#WeddingWednesday: Budget Guide 101
One thing that is right there parallel with planning a wedding is spending money. Whether you are wanting an extravagant wedding or a more intimate wedding, it all revolves around the dollar signs. During our initial planning process even before contacting vendors, we noticed that "B word" quickly dissolving. Now we just had to figure out how to close the gap between my Pinterest-wedding expectations and my realistic budget as I'm sure all of you newly engaged ladies have realized as well.For all of you that are from Northern Florida (like me), the average cost of a wedding here is $35,638. If you divvy that up, you are spending approximately $255 per person for an 140 guest party which is the average amount of people usually invited to a wedding. If that doesn't give you a mini heart attack, then you should be fine throughout your planning process. If it DOES freak you out a little bit, keep reading.
The first thing you want to do when creating a budget is sign up with a third-party marketplace that enables you to view hundreds of vendors of your choice. One of my favorites to use is WeddingWire. With just a click of a button, you have the ability to search through multiple florists, photographers, caterers, venues, etc. around your area. Not only are you able to see the details on the vendors, you are able to read reviews about them as well which is 100% helpful. Now, you are probably wondering what the heck does this have to do with a budget?! On to my next point... WeddingWire enables you to create and keep track of your budget and payment due dates right from their website. You can enter in an expected amount and then the actual amount after purchasing each service and it totals it up at the very end to show you how much you have spent to date. Isn't that easier than creating an Excel sheet?Below are percentages of what vendors usually take up the most of your budget..
- Caterer: 21%
- Ceremony & Reception Venue: 19%
- Band or DJ: 14%
- Photography/Videographer: 12%
- Flowers: 7%
- Wedding Dress: 5%
- Cake: 2%
- Hair/Makeup: 2%
- Invitations: 1%
- Grooms Attire: 1%
- Favors/Gifts: 1%
Now, of course this isn't set in stone by any means. It is just an average. From here, you can prioritize what vendors are most important to you.Some other ways you can save money are:
- Reuse your bridesmaids and your bouquet as centerpieces for the head sweetheart table.
- Have your wedding on a Thursday, Friday, Sunday or Monday night instead of Saturday night which is the most expensive, "peak" night of the week.
- Attend bridal expos because vendors like DJ's and photographers will give offers/specials.
- Use buttercream frosting on your cake instead of fondant (it taste better and is cheaper - win win!)
I completely understand that some of these #WW posts are not for every bride-to-be out there. Some of you may have opted for a intimate, backyard garden wedding so you may not have to worry about your budget so much. If anyone ever has any topics they want me to cover or questions they have been dying to get answered, just message me. :) I would love to talk wedding with you!Have a great night!Happy Planning! <3