When it comes to wedding planning - keep your budget in front of you at all times. One reader has asked what I would suggest when it comes to a budget. Patrick and I set a budget at the very beginning of our wedding planning and stuck to it. We ended up saving over $2,000 in the end, primarily by thinking about how much we could spend on certain things and trying to find cheaper services.
Here are the things to include in your budget:
CEREMONY
Aisle runner, Flowers: bouquets, boutonnieres, altar flowers, pew bows/flowers, tossing bouquet, Church fee, Flower baskets for flower girls, Programs, Officiant fee, Organist/sound technician/string quartet, Ring pillow, Unity Candle, Other decorations - candles, petals, Bubbles/petals/etc. to throw
CLOTHING
Alterations, Attendants attire - dresses, gloves, hats, jewelry, shoes, Flower girl's ensemble, Ring bearers' outfit, Groom's tuxedo/suit, cuff links, shoes, tie, hair, Brides ensemble - dress, hair, headpiece and veil, jewelry, makeup, nails, shoes, undergarments
GIFTS
Attendants gifts, Bride and Groom (to each other), Parents, Party favors, Welcome bags for out-of-town guests
RECEPTION
Beverages - bar set up, alcohol, soda, bartenders, Cake - cutting fee, groom's cake, Food - appetizers, salad, meal, etc., Additional meals - for band, photographer, videographer, etc., Centerpieces, Dance Floor, Linens, Restroom toiletries, Space rental, Cake cutting utensils, Champagne flutes, Chairs, Candles, China, Glassware, Serving staff, Silverware, Tables, Tent, Room treatments, Table numbers, DJ
PHOTOGRAPHY
Engagement photos, Photographer's fee, Videographer
STATIONERY
Calligraphy, Escort cards, Thank You Notes, Invitations - inner and outer envelopes - reception cards - reply cards, Map/direction cards, Save-the-dates, Place cards, Postage
TRANSPORTATION & LODGING
Bride and Groom, Guests, Parents, Wedding Party
WEDDING CONSULTANT
Additional staff, Expenses, Fee
RINGS
Engagement, Wedding
OTHER
Wedding gown preservation, Marriage License, Gratuities
Now, you may have noticed that certain things aren't here that you've been thinking about (for instance, the Honeymoon!!). Feel free to use this as a guide and add/subtract as needed.
1 comment:
Nice list, Heather! The only things I would add would be under gifts. You want to be sure to buy a gift for anyone who had an official role in your wedding (including the readers, extra ushers and guestbook attendant). If your musicians were friends (and didn’t charge you!) a gift would be appropriate there as well. Also, you won’t want to forget people who were a special help to you throughout the process. For example, a few of my sisters’ friends (or their mothers) let us borrow a lot of things we used at the wedding, i.e. tablecloths and julep cups for the reception and plenty of bows and tulle. None of these people were even invited to the wedding, but I was sure to give them a small gift (we used fancy note cards for this) as a thank you. I also gave a gift to the lady in the church office where we got married who was really helpful with all of the organizing.
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