">party favors<\/a> needed (if applicable)<\/li>\n<li>The number of parking spaces, washrooms, and coatrooms required<\/li>\n<li>The amount of decor, centerpieces, and florals the event needs<\/li>\n<li>The amount of transportation assistance that will need to be provided<\/li>\n<li>And much more!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Pro Tip: To better plan ahead and give your client more options, research various venues to see what sort of rates they would provide, based on the number of guests. Plus, some venues may cover some of these components as part of their packaged services, while other venues may not.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>2. Minimum Spend<\/h3>\n<p>Some vendors, suppliers, and venues will require a minimum amount of money to be spent in order to book their services. In layman\u2019s terms, it\u2019s basically the smallest package and rate they\u2019re willing to offer. For instance, say that your client\u2019s budget for florals is strictly set at $1,000 (with no wiggle room), but <a href=\"\/blog\/2014\/11\/working-florists\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the florist<\/a> they want to hire has a minimum spend of $1,500. This likely means that this florist will be out of your client\u2019s price range \u2013 full stop.<\/p>\n<p>If you happen to know a vendor\/supplier through <a href=\"\/blog\/2017\/09\/5-professionals-event-planners-network\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">your networking<\/a>, and have a strong professional relationship with them, you <em>might <\/em>be able to negotiate a cheaper price. But don\u2019t go into it with that expectation. It\u2019s better to play it safe and instead refer your clients to alternate vendors who can do just as great of a job, while staying within their allotted budget.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, minimum spend can sometimes be leveraged in your client\u2019 s favor! For any <a href=\"\/blog\/2018\/12\/how-to-find-the-perfect-vendors-for-your-event-career-in-event-planning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">vendor, supplier<\/a>, or venue, check to see what sort of packaged deals they offer. Sometimes, extra services will be provided as part of a bigger package. This means you won\u2019t need to find those particular services elsewhere. In such a case, it may be financially worth it to pay the minimum spend, in order to save money on <em>other <\/em>needed event services.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T110128.360.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"672\" height=\"448\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18773\" src=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T110128.360.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T110128.360.png 672w, https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T110128.360-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>3. Permits<\/h3>\n<p>Depending on the type of event your client wants, it may be your responsibility to acquire certain permits, in order to run the event legally. These permits will need to be factored into the budget. Common permits you\u2019ll need to get include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Public assembly permits<\/li>\n<li>Electrical permits<\/li>\n<li>Building permits<\/li>\n<li>Amplified sound permits<\/li>\n<li>Fireworks permits, etc.<\/li>\n<li>Food and beverage permits<\/li>\n<li>Liquor licenses*<\/li>\n<li>Intellectual property rights*<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>*These permits are only necessary if the event is taking place on public property. If the event is being held on personal, private property, copyright and\/or liquor laws do not apply.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Time and Date<\/h3>\n<p>Certain times of the year are more popular for holding events than others. A perfect example would be comparing summer weddings to winter weddings. Typically, there are a lot more personal events (especially outdoor ones) taking place during warmer months than colder ones.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, people tend to want to book their private celebrations during times when more people are likely to come, such as on the weekend. As such, personal events taking place on weekdays and\/or <a href=\"\/blog\/2018\/04\/use-event-planning-career-second-income\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">off-seasons<\/a> (November-May) will likely cost your client less money.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, <a href=\"\/blog\/2019\/12\/the-difference-between-event-planning-and-event-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">corporate events<\/a> might not always be affected by <a href=\"\/blog\/2014\/11\/off_season\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the time of year<\/a>. The day of the week might not necessarily matter, either. Many business meetings, public conferences, etc. take place on weekdays, rather than weekends.<\/p>\n<p>This is why, as an event planner, it\u2019s important that you understand the different <em>types <\/em>of events within the industry. This way, you\u2019ll know the optimal times to plan for them \u2013 and in the same breath, when you can maximize their \u201coff-season\u201d times in order to reduce your client\u2019s spending.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T110234.250.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"672\" height=\"448\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18775\" src=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T110234.250.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T110234.250.png 672w, https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-2020-08-13T110234.250-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>All this \u2013 and more \u2013 will be covered in your professional event planning training! In the meantime, stay tuned for Part 2 of our series, where we\u2019ll delve into more practical ways you can help your client reduce their budget!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Start your event planning training today! Enroll in QC\u2019s internationally-leading online <\/strong><a href=\"\/online-event-courses\/event-and-wedding-planning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Event &amp; Wedding Planning Course<\/strong><\/a><strong>, and get certified in as little as 3 to 6 months!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As your event planning training will quickly teach you, every client you work with is going to come with a budget. Sometimes, they\u2019ll already have a set figure in mind when they walk into the initial consultation. Other times, they may need assistance with determining how much money they should be spending on their event. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":18770,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[342],"class_list":["post-18767","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.6 (Yoast SEO v26.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Breaking Down the Budget\u2014Part 1: General Cost Factors - Pointers for Planners<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Your event planning training will make you an expert at budgeting and identifying general cost factors. Here&#039;s a sneak peek into the things you&#039;ll learn!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Breaking Down the Budget\u2014Part 1: General Cost Factors\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Your event planning training will make you an expert at budgeting and identifying general cost factors. Here&#039;s a sneak peek into the things you&#039;ll learn!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Pointers for Planners\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/QCEventPlanning\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-08-13T15:03:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-Feature-Event-Logo-Overlay-100x100-68.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"672\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"300\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Sarah Cavanagh\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Sarah Cavanagh\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors\",\"name\":\"Breaking Down the Budget\u2014Part 1: General Cost Factors - Pointers for Planners\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-Feature-Event-Logo-Overlay-100x100-68.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-08-13T15:03:29+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/38b0a9c867412ac1a627821eebb1d192\"},\"description\":\"Your event planning training will make you an expert at budgeting and identifying general cost factors. Here's a sneak peek into the things you'll learn!\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-Feature-Event-Logo-Overlay-100x100-68.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-Feature-Event-Logo-Overlay-100x100-68.png\",\"width\":672,\"height\":300},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Breaking Down the Budget\u2014Part 1: General Cost Factors\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Pointers for Planners\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/38b0a9c867412ac1a627821eebb1d192\",\"name\":\"Sarah Cavanagh\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/e7e627e8ed93941f7782051800dcd054\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7606.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7606.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Sarah Cavanagh\"},\"description\":\"Sarah Cavanagh is a seasoned writer with more than 20 years of experience and a background in English Literature. She has been part of the QC team since 2019, where she manages social media and crafts blog content across multiple schools. When she\u2019s not working, you can find her writing her debut horror\/romance novel, Hollowed Ground.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/author\/sarah-cavanagh\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Breaking Down the Budget\u2014Part 1: General Cost Factors - Pointers for Planners","description":"Your event planning training will make you an expert at budgeting and identifying general cost factors. Here's a sneak peek into the things you'll learn!","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Breaking Down the Budget\u2014Part 1: General Cost Factors","og_description":"Your event planning training will make you an expert at budgeting and identifying general cost factors. Here's a sneak peek into the things you'll learn!","og_url":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors","og_site_name":"Pointers for Planners","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/QCEventPlanning","article_published_time":"2020-08-13T15:03:29+00:00","og_image":[{"width":672,"height":300,"url":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-Feature-Event-Logo-Overlay-100x100-68.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Sarah Cavanagh","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Sarah Cavanagh","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors","url":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors","name":"Breaking Down the Budget\u2014Part 1: General Cost Factors - Pointers for Planners","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-Feature-Event-Logo-Overlay-100x100-68.png","datePublished":"2020-08-13T15:03:29+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/38b0a9c867412ac1a627821eebb1d192"},"description":"Your event planning training will make you an expert at budgeting and identifying general cost factors. Here's a sneak peek into the things you'll learn!","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-Feature-Event-Logo-Overlay-100x100-68.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Copy-of-Event-Feature-Event-Logo-Overlay-100x100-68.png","width":672,"height":300},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/breaking-down-the-budget-part-1-general-cost-factors#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Breaking Down the Budget\u2014Part 1: General Cost Factors"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/","name":"Pointers for Planners","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/38b0a9c867412ac1a627821eebb1d192","name":"Sarah Cavanagh","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/e7e627e8ed93941f7782051800dcd054","url":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7606.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7606.jpg","caption":"Sarah Cavanagh"},"description":"Sarah Cavanagh is a seasoned writer with more than 20 years of experience and a background in English Literature. She has been part of the QC team since 2019, where she manages social media and crafts blog content across multiple schools. When she\u2019s not working, you can find her writing her debut horror\/romance novel, Hollowed Ground.","url":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/author\/sarah-cavanagh"}]}},"authors":[{"term_id":342,"user_id":18,"is_guest":0,"slug":"sarah-cavanagh","display_name":"Sarah Cavanagh","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7606.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7606.jpg"},"author_category":"1","first_name":"Sarah","last_name":"Cavanagh","user_url":"","job_title":"","description":"Sarah Cavanagh is a seasoned writer with more than 20 years of experience and a background in English Literature. She has been part of the QC team since 2019, where she manages social media and crafts blog content across multiple schools. When she\u2019s not working, you can find her writing her debut horror\/romance novel, Hollowed Ground."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18767","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18767"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18767\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18770"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18767"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18767"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=18767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}