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Planning Your Budget
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Basic Tips
* '''Take Time to Budget'''. Spend an afternoon with your spouse to draw up a budget that you feel you can realistically pull off, whether the wedding be lavish or
wedding countdown and a large majority will account for payments on the day of or after your wedding.
** First, how much money do you have saved that can be put towards the wedding?
** How much more do you need to finance this wedding? How will you find this money? Will you need to charge thousands of dollars on
credit cards? Are parents willing to chip in some dough to help out?
** Once you see what kind of
debt this will put you in, consider if after the wedding you'll be able to pay off the wedding debt in a reasonable amount of time (about one year) while still attending to the other payments and responsibilities you have.
** If the outcome seems unfeasible, maybe it's time to start cutting corners.
* '''Leave Room for Unexpected Expenses.''' Whatever budget you give yourself, add on about 15%. This is important to do as it allows for a cushion, which accounts for the items most people forget to include in their initial budget, and in the end it leaves you on or slightly under budget.
* '''Don't Give in to Pressure'''. Bring your budget checklist with you when you meet with vendors, planners, and other people who you must negotiate with during the wedding planning process. Hold your ground and be firm when you state your budget. Vendors will try to get you to spend more if they can.
* '''Only Pay for What Matters Most'''. Not every woman wants a $5000
bed and breakfast, don't be afraid of spending the money on the wedding.
* '''Cost=Size+Style'''. The size and level of formality account for how much you'll have to spend overall.
* '''Do It Yourself'''. Get creative and find ways to make things or do things yourself instead of paying someone else to do it. If going it alone sounds like a nightmare, consider
hiring a wedding coordinator. Often they can work with you to try and safe you money even though their costs will account for about 8% of your budget. You may also want to temporarily hire one just to get yourself organized before the big event and to keep things flowing smoothly on the day of the wedding. If a wedding coordinator is not in your budget, ask a friend or family member to be your planner. They'll be honored to help.
* '''What's It To You?''' Do you want to have a unforgettable, outlandish wedding day and land yourself in debt for the next several years? Or would you rather save some money, have a great time, and be well-off for your life as a newlywed? Neither is right or wrong. It's a personal choice.
