Understanding Tax Benefits On Wedding Expenses

Planning a wedding can be expensive, and while the ceremony itself is not tax-deductible, there are ways to claim some of the expenses on your tax return. By donating items such as flowers, food, and attire to charitable organizations, you can receive a tax write-off. Additionally, if your wedding venue is a charitable organization or a historical location, you may be able to claim a portion of your expenses as a charitable contribution. However, it's important to understand the rules and limitations of these deductions, and it's recommended to consult with a tax professional for proper guidance.

Donating your wedding dress

Benefits of Donating Your Wedding Dress:

• Support a bride in need: With the current financial hardships and the pandemic affecting the income of many, your donation can help provide a dress for a bride who may be struggling to afford one.
• Tax deduction: As a taxpayer, you can claim charitable contributions as itemized deductions when filing your taxes. Donating your wedding dress can help you save on taxes.
• Declutter: Wedding gowns are often only worn once and can take up valuable closet space. Donating your dress can free up that space.
• Encourage an eco-friendly lifestyle: Donating your dress reduces waste and your carbon footprint. By giving your dress a second life, you help prevent it from ending up in a landfill, where it would release carbon dioxide and other toxins into the air.

Where to Donate:

There are several charitable organizations that accept wedding dress donations. Some of the notable ones include:

• Brides Against Breast Cancer: This nonprofit organization resells gently used wedding gowns to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and early detection. They accept wedding dresses up to 3-5 years old that are in excellent condition.
• Brides for a Cause: This national charity accepts gowns that are 5 years old or newer, along with bridal accessories. They support various women-focused charities, including those aiding women in the military, single mothers, and abuse survivors.
• Brides Across America: This organization provides free wedding dresses and covers wedding costs for military members, first responders, and healthcare workers in need. They accept dresses less than five years old, along with accessories, engagement rings, and wedding favors.
• The Salvation Army: This faith-based nonprofit provides various services, including adult rehabilitation, veteran support, disaster relief, and hunger relief. They accept clothing, furniture, vehicles, and household goods.
• Goodwill: Goodwill uses your donations to support career training and job programs. They accept clothing, accessories, houseware, electronics, media, and furniture.
• The Emma and Evan Foundation: This nonprofit organization repurposes wedding dresses into infant burial gowns, bonnets, and other keepsake items for grieving families who have lost an infant. They accept wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, and other formal gowns.
• Adorned in Grace: This faith-based organization helps sex trafficking victims and raises awareness in local communities. They accept wedding dresses, mother-of-the-bride dresses, flower girl dresses, and bridal accessories.
• Cherie Sustainable Bridal: This Maryland-based bridal boutique supports Success in Style (SIS), a nonprofit aiding individuals in crisis on their journey to employment and life improvement. They accept wedding dresses up to five years old.
• The Brides Project: This nonprofit bridal boutique offers eco-friendly and budget-friendly wedding gowns, with sales proceeds supporting families impacted by cancer. They accept wedding dresses and bridal accessories within five years old.

Things to Keep in Mind:

• Contact the organization in advance: Get in touch with the charity to understand their specific needs, donation schedule, and protocols. Many organizations have age and condition requirements for donated dresses.
• Inspect and clean the gown: Check the gown for any wear and tear, and ensure it is free from stains and mould. Consider having it dry cleaned before donating.
• Double-check items before packing: Ensure you haven't accidentally packed items you intended to keep, and always check the pockets for small personal items.
• Organize your donations: Sort and assemble items by type and size, and fold clothing to ensure proper packing.

Venue as a charitable organisation

If your wedding venue is a charitable organisation, it may be possible to write off a portion of your expenses. For example, if your wedding venue is a historical location like a museum, garden, or state or national park, you may be able to deduct what you paid for the venue as a charitable contribution. This is because the fees are for the preservation of the historical location. Many venues will indicate if this is possible when you're making booking arrangements.

If you have your wedding at a church, you may be able to deduct any additional donation you make to the church outside of the fees paid for the service. If you are paying a ceremony fee, the fee itself won't be tax-deductible because it is paid in exchange for receiving a service. However, any additional donation to the church with no expectation of benefit can be deductible. It may be worth increasing your donations for the year to get a double benefit: a tax write-off and a warm glow from donating to a good cause.

It's important to note that claiming a tax deduction on your wedding venue is not always straightforward. Even if you use a church or other tax-exempt facility, you probably won't be able to claim it since you are receiving something in return for your fees. However, there is a workaround for this. If the church suggests a certain fee for using its facilities, you can choose to donate a larger amount. If the suggested fee is $500, you can give them $1,500. The extra $1,000 would then be considered a charitable donation.

Any payments made to a pastor or officiant, however, are not tax-deductible. This is because they are individuals and not tax-exempt organisations. Secondly, you are receiving services for the money you paid.

Leftover food to a local shelter

If you anticipate having leftover food at your wedding reception, consider contacting a local shelter to see if they would be interested in receiving the food. Many organizations have strict policies concerning unwrapped food, but with a little pre-planning, you can ensure your food does not go to waste and also get a nice tax deduction.

It is important to note that you will need to determine what percentage of your food is donated since you can't claim a tax break on the food enjoyed by your guests. For example, if you paid $5,000 but only donated 10% of the total food ordered, your maximum deduction would be $500.

To ensure that your donation is eligible for a tax deduction, make sure to contact the shelter ahead of time as some may not accept food donations. Additionally, only unused food can be donated to most charitable organizations. Food that has been served cannot be donated. This is an important consideration for buffets and family-style meals, where food is prepared in bulk.

When donating, remember to get a donation letter from the charitable organization and keep all original receipts for your purchases. These documents will be necessary in case you are audited by the IRS.

Flowers to a charity

Flowers are a significant expense for most weddings. While you won't be able to get a tax break on the full amount you spend on flowers, you can recoup some of the costs through donations.

To do this, you can donate your flowers to a local charity, homeless shelter, or hospice. It's important to contact the charity or hospital ahead of time, as some may not accept floral donations. Ensure that the organization is eligible for tax exemption; otherwise, your donation won't be tax-deductible.

If you can't find a local place to donate your flowers, consider national charities like Petals for Hope, which will pick up your flowers and repurpose them into bedside bouquets. Simply fill out their online form before your wedding day to see if they have a participating affiliate in your area.

When donating flowers, remember that you can only claim the fair market value of the flowers at the time of donation, not their original purchase price. To claim a tax deduction, be sure to keep the original receipts for your purchases and obtain a donation letter from the charitable organization.

By planning ahead and taking the necessary steps, you can not only bring joy to others with your beautiful flowers but also receive a nice tax deduction for your wedding expenses.

Wedding party attire

While wedding expenses are generally not tax-deductible, there are some ways to recoup costs through charitable donations. This includes the wedding party attire.

The wedding party can donate their attire, such as dresses and suits, to organisations and use the donation as a write-off on their taxes. If the couple paid for the attire, they can include it in their wedding tax write-off.

Donation suggestions for wedding attire include:

• Goodwill
• The Salvation Army
• Brides for a Cause (accepts gowns less than 5 years old, as well as bridal accessories)
• Brides Against Breast Cancer (accepts dresses less than 3 years old)
• Brides Across America (accepts dresses 4 years old or newer, as well as jewellery, veils, bridesmaid gowns, and wedding favours)
• Angel Gown® Program (provides infant gowns to grieving families who have lost newborns)

It's important to remember that the deduction amount may be significantly lower than the original purchase price, as it is based on the item's fair market value at the time of donation. Additionally, keep all original receipts and obtain donation receipts or letters from the charitable organisations. These documents will be necessary if you are audited by the IRS.

Frequently asked questions