“Stressful” and “extreme” are two ideas that may come to mind when you think of planning your wedding budget, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here’s a quick look at a few budgeting tips to make sure that planning your wedding is as cost-efficient and as fun as it should be.
Venue
When it comes to choosing from the myriad of wedding venues, it’s helpful to remember that some towns are a LOT more expensive than others. Some of the more obviously expensive places are Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. That being said, smaller, more remote locations might cost more in terms of things like talent or flowers if you have to ship them in. During peak season, tourist destinations can also have heftier price tags. Figure out what area you’d like to have your wedding in and check prices for all of the things that might be involved before making a final decision.
Style
When a lot of people think of their wedding style, they might think of what they’ll be wearing to a wedding. However, when it comes to budgeting for your own, it’s crucial to remember that the more formal your event will be, the more it will cost. This is because you’ll need to match musical entertainment, food, and even the venue to create a more upscale tone. The cost of a six-course meal will cost more than simply serving cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Additionally, more formal events tend to have more guests.
General Budgeting
If you plan to have a formal candlelit dinner right in the main ballroom of that spectacular hotel in midtown, your wedding budget will clearly need to be larger than if you’ll just have afternoon tea and desserts in the gorgeous backyard at your parent’s house. When it comes to things of this nature, there are quite a few major factors that can have a massive effect on how much you’ll need to have in the budget.
Date and Time
When it comes to saving money on a wedding, it’s a good thing to remember that highly sought-after days and seasons can be a lot more expensive than other times. Receptions that are held in the evenings are pricier than those held in the afternoons, or brunch receptions. This isn’t just because dinner catering costs more, it’s also due to the fact that people tend to be less drawn to alcoholic beverages during daytime hours, and you can also go lower key on things like decor, music, and lighting.
What’s More Important?
Choose your three top priorities and make sure that you have enough money in the budget for them – things like the band, catering, and the gown. Then, determine the three things that might be at the bottom of that list – like invitations, cake, and flowers. Now, budget for each item accordingly.
Guest List
This is a tough one, but one of the most effective and fastest ways to cut the cost of your wedding is to cut down the guest list. Get that red pen out! Figure on spending a minimum of $100 per guest. At that rate, every 10 guests means an additional $1,000! Also, think about how large your wedding party is. Transportation and gifts will be much less expensive for 2 people than it is for 10 people.
There’s so much for you to keep on top of when it comes to planning a wedding while staying on budget. It doesn’t need to be overly stressful though. Follow the tips above and you’ll be much better equipped to remain on budget.