I have to say this was one of the most stressful parts of the wedding planning experience.
Yes, you need to set a budget! But what if your “budget” does not fall in line of your “dream” wedding?
(Screeching Halt!)
Wait? How much is that? !?
Get the budget planning book out, set up your excel spreadsheet, open up that savings account, and start playing with your numbers.
These are the books I used:
Budget Savvy Wedding Planner and Organizer from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/1623159857?ref_=cm_sw_r_mwn_dp_9CY905HN1SXSR0YJ0HYF&language=en-US & The Essential Wedding Planner from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/1795622563?ref_=cm_sw_r_apan_dp_XVHFS04HNVSKC8YRF2A0&language=en-US
Then sit down with your family and find out if anyone is willing to contribute to the wedding festivities. If they say yes, have them tell you exactly what they would like to pay for and how much they are able/willing to contribute. This is a critical part of your wedding budget planning process. You don’t want to start shopping for flowers which will be $10k, and your mom is setting her budget at $3k (example).
It can become a bit of a problem when you have family members who do not voice their contributions until the day of the wedding. like my father..and if you ask earlier on, they get offended. So you are walking on a fine line here. Know your people to avoid any wedding DRAMA!!!
Once you have an idea who is contributing how much, then start breaking down your expenses. This is where the spreadsheet comes into play.
Your spreadsheet should be set up to include your total budget amount and from there minus out ALL costs associated with the wedding …
– Venue
– Flowers
-Photographer/Videographer
-Invitations
-Entertainment
-Favors
-Attire
-Etc!
Then think about if any other other finances will be coming your way… getting a raise, tax return, second/third job…etc., which would contribute to your bottom line.
Do not forget that life goes on while planning a wedding. There might be unexpected expenses that may come your way. If you have a house and/or children, you need to forecast those unexpected expenses….i know.. stressfull!
Take a deep breath!
YOU GOT THIS!