Though your budget is of course totally up to you to decide, it's safe to say for most people, weddings cost a huge amount of money. The key is setting your budget to a figure you know you can afford, and not getting so carried away you end up with a bunch of final payment invoices a month before your wedding, that you can't pay off. It's important to stay realistic, so think about setting reachable goals to save for your wedding. So, are there any tips and tricks to do this? Well, I'm no finacial adviser, but I have learnt a thing or two from my couples along the way and now... it's my turn! Let the saving commence...
Managing Expectations
First of all, do some research. Have a look at different suppliers you like and find out what they cost to get a good idea of what you could be looking at paying. You should always make a priorities list, because it's not realistic to expect the very best of everything. Decide where you would like to put more of your money into and then create a budget spreadsheet allocating money to each element of the wedding. You then know what you should be aiming to spend when choosing who to hire.
It's Time To Make Some Sacrifices
I'm afraid to tell you, no successful saving plan comes without sacrifices. Holidays, meals and drinks out... daily takeaway coffees! These are all things that should possibly be put on hold for a while, or at least cut down. Unless of course that will make you totally miserable, in which case, the wedding day isn't worth your everyday happiness.
Have a look at your subscriptions too. Do you really need to have Netflix, Prime AND Disney? Probably not. And what about the ones you forgot you were even paying for? Have a look at those direct debits and see what can be cancelled.
Check You're On Track
In order to make sure you reach your goals, you need to regularly check you're staying on track. Give yourself monthly targets, log it and visualise your progress. If you're not saving as much or as fast as you need to, this will give you an indication that you must start making some more serious changes, or even lower your overall budget slightly.
It's also an idea to hold each other accountable. If you feel comfortable doing so, you can check in with your partner and see eachothers progress. The extra support might help to keep you motivated and on track.
Consider A Joint Bank Account
If you don't already have one, then saving into a joint account is often the best way to build up your money together. You can both commit to sending a certain amount a month via direct debit, so you don't even have to think about it. You're much less likely to spend that money when it belongs to both of you than you would if it was solely yours. It's much easier to see exactly how much you've saved and have to spend on the wedding when it's all in one place.
Look Into Planning a Wedding On a Budget
Not only should you be saving for your wedding, but you should be looking into different tips and tricks for planning a wedding on a budget, if of course you are on a budget. I wrote a blog on invaluable wedding budget tips, which you can read here. There is all sorts of amazing advice out there that you should seriously read into. There is a hack for every element of a wedding, so don't go booking things willy nilly without doing a bit of research.
Hire A Wedding Planner!
"Are you mad??" You might be saying? Well, slightly actually yes, but I truthfully believe that hiring a wedding planner will likely SAVE you money in the long run. Your wedding planner will create your comprehensive budget, using a total figure that YOU gave them and your list of priorities. They will then be responsible for selecting suppliers that fit into that budget, and will oversee everything you spend. It's literally our job to ensure you stay on track!
Not only that, but we have all the knowledge and experience to save you costly mistakes. We've learned every trick in the book to avoid spending unneccesary money. It is also our job to negotiate and get you the very best prices possible. We know which suppliers are the best value for money and you will have access to our industry discounts. You really can't argue with that!
Honesty Is The Best Policy
My last piece of advice is to always always talk to and be honest with your suppliers. They want you to have an incredible day too and they don't want to put you in debt to acheive it. Don't try to haggle them down. Simply let them know your max budget and they will find a way to make it work. Communication is always key and you'll find the vast majority of workers in the wedding industry are as pure as they come. They chose a job that revolves around love, and I think that's pretty special in itself. So put your trust in them, and allow them to help you.
For more advice on how to keep costs down for your wedding, or to find out how I could help you achieve your wedding goals, my inbox is always open! Please also feel free to head to the blog section of my website, where you will find many invaluable articles on all things weddings.
XxxFJ.
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