Every time I start working with a new couple I like to ask them what part of the wedding planning process feels like the biggest obstacle. Most of the time they say “staying within their budget. Let’s face it, budgeting day to day can be tough let alone your wedding day. I know from planning our own wedding it can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be.

Traditionally, a majority of the wedding finances were provided by the parents of the couple; today’s weddings often look a bit different, with money coming from multiple sources. The first step in setting your budget for your big day is to look at where the money is coming from. If it’s coming from family, be sure to thank them first and foremost. If the two of you are funding it, then be sure to set an agreed upon amount that you’re willing to spend. Make your expectations known to each other on what is going to be the most important thing to you that day (besides getting married of course). Communication is key here.

Now, no two wedding are alike so communicate with your partner on all the details you envision for your day, both big and small, it all will contribute to your overall budget in the end. The best way to do this is to PRIORITIZE. Know what parts of the wedding you need to have and which parts you can cut some corners on or spend a little less. To help get you started and thinking what all goes into a wedding, here are 8 aspects of the wedding that you and your partner can rank from most to least importance.

• Venue
• Catering
• Photography & Videography
• Guest items – Favors, transportation, access to Hotels ( If applicable)
• Attire & Grooming (hair, makeup, dress/suit etc.)
• Florals & Decor
• Entertainment & Music
• Invites & misc

As tempting as it might be to skip this with all the other planning you are doing, DON’T! Prioritizing these items will really help you make those harder decisions when you begin to approach that budget cap you set at the start of the process.

Budget based on REAL costs of goods. You may find a lot of budget templates out there that break everything down by percentages. 10% for venue, 10% photography, 5% catering etc. These won’t help you in the long run because they are only guesses. What you’ll need to do next is get a list of the vendors you are looking into and the services you want them to provide. Get in touch with them and get estimates from them based on the packages you are considering.

This is a big step in the planning process. While it may take a bit more time, doing this will make the rest of the process run smoother. Once you have everything mapped out and packages roughly selected, you’ll probably be starring at a number that is grossly higher than the budget you set for your day. This is TOTALLY normal friends! Now is the time that you go back to that list you made of most important to least important.

The best way to do this is to start with your top 2 items that you can’t live without on your big day. From here, plug those numbers in your budget and see what you have left. (I know from our wedding our most important were the venue and our photos. We got married a the church we met at as kids and where our love story began, and at the end of the day we wanted nice photos to remember all the fun and emotions that were had during the day. Good photos are so worth it in the end guys, and I’m not just saying that as a photographer. They are hard copies of memories frozen in time that we always look back on.) Based on the quotes you received from those 2 vendors, add those to your budget and see what you need to do to get those packages you were looking at to have the experience you desire for your day. From there, move onto the next 2 items and see what you can do to economize them. For example, say it’s a venue and the catering. Is there a venue that has similar qualities to your dream location that’s a bit cheaper to save money or is there a catering company that makes your second choice dinner option that’s not going to cost you $35/plate? After you do all that and you come to your lowest 2 in the list, see where you can economize without losing the experience. Say it’s florals for example. Rather than expensive florals, could you go to Costco and get your wedding party together and all make some bouquets together thus creating a fun memory to add to the season of life you’re in?

Once you’ve done all this, you should be left with a budget that work for YOU and will give you the best our of your big day!

With the budget in place, be sure to keep track of your spending no matter of small. Sadly, wedding budgets are not something you can do once and then forget about. Even the smallest of purchases can add up once you start adding in those big vendors.

All in all, sit down together and communicate your priorities for your wedding day. Make it a fun date too. Pour some wine or bubbly, light some candles, set the mood with music and dream about your big day together. After all, the most important part of the day is that you two will be married at the end.

Blessings friends!

~ Josh