Now on to today's topic: setting a budget. When we first started planning, I told Justin I wanted our wedding to be the same if I had all the money in the world or none. I love crafting and I can't imagine having and extremely formal wedding. With this being my main goal, it has really helped me to get my priorities straight of what is really important for our wedding.
Before setting an itemized budget, even thinking about planning our wedding was overwhelming and I just saw all these abstract "things" we had to complete before our special day. Nailing down our budget created an outline (almost like a class syllabus) for this huge project I was about to begin. From the budget I was able to see all the little things I needed to take care of and to form an overall "vision" of what I wanted for our wedding.
First things first I bought this trusty guide to figure out ways to save off the fabulous abebooks.com.
haha yes-Budget Weddings for Dummies. I originally found this book at Barnes and Noble for $17.00 then looked it up online and found it on Abe Books for only $6.00 including shipping and got it within a couple of weeks. That's $11.00 saved right there.
The first thing I learned is that every penny counts! If you are in the mindset of, "oh, that's only another $11" then your wedding will add up quickly and before you know it, that will turn into hundreds of dollars you could have saved just by doing some research. This book offered several great suggestions of how to save, but still have a great wedding.
To create our budget, I found some sample wedding sheets to get an idea of what the "average" costs were. After this Justin and I called (or googled) around to get a general idea of the costs for venues, photographers, etc. that we were interested in. This made it easier to get an idea of how much we should budget for each thing in particular. I would always go with the largest number we thought it could cost, to cushion our budget. I would rather be over-prepared then to run out of money! So far everything we have purchased has been well below our budget.
Here's five things to keep in mind when creating your budget:
1. PRIORITIZE! If money is tight, you can't have a 3-course meal, an award winning photographer AND have a helicopter lift you after the ceremony-yes I just found out the other day they actually do this! Unless you have a million connections, you are going to have to pay a pretty penny to have the most expensive of everything. For me, having a good photographer and videographer is my main priority. I have heard your wedding day goes by so quickly it's often a blur and I want to be able to relive that day after it has passed. I also know, being a designer, if my wedding photographs turn out terribly, I will never forgive myself.
2. Tally up your connections. For example, does your church have tablecloths or vases they lend people for weddings? Can one of your mom's friends make the cake? Oftentimes you can ask people to help out with the wedding in lieu of a wedding gift and that can be a big money saver for you.
3. Consider your venue. Does your venue provide tables & chairs? Can you do both the ceremony and the reception at the same place? Do they make you use their in-house catering or bartenders? Being able to provide your own food, drinks, etc. is a HUGE money saver and you are pretty much getting the same product. Having the ceremony and reception at the same venue is also a money saver. This calls for one venue price, one set of decorations, no transportation from the ceremony to reception, etc. The place Justin and I chose has a beautiful little white chapel outside lined with pews and then a covered pavilion and indoor section for the reception. There's even some adorable themed cabins that surround the property where we will be staying later that night.
4. Be creative! I am gearing this blog towards DIY projects and just general wedding planning advice, so hopefully by next May there will be a heap of ideas for you to choose from. Think about your theme and figure out ways to make things yourself. Just the other day I saw a post on "dollar store crafts" about how to make your own cake stands with candlestick holders, plates, and spray paint. In this "Pinterest" generation, there are so many different ways you can find DIY projects, it's almost more common than paying to have it done.
5. And last, but most importantly: You are marrying the love of your life! This is not about just one day, this is about the start of your life together. Any money saved on the wedding can be used for your honeymoon, as a down payment on a house, towards a new car, etc. This wedding is only ONE day-make it special, but keep things in perspective and you will be happier in the long run!
Once you set your budget, stick to it! One good tip I was given is to leave your wallet in the car when you are at a vendor so you have a break from the excitement before you commit. If you bring your budget with you as you're shopping around, this helps to keep the end goal in mind and to avoid pressure from vendors. If you show vendors your budget and stay firm, it will make the decisions easier.
Good Luck and Happy Planning!
To create our budget, I found some sample wedding sheets to get an idea of what the "average" costs were. After this Justin and I called (or googled) around to get a general idea of the costs for venues, photographers, etc. that we were interested in. This made it easier to get an idea of how much we should budget for each thing in particular. I would always go with the largest number we thought it could cost, to cushion our budget. I would rather be over-prepared then to run out of money! So far everything we have purchased has been well below our budget.
Here's five things to keep in mind when creating your budget:
1. PRIORITIZE! If money is tight, you can't have a 3-course meal, an award winning photographer AND have a helicopter lift you after the ceremony-yes I just found out the other day they actually do this! Unless you have a million connections, you are going to have to pay a pretty penny to have the most expensive of everything. For me, having a good photographer and videographer is my main priority. I have heard your wedding day goes by so quickly it's often a blur and I want to be able to relive that day after it has passed. I also know, being a designer, if my wedding photographs turn out terribly, I will never forgive myself.
2. Tally up your connections. For example, does your church have tablecloths or vases they lend people for weddings? Can one of your mom's friends make the cake? Oftentimes you can ask people to help out with the wedding in lieu of a wedding gift and that can be a big money saver for you.
3. Consider your venue. Does your venue provide tables & chairs? Can you do both the ceremony and the reception at the same place? Do they make you use their in-house catering or bartenders? Being able to provide your own food, drinks, etc. is a HUGE money saver and you are pretty much getting the same product. Having the ceremony and reception at the same venue is also a money saver. This calls for one venue price, one set of decorations, no transportation from the ceremony to reception, etc. The place Justin and I chose has a beautiful little white chapel outside lined with pews and then a covered pavilion and indoor section for the reception. There's even some adorable themed cabins that surround the property where we will be staying later that night.
4. Be creative! I am gearing this blog towards DIY projects and just general wedding planning advice, so hopefully by next May there will be a heap of ideas for you to choose from. Think about your theme and figure out ways to make things yourself. Just the other day I saw a post on "dollar store crafts" about how to make your own cake stands with candlestick holders, plates, and spray paint. In this "Pinterest" generation, there are so many different ways you can find DIY projects, it's almost more common than paying to have it done.
5. And last, but most importantly: You are marrying the love of your life! This is not about just one day, this is about the start of your life together. Any money saved on the wedding can be used for your honeymoon, as a down payment on a house, towards a new car, etc. This wedding is only ONE day-make it special, but keep things in perspective and you will be happier in the long run!
Once you set your budget, stick to it! One good tip I was given is to leave your wallet in the car when you are at a vendor so you have a break from the excitement before you commit. If you bring your budget with you as you're shopping around, this helps to keep the end goal in mind and to avoid pressure from vendors. If you show vendors your budget and stay firm, it will make the decisions easier.
Good Luck and Happy Planning!
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