Wedding Budgeting Guide
Unless you are lucky enough to have access to unlimited funds, chances are you are going to have to set a strict budget for your wedding plans. Whether you, your parents, or a combination of the two are paying for the big day, there will have to be financial limits somewhere. Be careful not to overextend yourselves, and remember that no matter what your budget may be, it's all what you make of it.
Budget Basics
There is really only one rule when it comes to wedding budgeting: plan only for the type of wedding that you can realistically afford.
- Sit down and set priorities. What aspects of the wedding are most important to you?
- For some, the reception venue might be more important than the designer wedding dress. Think about what components you might want to splurge on.
- If you have a large family and group of friends, are you looking to have as many of them as possible at the wedding? If so, you might have to skip out on a lavish destination wedding in order to accommodate your guest list.
- How important is the honeymoon to you? Some couples think about taking that holiday a few months after the wedding; this helps save money!
- Come up with a provisional sum. Think about how much money you are willing to spend along with how manageable your wedding debt will be in the future.
- Know that the average cost of a wedding in the U.K. is between £11,000 and £15,000. Again, this number is just an average; adjust it to fit your budget.
- Leave room for the unexpected. Whatever budget you set, add on an additional 15% just in case.
- Adding this amount gives you a little bit of a cushion. Sometimes items are unaccounted for, and this additional money helps to ease the stress of that problem.
- Ultimately, you can end up under budget (which is great!) or just at your original budget idea.
- Don't give in to pressure. When it comes to vendors, be sure to stick to your budget. Spending even a few pounds more on each item can throw off the entire cost of the wedding.
- Shop around. Don't necessarily give in to the first offer that you receive. Comparing prices will be valuable in the long run!
- Visit multiple vendors and ask for their quotations in writing. This will make it easy for you to keep track of prices and choose the vendor that will give you the best deal.
Related Guides
Check out some of our other wedding guides to get your planning on its way!
