If you care more about one area than another, change up the percentages.īased on your percentages, take a moment with your fiancé to decide on your top three must-haves for your big day. Maybe you’re willing to splurge on photos, but flowers don’t really matter to you. You should set your ratios based on what’s important to you. These aren’t set numbers that’s just the ratio Winston and I used. I suggest breaking the total wedding budget into categories and figuring out what percentage to devote to each: When I say budget here, I’m not just talking about how much money you can spend total-I’m talking about how much you should spend in each specific area. What a priceless experience! Learning to talk openly and honestly about how much you can spend-and how much you’re willing to spend-on your wedding is going to lay the groundwork for wonderful budget date nights once you’re married!Īs uncomfortable as this budget talk might be, just remember-it’s a heck of a lot easier than still paying for your wedding day on your fifth anniversary! This might be your first experience budgeting with your future spouse as a team. When it comes to planning a wedding on a budget, knowing your priorities matters.Įveryone paying for the event (bride, groom and parents) needs to sit down and look at the total wedding budget. Instead, think about the overall feel you want your wedding to have. What did you like-or not like-about them?ĭon’t get hung up on the little details just yet. If you need a little more inspiration, think about all the weddings you’ve been to, seen on TV, or scrolled through on Pinterest. When you picture your wedding, what do you see? A swanky reception at a downtown loft? A backyard barbecue with all your friends and family? A classic hotel ballroom reception? If you don’t want to sink boatloads of money into one (although very special) day, I have some practical tips to plan a wedding on a budget you’ll still love! You can have a wonderful, memorable wedding-no matter what your budget is!

Your wedding is one of the best days of your life, so you may feel pressure to plan an elaborate celebration. Sometimes the wedding a couple wants doesn’t align with what they can afford, and that’s when the trouble begins. It’s difficult to nail down a dollar amount if you’re unsure how much bang you can get for your buck. You just need a budget!įiguring out your wedding budget can be confusing if you’ve never planned a large event.

You can still have a traditional wedding ceremony and reception without going overboard. ( 1) That's a pretty steep wedding budget-and it doesn’t even count the honeymoon expense!Īfter reading that you may be ready to elope! Compared to footing the bill for a lavish wedding, taking a simple trip to the courthouse is obviously more economical. Congratulations, you’re engaged! You’re probably flying high with visions of wedded bliss in your head, but here’s a statistic that’s sure to bring you back to earth: According to The Knot, the average cost of a wedding in the U.S.

Wedding budget planner book