It seems like given that April is also tax season, it is appropriate to discuss your wedding budget. It doesn’t have to be a downer. But it is reality and my goal in writing this is that you and your fiancé do not go into huge debt creating the wedding of your dreams.
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 four steps to consider:
Step One: Decide Who’s Paying
In order to determine what your 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.
Step Two: Figure Out How Much You Can Spend
You may have read or heard somewhere that the average cost of a wedding nowadays is $35,000. That’s the average! So, you can spend more AND you can choose to spend less!
Step Three: Plan Out Your Expenses
We have complimentary spreadsheets that you can obtain from us. Go to our website’s Contact Page and we will be happy to send it to you free of charge.
And lastly, here are five simple cost-saving ideas to take into consideration:
Have your wedding on a Sunday through Thursday or out-of-season. Those venues and vendors are usually not booked and so they are willing to work with lower budgets.
Regarding food, have your wedding in the morning and serve brunch or try late afternoon with a cocktail reception. Guests can choose to go out for dinner after enjoying delicious appetizers.
Take advantage of a venue with beautiful scenery or design. This will cut down on the need for a lot of décor.
Book early. This goes for venues, photographers, caterers…
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!