Places Where You Can Reorganize Your Budget

The wedding budget has a lot of wants and desires but in an economy like today we normally cut some of those wants to obtain the objective of getting married on a certain day.  The budget can be one of the most time consuming and stressful task.  If you over spend in one area, then you cut from another area, its only natural.  But today we are going to focus on key areas where to reorganize the budget.

The rule of thumb for what the wedding budget is:

Reception Hall and Food 41%

Honeymoon 12% 

Wedding Attire 12%

Photography & Video 12%

Flowers 5%

Ceremony 4% 

Invitations 3%

Gifts 3%

Music 3%

Rings 3%

Transportation 2%

The above percentages is where majority of your money will normally go.   So where you can cut and how to trim your budget?

Reception:  Price compare venues see what is included in the price. Compare just using a catering and tent rental company and having the reception outside verses having it indoors. Consider a less elborate menu or paying a family member to make some of the if they are not in the wedding.

Honeymoon:  If you want a honeymoon start thinking and pricing out what airline tickets cost, hotel and food expense, along with what activities will cost.  Booking early will save you, then booking less than 21 days on airline tickets.  Check other airports near you for deals too.  See if hotel rates can be discounted with a longer stay or include food.  See if buying a package that includes air, lodging, car rental and meals is cheaper. If you are going some place that is tourist filled like a national park, think of renting a cabin and just shopping locally at the store for food.

Photography and Video: Look at purchasing package verses adding items after the wedding.  Money becomes tight after the wedding and honeymoon is over. Your normal routine will kick in and reality will set in.  You may not purchase that wedding album you wanted or your hi res image files.  Don't just shop for price.

Wedding Attire:  You can save usually on the Groom's tux if you have enough Groomsmen in your party.  Consider shopping at a discounted store for a suit instead of a tux.  Use payment plans at bridal shops if there's no fees instead of charging it on your credit card.

Flowers:  Consider using artificial flowers instead of real and buy them when they are 50% off.  You will also be able to use them as a keepsake.

Ceremony: To save consider using an officiant that charges a small fee and can come to you.  Look at ceremony sites outside at parks instead of indoors.

Invitations:  Consider buying a basic white or ivory invitation printed in the ink color of your wedding day color and just embellishing it with a ribbon or overlay to create a more unique look.  We offer sales where you can get 100 invites for under $100.

Gifts: Shop around for gifts for your wedding party.  Try to find a gift that is meaningful to each person in your party.  Consider buying a practical gift that can used in the wedding and again later when they get home.

Music: Today with technology, music for your reception has gotten easier.  Just bring your MP3 player and hook up to some speakers, then choose you music. Borrow a karaoke machine for the microphone to do the toast and have a groomsmen announce the cake cutting or garter toss. Open up the machine for guest to show off their talent for a few minutes.

Rings: Purchase wedding rings early and make payments so they will be paid for before the wedding day.

Transportation: Consider using a vintage car from a family friend and pay them a little something for their time then renting a party bus. 

We hope you find these tips helpful when planning your dream wedding.