The excitement of planning a wedding can often make you lose sight of some important details. Above all, you may get ahead of yourself and forego the budget you’ve set. This is especially easy early on when you’re filled with ideas and want to incorporate every item you find on Pinterest into your big day. However, you must exercise restraint and keep a cool head. You can still see fantastic results from your efforts. Use these tips to learn how to be realistic when it comes to your budget.
Understand the Standards
When first setting out to price vendors and services for a wedding, couples make one big mistake: In many cases, the couple will look at general prices in the industry. While it can be helpful to know how much photographers cost overall, you actually want to know what the standards are in your specific area. If you live in a small town, you’re not going to be paying anywhere near what a couple would in a larger metropolitan area. Be as specific as possible when determining price ranges, and it will help you immensely with establishing a budget.
Create a List of Priorities
It stands to reason both you and your partner have specific desires when it comes to the wedding. While compromise is usually the best tool available to couples, you also need to prioritize your wants. If your biggest desire is a specific caterer, then this would be at the top of your priority list. When the budget becomes tight, you will use this list to see which of your desires takes precedence over the rest. By adhering to a prioritized list, you should have an easier time knowing when to let go of an expensive service.
Factor in the Real Cost of DIY
Some couples assume that they can save a lot of money by tackling certain tasks themselves. While true in some respects, it largely depends on how you go about the idea. Making elaborate centerpieces on your own may not cost as much as ordering the items from a florist, but putting in a lot of time and energy takes you away from other important responsibilities. Before you assume you should follow a DIY path, weigh out the actual costs to your finances, emotions, and time.
Learn To Scale Back
Before you send out invitations to guests, you should always look over your list a few times and ask some serious questions. Are you inviting certain people because you actually want them there or because you feel obliged? This is your big day, and you don’t have to share it with anyone you don’t want to, especially since you’re paying for the whole event. Run through the list and get comfortable with the idea of scaling back. The more people you cut, the more money you can spend on other event services you have your eye on.
Used Is Absolutely Fine
Secondhand is never a word you should turn your nose up at. When you’ve got an opportunity to get anything secondhand for your wedding, you should put some serious thought into the idea. Some people feel weird buying anything used, but this is a phenomenal way to save money and get some real treasures. This is especially fantastic for wedding dresses, as plenty of brides sell their designer gowns after a single use for a fraction of what they initially put down. You’ll be pleasantly surprised how used items often look and feel brand new.
Though it may seem counterintuitive, thinking outside the box is one of the best ways to maintain a sense of pragmatism with your wedding budget. Learn to make cuts and think on the fly to bring your day together in an affordable way.
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