Does Your Wedding Budget Scare You?
Updated: Jan 7, 2022
First of all, CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement!! I'm sure the first thing going through your mind, is "what now?"
The first thing you should think of after that engagement ring goes on your finger is HOW MUCH is this going to cost? Of course the HOW MUCH depends on WHERE and HOW MANY people. It doesn't go without saying that the more people you invite, the more you will spend.
The biggest MISCONCEPTION that brides face is that they think the backyard wedding will be more cost effective and less expensive. This is WRONG!! If you decide to do it in your backyard vs a wedding venue you will have to bring in the tables, the chairs, the floral, the linens, the outdoor potties (especially if you are on a septic tank), the tent (you HAVE to have this no matter what time of year), and the DELIVERY fees of all of this! This all ADDS UP.
In the end, you're really not saving that much so make sure and do your homework and price things out ahead of time and compare!
Now that you have processed the info above, the FIRST item in your budget is the VENUE. If the backyard idea isn't in your plans, then you can anticipate spending anywhere from $1500-$15,000 and upwards - depending on where you live.
The venue is the most important decision and the most costly, in most cases. So think about what kind of venue you want and let the road trips begin! Research all your venue options online and CALL them to see if they have your date available and then set up the time to do a site visit.
Be mindful of your wedding date and try to not put so much importance in the date. Many venues book years in advance; so adjust your date to the venue not the other way around.
Next is the WEDDING PLANNER! 2022 is going to be wedding mayhem! I can't tell you how important it is to pick your planner. Not every planner will be for you and vice versa! If you are a DIY Bride and want a Month Of Planner, they can range from $800 on up depending on how much help you will need.
There are planners that offer coaching calls (like me!) if you don't have the money for a planner. You can schedule a call to get professional advice on how to move forward if you have run into a kink (and, trust me, there are a lot of them). This is a little easier on your pocket book, too. Check out my Concierge Calls in my Shop. I'm happy to help if you need it!
I want to note, however, that hiring a planner for your Day Of is really critical. The planner will make your day! Please don't put your family and friends in the position of helping on the day of your wedding. They will not be able to enjoy your wedding and it can also cause a lot of resentment. I've seen SO many relationships broken because the bride thinks her cousin can manage her day. I promise, you'll be disappointed.
Next is the PHOTOGRAPHER, the CATERER, the DJ, and the DRESS! Videographers are VERY pricey, but not every bride wants to have the entire day on video. Some prefer to just hire a videographer for the ceremony or just the reception where you can save some money.
Once you have all the major vendors listed above taken care of, you need to budget for: rental furniture, décor, save the dates, invitations, wedding website, floral, the officiant, gifts for guests, photo booth and the list can go on and on.
There are several wedding budgets that are set up for you online but I have already created a digital BUDGET WORKSHEET for FREE. All you have to do is click the button below and it will come to your inbox!
I have spent hours trying to create the most accurate budget template that auto populates as you enter fees and number of guests. This will save you TON of time, so click on the button below to get it now! (Note: My BUDGET WORKSHEET is goes into MUCH MORE DETAIL than the one shown here).
Weddings are EXPENSIVE but you only get to do this once (hopefully) and you want it to be memorable. Also, the best advice I can give you is to enjoy your journey. Wedding planning is stressful, to say the least. Take some time to reflect and enjoy the planning process. In January, I am launching a unique interactive journal to document your planning
process so you can share it with someone dear
to you down the road, so stay tuned for that to come soon!
Happy Planning!