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Weddings by Costco
Weddings often cost a fortune, but between Costco warehouses and Costco.com, it’s possible to dream bigger and make your budget go further without sacrificing quality. From rings to flowers, cocktails to cake, and photo books to honeymoon travel, Costco is the one-stop source to make planning your special day easy and hassle-free. Here’s how.
by WENDY HELFENBAUM
Dreaming about your new life together represents an epic adventure, one that starts with the wedding planning journey. Whether you’re having a huge family gathering or an intimate affair, Costco can help you keep the excitement going throughout the festivities.
Linda Havron ordered an arch from Costco.com for her daughter Caitlin’s wedding to Hank West; Laura and Jude Fledderman’s ring set.
© Kenny Janosick photographer; © joshua fletcher / Fletch Photography
Put a ring on it
Costco member Tammy Hicks found the perfect engagement ring while shopping for groceries. “I’d visited five jewelers in Atlanta but couldn’t find what I wanted. I walked by Costco’s jewelry department and, to my amazement, there it was: my dream ring,” recalls Hicks. “The quality was awesome, plus the price was incredible.”
Couples will find hundreds of styles of gold and platinum diamond engagement rings in the warehouses and online for every taste and budget—from a timeless princess cut to show-stopping clusters of diamonds. There’s also a wide selection of men’s and women’s wedding or eternity bands, with new styles arriving regularly. (For more on Costco’s jewelry program, see “All that glitters”.)
The warehouse features diamond or gemstone necklaces and earrings for the entire bridal party to wear on the special day, as Katlyn Korte discovered. The Mesa, Arizona, Costco front-end supervisor has always been friendly to all members, but never thought a customer would end up becoming her husband.
“I met Bryce while assisting at the register and 10 months later, we got engaged,” says Korte. “Bryce got me a beautiful diamond necklace from Costco as a gift on the day of our wedding. We got married New Year’s Eve 2020 in the middle of the desert, and it was the perfect night.”
Provide delicious refreshments
For wedding-related feasts, including rehearsal dinners, bridal showers, brunches and receptions, why not preorder platters from Costco’s Service Deli department? Choose from meat and cheese, shrimp, croissant sandwiches or wraps.
Each platter serves up to 20 people. Head to your local warehouse at least a day in advance and look for the order kiosk, usually located between the Costco Deli and Costco Bakery departments. The warehouse also carries fruit and vegetable trays, plus tableware, utensils, napkins and folding tables. You can stock up on beverages, wine and other drinks, too.
Ellie Mackintosh’s oldest daughter, Megan, wanted to bring her blended family together by getting married at her parents’ farm in Berryville, Virginia.
“We purchased cases of wine, Prosecco, sodas, beverages, water, paper products, fruit, veggies and salad greens from our local Costco warehouse,” says Ellie. “I also ordered mini flower arrangements from Costco.com, which were stunning in canning jars, and due to the low prices on our bouquets, we were able to double the quantity. We came in below our budget, thanks to Costco.”
Fresh flowers for Stephanie Weyant’s wedding to Ryan Rawls.
© ANDREA JANE PHOTOGRAPHY
Garrett and Hailey Smith;
© TRACY PACANA PHOTOGRAPHY
Create a festive vibe with fresh flowers
Costco’s wedding floral packages offer great value at unbeatable prices, says Costco member Kaydee West. She and Mark McClellan eloped in February 2022 in Alabama, then hosted a reception in September.
“I ordered a floral package for less than $300, and everything was beautiful. Costco helped us stick to our budget,” recalls West.
Flowers are available in warehouses and at Costco.com, with delivery across the country. It’s best to order for delivery three days before the event so the flowers have time to hydrate and look their best.
Garrett and Hailey Smith scheduled delivery so the flowers were as fresh as possible for their July wedding in Corvallis, Oregon. “We purchased flowers for our centerpieces, live rose petals for the send-off and ingredients plus flowers for the cakes, since our friend did the baking,” says Hailey.
In the warehouse, members get expert assistance from flower cooler employees to select flowers that are best suited for their needs. Shaunte’ Nelson-Sayles and Tony Sayles preordered bulk flowers and greenery to make their own bouquets and arrangements for their Atlanta wedding last October.
“We bought fresh green garlands and mixed white flowers, and I was absolutely blown away with the quality,” says Nelson-Sayles. “The flowers arrived in excellent condition. I gave away the vases of flowers as thank-you gifts.”
To create Stephanie Weyant and Ryan Rawls’ enchanted forest–themed wedding in Woodinville, Washington, last October, her mother and friends used fresh flowers from Costco.com.
“We needed ample greenery to achieve that woodsy, whimsical effect, so I purchased the Orange Sorbet package, garlands, roses and baby’s breath,” says Weyant.
Celebrate with sweet treats
For a special touch, affordable guest favors or after-dinner sweets like truffles are easy to find in the warehouse or online. Costco’s Bakery offers desserts, cookie or pastry platters, cupcakes, pies, cheesecakes and more.
While Costco doesn’t sell traditional wedding cakes, members can preorder and personalize 12-by-16-inch sheet cakes at least 24 hours in advance from the warehouse bakery kiosk, as Morgan Ames and Jim Thomas did. The Los Angeles couple decorated a white sheet cake with fresh flowers and bought tubs of ice cream from Costco for their guests.
“We got married at a friend’s home, and wedding cakes were absurdly expensive, so we ordered from Costco and picked everything up the morning of. Save your money for the honeymoon,” suggests Ames.
Pick up other wedding essentials
Couples need plenty of other items for their special day. For example, Noah Patterson found special groomsmen’s gifts last fall at Costco.
“A few years ago, I bought a Kirkland [Signature]™ sweater, and many people complimented it,” recalls Patterson. “So, when my fiancée, Malia, and I saw Costco logo sweaters at our local warehouse in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, I knew this was the perfect gift for me and my nine groomsmen. I put them each in a bag with a personal letter and handed them out at our rehearsal dinner. They loved them!”
For a rehearsal dinner in Tempe, Arizona, the parents of the groom, Robert and Jane Sandoval, needed to warm things up for the December affair celebrating the bridal couple, Manny and Whitney. “We already had four FireSense patio heaters from Costco but didn’t think that was enough heat to keep our guests warm, so we purchased another two heaters from Costco.com and four more from our local warehouse,” says Jane.
To get her Bayport, New York, backyard ready for her daughter Caitlin’s wedding to Hank West, Costco member Linda Havron ordered a wrought-iron arch from Costco.com to create a romantic spot for the couple to exchange vows.
Havron also ordered flowers, appetizers, desserts, wine and other beverages, plus supplies for the next day’s brunch.
Laura and Jude Fledderman.
© joshua fletcher / Fletch Photography
Destination weddings and honeymoons
Newlyweds seeking a fabulous holiday will find the ideal itinerary through Costco Travel, which offers ocean and river cruises, guided tours, safaris, all-inclusive resorts, theme park trips, luxury hotels and car rentals.
Before eloping with their four children, Laura and Jude Fledderman turned to Costco Travel to plan their 2014 beach wedding and “familymoon” in Hawaii.
“Our Costco Travel representative helped us create the trip of a lifetime, including airfare, hotel and rental car,” says Laura, who lives in Arroyo Grande, California. “We got our dream—two families joined together by love with the perfect Costco.com rings to seal our vows. The multiple diamonds signify the commitment we made not only to each other but to our children.”
Abigail Johnson, a Costco member in Portland, Oregon, also used Costco Travel for her 2017 Hawaiian honeymoon with husband Luke. “We booked early and were able to pay in installments, which was a game saver while paying for an expensive wedding. Costco had great prices, and we loved the added perks, including a Costco Shop Card,” says Johnson.
Raechel and Jon Mitts used Costco for their 2022 honeymoon at a resort in Saint Lucia. “It was amazing. One of the big advantages was using our Citi credit card to purchase the trip,” says Raechel, of Midland, Michigan.
Members also benefit from promotions like cruise ship cabin upgrades, spa treatments and bottles of wine. Executive members earn a 2% cash-back reward (up to $1,000).
Shop smart and dream big by stocking up on affordable, high-quality wedding items, food and beverages at Costco for an elegant event you and your guests will remember for years to come.
Love in bulk
Tanya Goldenberg and Brian Barton got engaged at the Tempe, Arizona, warehouse last December. The couple had spent many happy Sunday afternoons there, shopping and eating lunch as friends, before falling in love.
“We talked, laughed, ate samples and got to know each other,” says Goldenberg. “It seemed natural for us to shop at Costco for a diamond engagement ring. I narrowed it down to three, and said, ‘Why don’t you surprise me?’ When we picked it up, he proposed right there.”—WH
Spread your news and share memories
Photo-related products are now provided by Shutterfly as a new member service, allowing you to personalize flat or folded save-the-date cards, wedding invitations and thank-you notes using various templates and design layouts. Simply transfer your Costco Photo account to Shutterfly or create a new one. After your wedding, capture memories in a customizable photo book with the click of your mouse. Costco members will receive 51% off regularly priced Shutterfly orders, plus free shipping on orders over $49. Some exceptions apply.—WH
Costco member Wendy Helfenbaum is a Montreal-based writer and TV producer.
Costco Connection: For more information about Costco wedding options, visit: Costco.com/weddings.html.