How to plan your dream wedding without having to spend your house deposit.
How to plan your dream wedding without having to spend your house deposit.
Ah, the day has arrived, you can finally share that wedding Pinterest board you’ve been secretly gazing at for the last five years and switch the privacy settings to public without looking like Debbie desperado. But how can you bring all these pinned dreams to life without spending more money than you can count? You guessed it, a budget.
With the big ‘B’ word can come a little nervousness and doubt when it’s attached to the word wedding, but rest assured that with it can also come success and financial stability (and possibly that dreamy Maldives honeymoon!).
So how do you have your dream wedding without having to spend your house deposit? These six wedding budget tips will have you feeling organised, level-headed and even more excited knowing what you can indulge into when it comes to planning your big day.
1- Write it out, then prioritise.
It may seem simple, but writing it all down is the basic key to any success and often a task so easily missed. There are a million ideas running wild in both your minds so learn what each other are dreaming of by allocating them into categories of ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ then decide what aligns and complete your final planning list.
2- Allocate your spending AND your income.
It is just as important to know where your cashola is coming from as it is to know where you plan on spending it. Work out the amount of dollars you can put away before the big day and be realistic – there is no point putting away all your money then having to continuously dip into it when you run out of milk and Nutella.
If family or friends are contributing to your special day, know the amount they are gifting so you can allocate it appropriately. Knowing the exact amount you have coming will allow you to allocate the spending much easier.
3- Always leave a buffer for unexpected extras
Sticking to a budget can be hard when the whole wedding world is at your feet, but if we plan to fail (just a little bit) then it’s not really failing, is it?
Always leave a designated amount of money for the hidden extras that may pop up even just days before the wedding; emergency umbrellas (hopefully not) an extra keg (hopefully, yes!).
4- DIY does NOT always mean cheap
Have you ever found yourself mid-way through doing something and thinking to yourself, ‘I should have just paid someone to do this!’?. You may find that DIY’ing your wedding can end up costing more than hiring a professional wedding vendor who looks after their area of expertise daily! Be mindful when you’re choosing any additions and ask yourself, ‘will this actually save me money? Will I have enough time? Will the finished product be as I desire? Will this create too much pressure?’
5- Research, research, research
Once you’ve picked your date, GET CRACKING. Don’t be afraid to shop around for quotes (of quality work). Look at recent start-up businesses that may be offering specials or have a combination of vendors that can be booked together to save a few bucks here and there. Compare prices and STICK to your allocated amount for that item.
P.s If you go over because it is a wedding must and you’ve fallen in love with the vendor (metaphorically, not literally), cross a smaller unnecessary detail off the bottom of your list and move on without dwelling!
6- Invest
Focus on the things that matter. Choose the pieces and the vendors that will provide you with exactly what you want out of your wedding day then branch out to the smaller details that can be lived without if the number crunching is becoming a little tight.