Let’s face it: money is a crucial question when planning a wedding!
Even if your dad owns an oil company and money happens to not be an issue, you should always set a realistic budget – however big or small – as you start wedding planning there will be endless of decisions to make, and a big deciding factor is the budget.
You will soon learn that there is no upper limit of how much could be spent on a wedding – so it’s essential to determine that limit yourself NOW. It will make further decision making later so much easier, trust me!
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In order to keep costs down, when you interview vendors, always ask for cost-effective ways of executing the intended job. For example, your florist will have the insight to suggest what flowers look similar to peonies but is seasonally and locally available, and fillers such as pampas grass make stunning arrangements even just with one feature flower.
For ways to save on flowers check this post.
image credits: happy wedd |wedding gig
Likewise, your caterer will be able to help you develop a menu which is tasty, gorgeous and more budget-friendly by using seasonal ingredients, using less meat, swapping sit down starters or plated main meals for grazing tables or a buffet. Easy to prepare food such as tacos or cookies is going to be popular with everyone and your honeymoon account will be happy too.
Contrary to belief, a bigger budget or a bigger guest list doesn’t mean a better wedding. What makes the wedding great is the atmosphere, shared love and the meaningful gathering to celebrate your commitment. Not whether you had a designer dress or spent $2000 on letterpress invites. A garden wedding wearing a vintage wedding dress calls for another version of perfect success!
images: paper paper co | wedding forward
Important to ask yourself… do you even want a conventional wedding? Perhaps an intimate backyard wedding with 30 of your closest family and friends, or a courthouse ceremony would suit your personalities better. Or eloping?
Follow these steps to manage your wedding budget
- Set up a spreadsheet with all the big and small wedding elements that you plan to include. Divide them into categories: Ceremony, Catering, Decor, Attire etc.
- We made you a free Budget Planner – grab your copy here! This will make managing your wedding budget a lot more easy, and you’ll get an instant overview of how much is wise to spend on each category.
- Budget-Guestlist-Venue are three factors that go hand in hand – this means that what you can spend on one is determined of the others. Their individual budgets may need to be established more or less at the same time. Perhaps you have already a firm plan on venue, and would modify the guest list to fit with that budget. Or the other way around: you know how many people you want to invite, and the venue needs to accommodate this figure both practically and financially.
- Open a bank account just for the wedding, transfer the budget and only spend on the wedding using the account. Keep using it as a honeymoon or home decorating saving account in your married life – which will also encourage you to be strict with the wedding budget and save for later!
Related:
How to write the perfect guestlist
Essential Venue search tips
image credits: pure studio | pure wow
- A way to keep a close tally on your budget is to pay as much as possible as early as possible, especially the big expenses such as venue, catering and photographer. This saves stress later on and your bank account will show a more realistic figure, preventing from over spending in the last few months.
- Remember it is not essential to “have it all” of what is ought to be included in a wedding – scrutinize and see what is important to you, and what is not!
- Ultimately, what is the most important aspect of this day is that you celebrate your love in a way which truly means something to you.
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Lastly….
To stay on top of your budget and minimize the risk of overspending, whenever you need to spend for the wedding, always check in beforehand: do we actually need this, or at least: how can we make it more wallet-friendly?
It would just not be a great feeling to start married life with a sense of financial remorse. Yes, your wedding is an immensely special day, but it is not wise to spend more than is necessary or sensible.
Be frank with yourself of what is actually needed, and always remember than more doesn’t have to mean better!
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