Resourceful Tips for the Savvy Bride...Is it possible to have the wedding of your dreams without going into debt?

Yes, but it will require preplanning and discipline. Many brides do it, and you can too!

Most people do not enjoy discussing budgets, and things may get a little tense around the house when determining the ultimate budget...The Wedding Budget. It will be less stressful for everyone involved if good communication and a sense of humor is maintained. The first step is to determine who is contributing to your wedding expenses and how much.

The next step is for the couple to envision what will make their wedding special and meaningful to them. Mindy Weiss, a celebrity wedding planner, says, “No matter how big or small their budget, every couple has to make decisions about their priorities. Here’s one good way to gauge how essential something is: Ask yourself, ‘Will anyone notice if we don’t have it?’”

Know the total amount of your wedding budget and stick to it. You can customize your budget according to the things that are the most important to you....for some couples it is photography, for others it is flowers and decor. Everyone has their own preferences and priorities.

Record ALL of your wedding expenses on a regular basis to help keep you on track. An EXCEL spreadsheet is an easy way to total up your expenses as you make purchases and submit deposits.

How do you know where to start when making a wedding budget if you do not know how much everything will cost? Real Simple Weddings provides a good starting point: Average Wedding Costs in Texas.


Another easy way to calculate your wedding budget is to use the basic guideline below. If you are planning a $20,000 wedding, the percentage listed for each topic will show you the budgeted expense. The percentages are just a guideline, customize them according to your priorities.


Reception                   50%-$10,000
Photography                9%-$1800
Flowers                          7%-$1400
Dress                              6%-$1200
Miscellaneous              6 %-$1200
Day-of Coordinator     5%-$1000
Reception Music          3%-$800
Cake                                3%-$600
Ceremony Music          2%-$400
Invitations                      2%-$400
Ceremony Site              2%-$400
Favors                             1%-$200
Hair, makeup                 1%-$200
Transportation              2%-$400


You have the opportunity to personalize your wedding by creating a budget that will reflect the areas that are the most significant to you as a couple. It IS possible to have a beautiful, unique, meaningful wedding without breaking the bank...and remember that clear communication and a sense of humor will see you through.
EXCEL is your friend!
Karen

You Can Have Your Cake and Eat It Too…
Resourceful tips for the Savvy Bride

There have been numerous articles about the economy and how it is affecting brides and their wedding plans. It may sound like everything is doom-and-gloom, but that is not the case. It IS possible to have a beautiful wedding without breaking the bank, but it will take some creativity and thoughtful planning. This is the first installment in a series, You Can Have Your Cake and Eat It Too…Resourceful Tips for the Savvy Bride.


The Guest List
The quickest way to cut your wedding costs is to trim your guest list. This will reduce costs across the board…food, drinks, size of ceremony and reception sites, chairs, tables, centerpieces, wedding cake, invitations, etc. Invite people that are important to you and your fiancé. Do you really need to include all of your co-workers, relatives that you've met once or twice, or your parent's business associates? There is nothing wrong if you choose to include these people, but invite them because YOU want them there to witness your special day. In her book Intimate Weddings, Christina Friedrichsen advises that you ask yourself these questions when making a guest list. "Are we inviting this person simply because we feel obligated to? Have we seen this person in the last year? Does this person have a significant other? If not, is it necessary for him/her to bring a guest? Do we want to invite children?"

The old saying, "The more the merrier" does not apply when you are paying for a wedding. Christine Boulton, creator of Wedding Dish writes, "75% of brides-to-be now have to adjust their budget because of the current economic climate. One of the ways they (45%) are making that adjustment is by reducing the guest list. Like I have been saying for a while, the weddings you see on TV aren't the Real American Wedding, they are the anomaly. It is time that the wedding media got back to reality and started showing brides that they can have a wonderful, touching, meaningful wedding without taking out a second mortgage." I totally agree! Good luck trimming your guest list!
Snip, snip. Karen