Figuring out your wedding budget can be pretty challenging. Still, if you want to start your marriage debt-free, it’s a necessary step for you to take. By examining your resources and potential expenses, you can find realistic ways to cut back on the costs while still enjoying the magic. Here are the 5 essential tips to get you started.
Choose the Type of Wedding You Want
How do you imagine your wedding day? A showy reception at a city loft? A garden barbecue with your family and friends? An unforgettable wedding experience at one of the Dunedin Wedding Venues? A traditional reception in the hotel ballroom?
For more ideas, scroll through Pinterest and browse other web pages, think about all the weddings you’ve seen on TV and the weddings you’ve attended. What are the things you like and dislike about those weddings? But don’t let the details distract you. Think about the atmosphere you want to have so that you can distinguish and set your priorities.
Estimate Your Finances
One of the first steps is determining who is willing to chip in and somehow contribute to your wedding budget. Maybe you or your partner’s parents, or some other family members? The contribution doesn’t always have to be financial – is your grandma keen on buying you a wedding dress as a present? Would you rather receive a blender or DJ set free of charge? After all, it may as well be just you and your partner paying for the wedding. Still, it’s good to have a clear idea of other people’s contributions when planning a wedding on a budget.
When you determine the contribution of others, focus on how much you and your fiancé can realistically spend. Is there any chance to save some money between now and your wedding day? Can you pull some funds from your existing savings accounts without endangering your future?
Once you’ve answered all these questions, you will have a clearer idea of the funds you count on.
Go for an Intimate Wedding
Being smart about who you invite is the best way to cut down on wedding costs from the start, as the cost of the wedding is pretty much dependant on the guest number. The size of your venue depends on this number, but other expenses as well – the quantity of food and drinks and the number of items you will have to pay for either by buying or renting (invitations, wedding favors, chair, and table rentals).
So, don’t get carried away trying to include everyone you can think of. Consider the persons you really can’t imagine your wedding without instead, and keep your guest list limited to your close friends and family.
Consider DIY Options
Research into some DIY details that you could incorporate into your big day, such as favors or decorations. Not only can you save significant financial resources, but it’s also a great way to add your own touch to the wedding and make it truly your own.
It’s great to have pretty invitations, but do you really want to spend a large sum of money on something that’s eventually going to end up in the garbage? Trim your spending by making your own wedding invitations. All you need is a decent printer and an invitation kit. Alternatively, you could just send e-vites to your guests, save the cash for printing, and get RSVP, helping you keep track of the number of attendees.
Choose Time Wisely
Another way to cut down your wedding expenses is by setting the date of your wedding wisely. For starters, avoid September and October, as those are the most popular months for weddings. As the resources these months are low, the prices tend to be high.
The day of the week you choose to say your vows is also essential. Holding your wedding on a Friday or Sunday can be half the price for the venue than on Saturday.
And if you schedule your wedding in the afternoon, you can avoid the costs of a plated meal. In that case, you can plan a reception that will be more like an extended cocktail hour, with appetizers and finger food.
Planning a wedding can be tedious and drain your energy. Besides all the calculations and pre-wedding events, you need to sort out all the non-physical things necessary for the marriage. However, with a detailed budget you and your fiancé will create together, you can make this process and your life much easier.
