Budgeting.. wedding planning always seems to be consumed around the concept of money. Will you be getting money from a relative? Will you be funding the wedding on your own? How much are you willing to spend? Should we put our money towards a house instead? Whether you have $100,000, $10,000 or $1,000 towards your wedding, don’t stress due to your money situation. We are going to break down a few tips on how to budget for your wedding.
You should always determine who is paying for what. These can be awkward conversations with loved ones, but what’s even more awkward is trying to plan without a definite answer. It will ease the stress for all parties involved. How do you do this? Speak with each family individually and create a safe space to speak freely about where everyone stands. Start with asking if they plan to contribute to the wedding, and if so, have them commit to a specific dollar amount. Don’t dance around this.
Don’t be afraid to save for your own wedding. As soon as you get engaged, start saving. Change small habits like eating out for lunch during the day, or drinks with friends to packing lunches, and backyard hangs. Don’t completely change the quality of your lifestyle but make changes to your budget accordingly, the extra cash you are able to save will make your day even more special. Answer the question, based on our monthly incomes, how much can we save together while we are still living comfortably.
Make your non-negotiable list. This is so key because it breaks down what you find important for your big day. In other words, what are your priorities? You can determine your budget more easily, once you figure out what you want to give more money towards and what items you want to give less money or no money at all towards.
Educate yourself on hidden costs. Vendors may have an additional tax or tip fee, the cake may have a cutting fee, the venue or caterer may have a cleanup and breakdown fee, there may be a delivery fee on rental equipment.. Should I keep going? Just be sure to ask every detail when speaking with venues, vendors, florist, dress shops, etc. Get the final price to the best of your ability when speaking with companies and then budget based on final prices versus estimated.
Lastly, create a method that works for you. Make an excel sheet, check out our budget PDF. Print it out, track along the way and don’t let the “B” word get the best of you. Instead, make it your B!!!