Wedding Budgeting: Crafting Your Perfect Day Without Breaking the Bank

How To Create a Wedding Budget

Congratulations on embarking on the exciting journey of planning your dream wedding! While envisioning the perfect day is exhilarating, creating a budget is the crucial first step to ensure your celebration stays both magical and financially sound. Let's dive into the art of wedding budgeting and discover how to craft the perfect financial foundation for your special day.

Tailor Your Budget To Your Dreams

Take your dream vision into account when crafting your budget. Our past couples, just like you, initially aimed for a budget around $15,000 but ended up spending closer to $30,000. This isn't uncommon, especially when your heart is set on creating an extraordinary experience. No matter what your budget is, it's important to consider your finances as a whole and what you need for your dream wedding day to come to a realistic number to begin your wedding planning with.

Prioritize Your Non-Negotiable Wedding Necessities

What elements of your wedding are absolute must-haves? Allocate a significant portion of your budget to these non-negotiables. For some, it's the perfect venue; for others, it's capturing the essence of the day through stunning photography.

The most common vendors couple's prioritize when planning their budget are:

• Venue
• Photographer or Videographer
• Catering
• Wedding Attire
• Entertainment

Watch Out For Hidden Fees and Unexpected Costs

Keep in mind the hidden costs that can pop up. Taxes, gratuities, and unexpected fees can sneak in. Our advice? Add a buffer to your budget, so you can navigate these surprises without sacrificing your dream elements. Also, ask ahead of time during the booking process with all of your vendors if there will be extra fees at any time such as travel or necessary add ons. You can also search for vendors who have all of their costs and fees built into their own packages (hint - if you want an all inclusive photography package, you should reach out to us at Adri Rae Photo!)

Try DIY Wedding Projects

Inject your personality into the celebration! Consider DIY projects or involve friends and family in contributing their unique talents. It adds a personal touch and can save you money, allowing you to allocate funds where they matter most.

Some popular DIY Wedding Projects are:

• DIY Centerpieces
• DIY Ceremony Arches
• DIY Wedding Bouquets
• DIY Wedding Invitations
• DIY Wedding Signs

Utilize Wedding Planning Tools Tailored to Your Vision:

Leverage online tools designed for couples like you. These tools can help you track expenses, manage payments, and keep your dream vision organized and within reach. Some popular and recommended tools to help you from setting up a wedding website to tracking your budget to managing your guest lists include:

• The Knot
• WeddingWire
• Zola

Alternatively, you can track important details yourself using cloud services such as Google Sheets, which makes it easy to share with friends and family who may be helping you plan!

Above all, the key is to focus on what matters most to you as a couple. Prioritizing your budget based on your unique values and vision will result in a wedding that reflects your love story authentically.