Budget
Nothing says romance like groaning about capitalism and putting numbers on a spreadsheet.
The three currencies
There are three currencies you’ll utilize when planning and paying for a wedding are cash dollars, your time and energy, and the time and energy of other people. In general, the less you pay in dollars, the more you pay with your own time and energy, and/or the time and energy of other people. Each person’s wedding “balanced budget” will look different, and the most important thing is finding a balance that works for you.
Thinking about your own time and energy, and the time and energy of other people, as a limited resource (just like cash) will help you “budget” these resources appropriately.
The cash budget
In order to set a realistic cash budget, you should do a little investigating into the costs of weddings in your area. A wedding can happen on any budget, of course, but knowing the general costs will keep you from the disappointment of, say, deciding that your budget is $10k, and then finding out that $10k might not get you what you actually want.
The budget sheet I created has an estimate for each line item commonly paid for as part of a wedding. You do not need every single thing on this list.
Also, these average costs are across the nation. You may live somewhere where quality, affordable photographers are everywhere, or somewhere with lots of public parks to reserve, or somewhere with a floral wholesaler who will sell directly to consumer. What I am saying is that these costs definitely vary from place to place.
Cutting Corners
Planning your wedding involves making approximately 34,981 choices. From your rings to an elaborate send off, the decisions are relentless until the moment you walk down the aisle. With each choice you make, you will also have the opportunity to cut some corners and perhaps reduce your budget.
I highly encourage people to look into options beyond what is prescribed for a traditional wedding. It is healthy and reasonable to ask if you really do need a DJ, or if a punch and cake reception is better than a full dinner, or if you can get by with a thrifted dress or shoes you already own.
My husband and I drove away from our wedding in a rented U-Haul van, and shockingly, the world continued to turn. So, don't be afraid to nix the items that aren't important to you.
Consider the worst case scenario
However, if you are considering axing a major vendor or a major part of your wedding, consider the worst case scenario, and get okay with it.
For example, if you skip a DJ and elect to go with a laptop and a PA system, who will be in charge of cuing your processional (entrance) songs?
Will this person need to fade out one song for the family and wedding party, and then start a second song for a bridal entrance?
What if this transition is really bumpy? What if the transition into the second processional song cuts off the very beginning of it? What if it keeps playing long after you’ve reached the ceremony space?
None of these situations are life-ending, obviously, but if music playing at the correct time is a high priority for you, and a sloppy cuing job would really bum you out, maybe reconsider if skipping a professional DJ is the right move.
When I asked a former client recently if she regretted skipping a wedding photographer, she said “no, not really. But photos aren’t super important to me. I’m more of an object memory person, we have gifts and objects from our wedding around the house that remind me of the wedding.”
So, feel free to skip things that aren't for you, but be realistic about what your expectations are.
Last thing...
Before you decide to trim your costs by having a weekday or a Sunday wedding, please consider some of the points made here.
