Three things you need to know before budget planning

Wedding Planning Advice that will actually help you!

Ahh the budget; the ugly sister of wedding planning. But coming from a self-confessed ‘spreadsheetaholic’ it really doesn’t have to be this way. Now, we’re not here to give you a budget breakdown on dress, shoes, signage and flowers etc. Who are we to say how much a wedding should cost? Wedding budgets are as varied as my toddler’s moods…!

But no matter the budget, we all need to decide where to splurge and where to save at some point or another. The key to taking control of your budget is preparation.

Fail to prepare, prepare to  fail  stress your way down the aisle. So, here at Wedding Ready Co, we urge you to take note on these 3 simple tips before sitting down to devise your own wedding budget.

1. SPOIL THE ‘SURPRISE’ COSTS

A classic budget error is failing to estimate each item, then receiving a bill that wasn’t budgeted for. To avoid activating bride/groomzilla, take note of these classic ‘forgotten’ bills; the big ticket items couples often forget.

Dress alterations

Depending on intricacy of the dress, it’s not unusual for alterations to cost $700 or more.

Wedding rings

You’d be surprised how many couples forget about this one!

Honeymoon

Perhaps guests are contributing to a honeymoon fund, but flights and pre-paid accommodation need to be factored into the wedding budget.

Menu tasting

Some venues will charge for a menu tasting so be sure to enquire about this early in the process.

Crew meals

Band, DJ, photographer, videographer; these guys may need to be fed! Your venue may offer a discounted crew meal so flag this early in the ol’ spreadsheet or checklist

Damage waivers

Prop hire often incurs a 15% damage waiver to allow for general wear and tear fixes.

Delivery

Delivery of wedding items is a great option to eliminate the pre-wedding rush and stress (ahem, you should be drinking prosecco all week) but take note of the vendor’s location to cut delivery costs.

Audio visual / production costs

Early access, tech assistance or audio-visual extras can really sting the budget. Ceiling installations may incur a standard rigging cost upwards of $1,000 for large venues.

‘The Wedding Wardrobe’

What the… is a wedding wardrobe you may ask! Now this is one that barely gets factored in because the wedding is so often viewed as one day, but it can also be a string of events surrounding it! When you think about the bridal shower, hens, boudoir shoot (yesss!) post wedding recovery day, and 3 weeks on your honeymoon, that is lot of outfits you may had not yet factored in the budget… eep.

2. INVEST IN YOUR GUESTS

Your wedding is a huge day for you, but it’s also quite a commitment for guests. Hair, makeup, dress/suit, gift, babysitters, travel – your guests have gone to great lengths to celebrate this day.

So, when cutting costs, think about how each expense brings value to their night as well as your own.

Hot tip: those beautiful visual items seen on the gram such as custom dancefloor decal and Jimmy Choo heels, don’t actually bring much value to your guest’s day. I mean, if these fit in the budget then by all means, you get those Jimmy Choo’s girl!

However, if the budget comes down to choosing gold plated cutlery OR a shelter for guests from the rain/heat, you may want to think about what will make your guests (and you!) more comfortable.

Now guys, I know you love every person on that guestlist but let’s remember; they’re human. Major inconveniences such as no shelter from the elements will always be remembered and potentially spoken about the next day over a cuppa. It is your day yes, though do also invest in your guest’s comfort and I promise the only thing Aunt Susan will be complaining about are the blisters on her feet from dancing the night away!

3. GUESTS DON’T MISS WHAT THEY DON’T HAVE (unless it’s shelter or comfort…!!)

When compiling your list of ‘must haves’, ask yourself the question; Do I want this for us? Or to purely impress others? If it’s to impress others, ask yourself… why?

I know it hurts to remove some of those dreamy ‘wish list’ items but remember; your guests will walk into the incredible event that’s been meticulously planned and be totally wow’d at all its elements.

I tell you what they won’t say?

*in snobby accent* “Cute reception but where’s the custom decal on the dancefloor Sandra”. (if you think they will say this, then quite frankly they don’t deserve to be at your wedding..!)

They never knew it was an option! So don’t blow the budget just to impress others. Think of all those cocktails at the swim up bar on your Honeymoon you could have instead…!

Hope this helps – happy wedding planning lovers! x