How to Plan a Wedding on a Budget
Create a vision., Prioritize., Know how much to expect to spend on each aspect., Set an overall budget., Set aside a portion of your budget for each expense.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Create a vision.
First decide what you want the wedding to look and feel like.
You might not be able to have everything you want, but no matter how much you plan to spend you should develop an overall idea of the aesthetic of your wedding.
Where will your wedding and reception be held? Will it be indoor or outside? At a church or another public venue? Do you want a big event inviting everyone you know, or an intimate service with a limited guest list of close loved ones? Do you want a spring wedding? Summer? Autumn? Winter? What's the style? Modern or retro? Traditional or daring? Rustic or urban? Will there be a theme? -
Step 2: Prioritize.
It's likely you won't be able to have every idea of your vision, but a few colorful, unique details can make your wedding as memorable as any grandly orchestrated event wedding.
Figure out what aspects of the wedding design you can do yourself.
If they aren't too time consuming, you can probably keep those.
Pick a few key details to center your design around and concentrate on making those really shine. , Wedding planners recommend the following formula to divide your costs and not let any one element get out of control. 48-50% for the reception.
It's easy to get caught up on on the ceremony, but the reception is just as important—and expensive! 8-10% for flowers. 8-10% for attire. 8-10% for entertainment and/or music. 10-12% for professional photography and video 2-3% for invites. 2-3% for gifts for your guests. 8% for miscellaneous expenses and possibly a wedding coordinator.
Be sure to budget an extra 5-10% of your money for surprise expenses like printing extra invites because of mistakes, additional tailoring needs, umbrellas for a rainy day, and ribbons for the wedding programs. , Think about all the things you need, but be honest and conservative about what you can afford.
On the one hand this will be a once-in-a-lifetime event, but on the other it's rarely worth going broke to throw a nice party.
Set a total dollar cap and try to stick to it. , Set up a budget spreadsheet and allocate money to each part of the event.
Keep track of how much you are spending and enter it into the sheet.
Remember, if you can find savings in one aspect, you can move that money around to give yourself more room to work on other aspects (or just keep it cheap).
Make sure your spreadsheet compares your actual spending to expected spending so you know if you are over or under budget. -
Step 3: Know how much to expect to spend on each aspect.
-
Step 4: Set an overall budget.
-
Step 5: Set aside a portion of your budget for each expense.
Detailed Guide
First decide what you want the wedding to look and feel like.
You might not be able to have everything you want, but no matter how much you plan to spend you should develop an overall idea of the aesthetic of your wedding.
Where will your wedding and reception be held? Will it be indoor or outside? At a church or another public venue? Do you want a big event inviting everyone you know, or an intimate service with a limited guest list of close loved ones? Do you want a spring wedding? Summer? Autumn? Winter? What's the style? Modern or retro? Traditional or daring? Rustic or urban? Will there be a theme?
It's likely you won't be able to have every idea of your vision, but a few colorful, unique details can make your wedding as memorable as any grandly orchestrated event wedding.
Figure out what aspects of the wedding design you can do yourself.
If they aren't too time consuming, you can probably keep those.
Pick a few key details to center your design around and concentrate on making those really shine. , Wedding planners recommend the following formula to divide your costs and not let any one element get out of control. 48-50% for the reception.
It's easy to get caught up on on the ceremony, but the reception is just as important—and expensive! 8-10% for flowers. 8-10% for attire. 8-10% for entertainment and/or music. 10-12% for professional photography and video 2-3% for invites. 2-3% for gifts for your guests. 8% for miscellaneous expenses and possibly a wedding coordinator.
Be sure to budget an extra 5-10% of your money for surprise expenses like printing extra invites because of mistakes, additional tailoring needs, umbrellas for a rainy day, and ribbons for the wedding programs. , Think about all the things you need, but be honest and conservative about what you can afford.
On the one hand this will be a once-in-a-lifetime event, but on the other it's rarely worth going broke to throw a nice party.
Set a total dollar cap and try to stick to it. , Set up a budget spreadsheet and allocate money to each part of the event.
Keep track of how much you are spending and enter it into the sheet.
Remember, if you can find savings in one aspect, you can move that money around to give yourself more room to work on other aspects (or just keep it cheap).
Make sure your spreadsheet compares your actual spending to expected spending so you know if you are over or under budget.
About the Author
Evelyn Bishop
Experienced content creator specializing in pet care guides and tutorials.
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