Weddings > Katie's Wedding Planning Blog > Setting the Budget
Setting the Budget
Happy New Year!
The New Year is often marked by new beginnings- and many of you may find yourself starting 2008 as newly engaged and just beginning to plan your perfect day. The holiday season is the peak engagement period and brides universally are now celebrating their new fiancé status! This is a time to ENJOY: revel in your relationship, show off your ring, and share the proposal with friends and family. However, a word of CAUTION to new brides-to-be: be prepared to handle inquiring minds! There's nothing quite like a new engagement ring to open the flood gates with questions like, "When are you getting married?" "Where are you getting married?" or "Have you started dress shopping?" Hmmm... you may not have thought about ANY of these answers and may be wondering "Why can't people just slow down for a minute and let me bask in the beauty of this diamond on my finger?!" And yes, you have permission to do so!
The Fun Part
Start discussing with your fiancé what STYLE of wedding you would like. Formal or casual? An Intimate or Large gathering? It is key to think about general location at this point. Would you like to stay close to home or make it a destination wedding? If your families live miles apart, will you chose your home town or your fiancé's home town? Did you want to strive for a particular date (i.e. a special anniversary date) or are you content with choosing a more general time frame? Perhaps you prefer a certain season of the year?
Where to Begin
When you and your fiancé are ready to start planning your wedding, begin with the BUDGET and the GUEST LIST. You won't be able to move forward before tackling these two items. After all, it's difficult to know the ceremony and reception location if you have not decided on the amount of funds available or how many guests need to be accommodated.
Budget
Begin by determining who will pay for the wedding. Tradition states that the bride's parents pay for the majority of the wedding. Now, with the increased cost of weddings, it is common for both the bride and groom's families to contribute to the special day. And yet, with couples often cohabiting before marriage or taking vows later in life, I often find the bride and groom picking up the tab. Whether you are paying for your wedding in its entirety or just picking up a portion of the cost, you need to establish up front what you're comfortable spending. If one or more family member is helping to put this event together, it's pertinent that you get a number from each of them. Don't ever assume when it comes to the financial aspects of this day.
People frequently ask me, "How much does an average wedding cost these days?" The national average is just over $25,000; and I would venture to say that the average Southern Californian wedding is closer to $30,000. As a Wedding Planner and founder of Tiffany Weddings, it's not uncommon that I orchestrate a $200,000 dollar affair. However, I've known couples to work with only $5,000-$10,000. Focus on a number that you are comfortable with spending, not what other people are spending. You also need to consider how many guests you plan to serve (as food & beverage is the largest portion of the budget) so we will revisit this when we discuss the guest list.
Next Week: The Guest List
It's time to put aside that piece of scratch paper with scribbled names and start a detailed spreadsheet on the computer! Check in next week to learn the best way to organize your Wedding Guest List, track it, and decide who to invite or not invite?!
Not newly engaged?
Maybe you've already been engaged for six months but you're just now ready to think about Wedding "stuff"? Let's call it a New Year's resolution: start planning! The above advice will easily pertain to you. Do you find wedding planning torturous (yes, some do!), foreign (this is new to most of you!), or just plain overwhelming (this is EVERY Bride at some point)? Consider a wedding planner to make this journey smooth and more enjoyable for you!
