Congratulations! You've gotten engaged! Chances are, you're flying pretty high with all of those visions in your head of wedded bliss, but before you can get there, you need to take the cost of a wedding into account. These events can cost an average of more than $35,000 easily. For that reason, we've put together a few tips for budgeting for your special day.
Vendors
From a pastry chef to wedding invitations, take the time you need to scout out different vendors until you find one who you're both comfortable with and can afford. Don't just opt for the first vendors you meet. Set time aside to meet with multiple vendors to ensure that you're getting the best quality service for the most cost-effective price.
Skills as Gifts
If you happen to have family members or friends who have organizational or creative skills that might be useful during your wedding or reception, ask them to make use of those skills as opposed to bringing a gift. For example, if you have an aunt who takes great pictures, have her take the wedding pictures and create a photo book with them as opposed to her bringing a gift and you hiring a professional photographer. This can make them feel as if what they're offering is important while also saving you money.
Guests
Believe it or not, there really are times when less is more! It can be tempting to have a guest list a mile long, but remember this one thing - each guest will be an additional expense. This might seem a bit harsh, but sometimes the truth IS harsh. With every person you add to that list, you're simply driving the cost of the wedding up. When you're on a tight budget, one of the first things to cut is the guest list.
Location Location Location
The location where you choose to hold your wedding can easily eat up as much as half of your wedding budget. It's easy to cut back a bit on this expense though, simply by having the wedding at your home, one of your family or friends' homes, or even a public park. When you have a ceremony outdoors and a reception at a location that has a lot of personal meaning, you don't need an over-the-top, elaborate venue.
DIY It
You and your partner can save a lot of money by getting some of the necessary things done yourselves. That being said, you can only do this if you know 100% that whatever you do will be well worth the effort that goes into it. Also, be sure to give any DIY projects plenty of time to be completed. You don't want to be spending the night before the wedding putting table centerpieces together or frosting cupcakes!
It IS Possible
Keep this in mind - your wedding isn't about anything except your fiancé, yourself, and your marriage. Those three things will last for a lot longer than a single day of celebration. Throughout all of the hoopla and stress that goes along with planning a wedding, try not to lose focus when it comes to what truly matters. Spending a lot of money on a lavish wedding and reception on the day won't go very far when it comes to proving how much you love your partner, but what it can do is leave you with a bank account that's a lot lighter than it was. It truly is possible to throw a wedding that's budget-friendly and still stylish and beautiful. Use the money you save to splurge on that honeymoon vacation and enjoy being married to the love of your life!
