First of all, congratulations on your engagement! Now what? Let’s talk about the wedding budget and my guide to know the breakdown.

The hard conversations

First thing is first. This will likely be the most difficult part of planning. So let’s get it out of the way! It’s time to sit down with your fiancé and family and discuss budget…… and who is paying for what.

 

Nowadays the financial burden is no longer solely on the bride’s family. Weddings are expensive and you may need all the help you can get. Especially if you are planning your dream wedding! Sometimes the situation means the bride and groom are footing the whole bill, or at least a good portion.

 

No matter the financial situation, determine who is paying for what and how much. The last thing you want as newlyweds is to go deep in debt over the ceremony. Remember, you and your guests will relive the memories way more than the décor.

 

Of course it is fun to dream of creating the perfect wedding, but let’s get back to reality. I can’t stress enough to avoid a financial strain at the beginning of your marriage. Sit down, as future husband and wife, and make your first decision together. You BOTH need to decide what you can and can’t live without on your wedding day.

 

Once you have BOTH decided on a budget, how will the budget be spent? Don’t worry because I have that covered for you! Here is my Wedding Budget Guide that I have created just for you! This is a typical breakdown chart you will find in places such as Wedding Wire. Obviously as you are aware, Pinterest will be your best friend.

The breakdown

Now, don’t feel like you HAVE to follow this 100%. It’s a guideline that is meant to help but can definitely be altered to fit your wedding needs.

Here are some other tips to save and/or allocate your wedding budget:

• Shop around smartly for vendors. Check out my blog “How Do I Start Planning a Wedding” for more helpful tips.  There are tons of wedding professionals out there that are high quality AND affordable. Usually these are the vendors that will be new-er to the industry or they are small local businesses. Don’t discredit these vendors, just make sure to do your research! We all started somewhere.

 

• Discuss all the possibilities with your vendors. Vendors should be able to give you different price point options and explain exactly what that entails. They also should be able to show you ways to save with substitutions. After all they are professionals and should be able to give awesome tips and advice!

 

• Be open to altering your vision. It may save you time, money, and headache.

 

There are a few things that you MUST remember to include: taxes and gratuities. Taxes are usually included in the bill and some vendors (like caterers) will include a set gratuity in their bill. However, if they don’t that means it’s up to you to include it in your final payment. Even though it’s your wedding, these people are busting their butts to make this day everything you want. So make sure to thank them verbally and tip them, well.

 

Here’s a breakdown of who to tip, how much, and when you should. Also, don’t forget to factor in potential overage charges and miscellaneous expenses. Some vendors will specify these charges in their contracts but if they don’t it’s safer to leave some room for overages. Better to be safe than sorry!

 

If you’re interested in finding out more information on wedding budgets and planning please follow me on Pinterest. If you are looking for a wedding photographer I would love to chat with you! Head over to Zack Hawkins Photography and let’s start planning your wedding today!