The Importance of a Wedding Budget

Budget, what a dirty word for most of us. This is your wedding day, the day of dreams and when all your fantasies should come true. You should feel like a princess and be treated like one as well. How is this supposed to happen on a budget? As a Bridal Consultant, one of the first things I ask every bride, is what is your budget? I can't do anything until I know that magic number. Now I know that their are some families out there that will do anything in order to make their daughters wedding dreams come true. To the point of taking out a second mortgage on their house! I know, my father offered that very thing for mine!

However much you have to spend, it is important to have a number to work with. Each vendor you hire has a high end price,as well as a low end. With a budget you can establish an amount you want to spend on each service, and which ones you want to splurge on.

Having a budget, even a rough estimate of one can make it easier for you to negotiate prices. If you know what you want to spend on, for example, your wedding cake, and you know what the average cost is for what you want, then you can make sure the vendor understands as well what you are not willing to pay.

How to Establish a Budget:

Establishing a budget hinges on a few key elements. Tradition states that the brides parents pay for most of the wedding, while the grooms family usually pays for the rehearsal dinner as well as a few other items. With some couples marrying later in life, most are able to pitch in quite a bit, or perhaps pay for the entire event. As soon as the wedding date has been chosen, the bride should sit down with her parents and determine how much they are able to contribute to the wedding. Then together the couple should approach the grooms family to ask the same question. This means both families going over their budget, and doing a little research into the cost of weddings. Come up with an average for the city the wedding is to take place in. Ask around and find out what other couples have paid for their wedding. Also decide what you want to splurge on and other areas that may not be as important.

Accomplishing these tasks will help you come up with a number you can work with. I like to have most of my brides give me a high and a low estimate of what they would like to spend. This is helpful when negotiations with vendors begin. Knowing what you have to spend will allow you to stick with a budget and also to see where you are able to save.