Budget of your event in Israel

This little guide is available either for wedding or other event, like a Bar-mitsvah, an engagement, or a hinna. The following information can appreciably vary according to the kind of event and the importance given to each detail of the organization of your marriage. We although hope that this guide will be a great utility for you.

1.The halls

The prices are in US dollars, most of the time.
In each place that proposes wedding hall and catering, the price is given per person and includes the location of the hall, the service of the catering (dinner) and the preparation of the place.
Be careful, the halls require most of the time a minimum number of guests to be insure their rentability.
The price depends on the day of the week.

Price changes

We will see most of the time the following rule:

• A medium price between Sunday and Wednesday
  
• A high price for Thursday evening
  
• A low price for Friday noon (yes, the Israelis like to get married by Friday before Shabbat)
  

On the same principle, the rate evolutes all the long of the year according to the follow rule :

• A medium price between September and Passover
  
• A high price after Shavuot (don’t forget that there are no weddings between
• Pessah and Shavuot because of the Omer)
  An maximum price in July and August, those months constituting the most wanted period.
  

For example, a same hall could propose 40 dollars for a February Monday evening and 70 Dollars for an August Thursday evening.

Minimum of guests

The minimum of guests is often relativious high compared to the number of guests in a European wedding because the israelis invite in average more people to their simha than European or American people.
Don’t be surprise to discover that a hall will request 300 or 400 people minimum for a Thursday evening, 250 or 300 for an another evening (yes, this minimum depends on the day in the week)
Certain places are particularly roomy and the minimum of guests is high, other more intimate will not impose any minimum. Ask the question as soon as you contact the place.

A notice: if you decide to choose a hall that requests a minimum of 300 people but you have only 250 guests on the evening of the marriage, you will pay the price of the 50 unoccupied places although the dinner was not served for them.

Price

Here is a sample of rates per guest including the hall renting and the catering (minimum service), for an August evening (from Sunday on Wednesday) :

• Suburbs of Tel Aviv, Ashdod, Natanya, hall for 300 persons, middle standing : 35 – 50 Dollars per person.
  
• Tel Aviv, hall for 350 people in a luxurious hotel near the sea shore: 60- 80 Dollars per person.
  
• Jerusalem, hall for 250 people in a high standing hotel: 40 – 60 Dollars per person.
  

What is included and not included in the price of the hall?

You finally found the hall of your dream, and they demand only 50 dollars per person, catering included. You are satisfied but be careful, some surprises might come.

The hall proposes you generally a price that includes the minimum services, with a basic menu and you will pay several dollars for each adding (these addings will make the difference in the quality of the meal)
You need to think about the wine, it could be of very different qualities. Think also about finest alcohols for the bar, since most of the halls propose a basic list of Israeli alcohols.

In the same way, one doesn’t always think of the following details that can cost a significant amount of money.

• The arrangement of the tables, that means, the candles or the flowers at the middle of the table. (200 – 800 Dollars)
  
• The decoration of the Huppa (you get only the external frame). (300 – 1000 Dollars)
  
• The lighting of the hall that is often charged separately although it will already installed. ( 400 – 600 Dollars)
  
• The sound system: some rooms demand that you use their amplification equipment and they charge for its renting. (200 – 500 Dollars)
  
• The tips for the waiters : in the hotels you can grant them what you want, but in certain halls, the tips are set in advance for each waiter (15 –30 Dollars per waiter).
  
• The security of the place : don’t forget that we are in Israel and it is a duty for the hall provider to have an armed security agent at the entry and around the hall. And the bill is for the customer! ( around 300 Dollars )
  

Some adding's are not clearly specified and you will have to be sure that the rate you get is "all included".

2. The music

A band or a DJ ? This is the most important question when you organize your music choice for the event.

• A band give to the music more vitality, a band can adapted himself to the ambiance, warm the hall and communicate with the public more easily.
  
• A DJ had all the greatest songs, and he adapted more easily to the hall because he need a small space and can diffused his music less loudly than a band.
  

Globaly, my tip is : if you wish to diffuse some hassidic or oriental music, to dance the Ora and also disco, the band is a good option.

If you prefere the last new singles from discotheque, and if you like to dance on the famous succesfull songs of rock or funk, a DJ will be the good choice.

There is an another financial point : a DJ costs in general from 30 at 50 % less than a band.

For the price, no surprise : we give a pack including a number of hours ( oftenly 4 hours ), and a price per additionnal hours beyond that the pack.

3. The Photographers

The photographers proposed in general still photo (statics photo) and video. It’s easier to take one with the both, photos and video also you can take a different person for video and photo. It’s a personnal choice.

The photographer for the Israeli weddings like original pictures and he will try to do the best to make unique and spontaneous pictures.
The most of photographers propose an album “mehutsav” (with hand design), that will let you a personnal reminder of your event.

For the video, more and more they give you a DVD with chapters included differents steps at the mariage. Some photographers are proposing video clips where they put on scene the married that want to become stars for one day. Excellent reminder for friends and familly.

4. The married

For the preparation of the married, that mean the costum of the groom and the dress of the bride, hairdressers and makeup, the jewels and accessories, you will find the same services like in Europe market and we volontary didn’t developped this section here.

Mazal Tov.


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