When you or your partner decides to get down on one knee to propose, they know
they’ve decided to spend the rest of life with that special someone. How utterly romantic is that?
After the big “YES,” a whole new dimension of wedding planning begins. The wedding planning
stage can be as elaborate or as simple as you want – you just need to recognize that you do
have the freedom of choice. It is recommended to sit down with your partner to really talk about
finances before organizing your wedding. First, decide what you can afford and start a list of
“non negotiables” and “nice to haves” when determining your budget. This will help you to
organize the process, and ultimately help you to stay within budget.
Ask The Important Questions
A giant portion of your wedding budget is dependent upon how many people you’d like to invite
to your big day. It is important to finalize your guest list first, because then you can start thinking
about things like venue and decor. Mostly everything you do on your wedding day revolves
around who is going, and the more names on the list, the more money it will cost you. Be
strategic about who you invite, and start to think of the cost of your wedding in terms of “per
person”. When determining the theme of your wedding, consider the cost of certain materials.
All wedding themes can become budget savvy with the right mindset, but some themes require
less expensive decor, and some are easier to achieve on your own.
Crunch The Numbers
It is really easy to overspend when planning your wedding, especially when you think about it as
one of the most important days of your entire life. But it is crucial you take a few steps back and
think about the day, although special, as something you shouldn’t spend your entire savings on.
You might be surprised to know that a startling 28% of US couples go into debt for their
wedding. For a day that will only last 24 hours, do not ruin your finances and drain your bank
accounts. Remember that as newlyweds you’ll also need to save for future important goals that
you may need the extra financial cushion for. For instance, if you and your partner plan to
purchase a home after your wedding, debt is a huge factor in your credit score needed to buy a
house as well as whether you'll be able to qualify for a loan. This is why you must put in the
effort in the wedding planning process to define how much you’re willing to spend based on
how much you can afford, and also see if any family members are willing to contribute to the
costs.
Do Your Research
If you are flexible on when to get married, and also where, your budget will sincerely thank you.
This is important to consider when determining a wedding budget because these two factors
can help you cut costs substantially, allowing for more financial opportunity. Peak wedding
season typically occurs in the summer months to early fall. During this time, prices for
everything from vendors, to floral arrangements, to venues increase during this time of year.
Depending on where you would like to get married, you may be able to drive to the town to also
decrease costs. For example, a suburb of a city may have slightly less of a venue cost than if
you were to book a venue right downtown.
When planning a wedding, everything you do is centered around how much money you are
willing to spend. During this time, please keep in mind that you have the freedom to choose
where to cut costs if necessary. The day is meant to spend quality time with family and friends,
and be a celebration of the love between you and your significant other. Make sure to be
strategic when determining the budget for your special day, and once it is set, stick to it!
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