It’s essential to have a budget for your wedding, whether it’s a hometown wedding or a destination wedding. You want to avoid spending more then you need to.
The dollar value comes from you and you need to break it down into each of the categories.
A few things that will help you:
Come up with that dollar value that you’d like to spend on your special day. Allocate funds to each of the categories like invitations, location, attire, food, flowers, photography, video, music, accommodations among other things that you’d like to have on your day.
Search for the best priced options based on your categories, keeping in mind not every thing has to be top dollar. Ask your wedding planner for help in sticking to your budget.
Pare down your guest list, for every guest it costs you more and if you know they won’t come or they don’t meet the MUST be there list take them off, you could always invite them for dinner at a later date.
Skip holding the wedding on a weekend,that’s one of the best parts of a destination wedding. Everyone is already here so pick a weekday for the wedding and that will save you money on your venue among other things.
Stay open minded. A bouquet of red roses is pretty and beautiful but also expensive and in some locations hard to find, use local flowers. Think outside the box to have the wedding of your dreams without the expense.
Don’t forget about taxes and gratuities they add up with all the various components of your wedding and need to be included.
Utilize local resources. Flowers, a photographer, a closer location and a driver to get you to it. Local people do amazing things for weddings – cook, clean, bartend, where you can use someone local vs bringing someone with you, use them.
Suggestions for reducing your costs!
Not my favourite but possible, team up with another bride save costs on decor, location, food etc. Have one have the wedding in the morning and you in the afternoon or vice versa.
Keep it cute and small, don’t wipe something off the budget unless you absolutely have to. Make small cuts to various items across the budget so you don’t have to give up on something, you may really want to make your day special.
Nix the farewell brunch which has become a bit of a tradition or make it Dutch so it’s off your budget.
Prioritize your spending what on your list is key to both you and your partner and make sure you achieve those items. Needs vs wants and then add in what your budget will allow.
The key is to have a day to remember without spending more money then you really have to.
Here’s a budget planning template to download.