Throwing an epic inaugural ball is a lot like planning a wedding — but with thousands of high-profile guests inside a presidential security zone during one of the busiest weekends in D.C.

Oh, and you have to make sure your costs don’t bankrupt you.

“No matter how you slice it, it is expensive,” said Lynda Webster, chairman of The Webster Group, which is organizing the Heartland Ball at the Marriott Marquis on Jan. 19. “You have to pay for food. You need to have themed rooms. You have to set some stages and most balls have a VIP dinner. It’s not a cheap proposition.”

As Greater Washington careens headlong into 2017 and toward the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, partygoers have more than two-dozen options for how they want to celebrate the peaceful transfer of power from one president to another (or, for some, a moment of political mobilization). Guests will drop hundreds of dollars per ticket, and companies will spend tens of thousands on tables and sponsorships…