3 Tips to Keep Within Your Wedding Budget

Wedding budgeting can be a pain; after all, no one wants to corner themselves into a limited amount. A wedding is something you’ve probably dreamed of since you were a young girl. How many times did you ever consider the cost of the wedding at that age though? The answer is probably none. There’s so much to consider when you’re getting married and a budget is, unfortunately, one of those considerations. Once you’re engaged, one of the first things you should do is sit down and think about funds. What season do you want to get married in? When do you want to get married? What do you want at your wedding - do you want white roses or lilacs; do you care more about photographs than you do music; are you expecting the reception to last long and then how long? It’s those details that make up your wedding budget.

Once you’ve finalized those things you can start to consider a ball-park figure of how much you have and are willing to spend on each and find the overall cost. If once you’re done calculating the overall cost is too much, subtract, look at where you’re willing to subtract and try it. By the end your overall cost should match your desired cost, and then you’ll be able to start planning. Without a budget it becomes difficult to plan accordingly, which is why it’s recommended you keep a spreadsheet when planning a wedding. Of course, unexpected things can occur, and with it costs can incur, which is why in your overall cost we recommend a cushion. Add in things you may not be able to account for initially, such as a rainy day, venue change, back-up generators, overtime. It’s not unreasonable to think that what you least expect to happen might. It’s also important to consider things like vendor tips. These things may creep up on you, but if you’re prepared for the worst of it, you won’t be ambushed by a cost you can’t afford, you’ll be prepared.

We know how difficult it is to stay within your budget, so we’ve compiled a list of tips to make it easier to keep within your budget.

Tip 1: “DIY” whenever possible — whatever you do yourself is free! There’s so much you can do yourself from printing your own invitations and menus to creating your own décor.

Tip 2: Order flowers that are in season — out-of-season flowers are going to cost you more.

Tip 3: Pick a date that’s within budget — some seasons are more expensive than others. Keep the season you’re marrying in mind. If you’re thinking of marrying in February, June, September, or December, the costs may be more, rather than planning to marry in January, March, April, or November.