There are formulas that help break down all of the general expenses you will encounter as you plan. Here are Wedding Wire and DiMadeline’s suggested steps to consider:
1) Decide Who’s Paying
In order to determine what you budget is, you’ll have to pool all those contributing. Statistics show that 44% of couples pay for their own wedding and 46% have family to assist. The other 10% have made other arrangements. Remember that if a family member does contribute, they get a say in the wedding planning decisions. Try to keep your discussions open and honest throughout the planning process so that everyone involved feels included.
2) Figure Out How Much You Can Spend
You may have read or heard somewhere that the average cost of a wedding nowadays is $28,000. That’s the average! So you can spend more AND you can choose to spend less!
3) Put it in Writing and Keep Track of Your Expenses
At DiMadeline, we provide (FREE!) a spreadsheet that you can use to track your expenses. It’s your working document to keep track of where you spend too much so that you can go back and readjust and spend less in other categories. Couples tend to underestimate how much they’ll spend on their wedding by about 40%. While it’s okay to splurge in a few areas, you have to compensate by saving in others. You’ll have to make some tough decisions at times but the tracking does keep your priorities in focus. (Just be sure to update it regularly.) Just send us a request on our website’s contact page and we will email it to you.
And lastly, don’t hesitate to ask for discounts! (A planner can help you with that.)
So… The drudgery of addressing that awful question is over with. You’ve done your homework. You’ve put together a budget. Now go forth and enjoy planning the wedding of your dreams!
Photo by Cottonbro