Budgeting Tips
Someone is throwing this shindig——be it you and your fiancé(e), your parents, their parents, or a grandma! Someone is pouring a lot of hard earned money into your special day.
How do you approach it?
First, look at your finances. No matter what, at the end of the day, you might be contributing to your wedding fund. See how much you can save over time. It is more than ok to not throw a wedding right away! We booked our venue close to two years out from our date and the extra time was well-appreciated!
Once considering your overall number, begin to think about the individual things you might need to pay for:
Venue(s)
Wedding attire (for both individuals getting married) including, dresses/suits, shoes, socks, shapewear, headpieces/veils, jewelry and alterations.
Any hair or makeup to be done
Photography
Videography
Music/DJ
Wedding Planner
Officiant
Catering, cake, and drinks (alcoholic or not)
Childcare/Children’s table/Children’s activities
Tables, chairs, linens, table settings (flatware, dishware, etc.)
Florals
Centerpieces
General venue decor (i.e. arch)
Guestbook (and instant camera/film if you go that route)
Day-Of Coordinator/Decorator
Card box
Save the dates, invitations, seating charts, menus, name cards, thank-you cards, general stationary needs
Bridesmaid/Groomsman gifts (and any for parents) including any pjs/robes, customized glasses, etc.
Your hotel stay & travel fees
Your memory table for any family who has passed
Rehearsal dinner (traditionally thrown by the groom)
Shuttles from the hotel guests are staying at & transportation for the bridal party
Welcome bags
Bathroom baskets
Favors/Parting Snacks
After party
URL for wedding website
Any DIY materials you want to purchase: cricut, pliers for florals, etc.
Extras: photobooth, champagne wall, cocktail hour add-ons, custom napkins, bridesmaids dresses/makeup/hair.
It feels like a lot! Fortunately, many venues offer payment plans. All-inclusive or mostly-inclusive venues will often have your linens, chairs, and sometimes even food (yes, down to the cake)! Some venues offer in-house decorators that have their own rental companies or close relationships with local ones and can get you significant discounts.
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of weighing your budget against what you want. If you have an idea for centerpieces, look up what the costs of the components are. If you’re on Zazzle one day, check the price of invites out of curiosity. Call bridal shops and ask for dress prices. Get a realistic feel for what you’re buying into before you dive in! It lets you set that expectation of what your wedding costs will look like!
Rule of thumb, if the “splurge” is going to set you back in your every day life? Don’t do it. Your wedding is how you and your beloved will start your life together, it’s not worth financially struggling or going into debt over. At the end of the day, it’s about the two of you.
Some great tools for budgeting and planning? Google Sheets is free and offers a wonderful wedding planning spreadsheet. It will calculate all of your math for you, so you can scratch a calculator off of your “DIY Materials” list!
