B U D G E T   P L A N N E R

When the excitement of getting engaged has started to evaporate and you begin to think about your big day, the dreaded word ‘budget’ creeps in. Everyone keeps saying you must ‘budget’ and what is your ‘budget’ for this and that?

So what is a ‘budget’? Is it spending as little as possible? Or is it something that is set to be broken? Either way you would be extremely sensible to write down a plan for spending – in what ever way works for you.

Sticking to it is the challenge!

So how much will the whole thing cost?

How long is a piece of string?

Remember, a wedding planner or a trusted friend can help you budget and help keep you grounded when it comes to purchases, do your research and be realistic.

Of course you don’t have to go silly, some of the best weddings have been done on a shoestring and they have that cosy, intimate feel about them – remember your day can be perfect without spending an arm and a leg, of course if you want to blow the budget – now’s the time to do it and get away with it!

Writing a budget:

Begin to think about what you can afford – remember most suppliers will ask for a deposit then the final payment just before your wedding, so you may be able to save up over the coming months – BUT be careful, make sure you do actually save up, don’t be tempted to spend on credit cards or over drafts – or you might still be paying for your big day on your 5 year anniversary!

So what should you allow for each item? Think about what you simply cannot do without and what you feel you can devote more money too, and then write a list. Put the list in order of importance – that way when your money starts to run out you might be able to drop a few of the items at the bottom of the list to allow for this.

Maybe you could both write a list, then compare them. You can then agree on what you must splash out on and what you can be less generous on. Be prepared to compromise – he might not see the nine horse carriage as a necessity!

Here is a rough guide to costs for some suppliers  

Be aware that prices vary (sometimes considerably) so do your research first before committing.

DRESS – anything from £100 for hiring one to £3000 for a designer hand made dress

(some dress shops have out of season or second hand dresses for sale which are more reasonable)

PHOTOGRAPHER – free if you have a trusted friend! Most packages are around £2000 including an album

FLORIST - £1000 - £2000 depending on volume and season

VENUE - £300 to hire a hall or up to £5000 to hire a stately home

CATERING – should be around £35-£50 per person for a 3 course meal

CAKES - £150 - £300 should provide a nice 2 or 3 tier cake

MONEY SAVING IDEAS

Remember that some suppliers will offer discounts to wedding planners who recommend them a lot and may also offer deals for out of season or weekday weddings, be sure to ask you never know!

Try to ask friends and family to help out, maybe not in the financial sense but do you have an aunt who can bake lovely cakes, or a talented seamstress in the family? They will be delighted to help out and it might just save you a fortune!

REMEMBER, REMEMBER……

Remember to include things like overnight accommodation, travel costs, new passports, time off work (if you are self employed this might be a factor). Everything should be accounted for or you might just see your budget running away with you.

Lastly I would suggest that you write your budget, do some research and keep the budget updated as often as you can, if one of you comes into some money (say Christmas gifts or bonus at work) then you might want to increase the spending allowed in one area of your budget.

It is estimated that around £1500 to £2000 is overspent on needless things, ordering something in the heat of the moment or not doing enough research.

Information courtesy of  Isabella Weddings – Wedding and Event Planners