Creating a wedding checklist can be hard, especially if you have never planned a wedding before. The most essential part of a wedding checklist is creating a budget for the wedding. Without some sort of budget to start with, you will never be able to complete the items on your checklist because just about everything costs money in some way. You must make sure you can afford the wedding of your dreams before you start planning it. This will allow you to prioritize which aspects of the wedding are the most important to you.
The Wedding Dress
Wedding attire is seen as one of the most important things to budget for during a wedding. While prices can range from $100 to thousands of dollars, there is pretty much a dress out there for every budget imaginable. When shopping for a wedding dress, knowing what style and color you like is just as important as knowing how much you’re willing to spend. So, do a little research to see if the dress style you like can be purchased with the budget you have available.
The Venue
According to the Better Business Bureau, the average cost for a wedding venue is $16,107. If that amount sounds overwhelming, don’t worry. There are plenty of budget-friendly options out there that are absolutely stunning.
Although the cost might be startling at first, most venues include a variety of services ranging anywhere from just the use of the hall to the use of tables and chairs, linens, general fees and potentially even food service. This also likely includes the combined price for both the wedding and reception venue, which are sometimes at two different locations.
If you are interested in saving money on a venue, things you could do might include having the reception and ceremony at the same location and picking a low traffic day such as a Sunday to host your event. You can also try to book multiple events for the wedding (such as the bridal shower or bachelorette party) at the location to get extra discounts. It is also important to look at the contract closely to determine what exactly each venue includes in its cost. Many venues will throw in extra perks such as decorations and china/flatware which might save the bride and groom money in the long haul.
Food and Drinks
Depending on the number of guests you have, food and drinks can quickly become one of the most expensive parts of the wedding. Food, on average, costs about $71 per guest and with all of the cute food ideas that people come up with to add creativity to the wedding like popcorn tables or ice cream bars, it can continue adding up. While it’s important to look at various ideas to make your wedding unique, be careful not to try to do too much. Pick one or two reasonable extras on top of the typical wedding food, cake, and cookie table and take your budget from there. Unfortunately, budgeting for food can be tricky until you make your guest list.
Extras
Lastly, a few extra items to budget for may include photographers, videographers, DJs, officiants, decorations, florists, grooms outfits, wedding favors, uplighting, photo booths, table/chair linens, and your honeymoon. There are endless things to spend your money on with a wedding. The best thing you can do is come up with a reasonable budget for your income and then decide what is most important to you and spend your money on that.
Whatever your budget, remember: your wedding is going to be amazing because it is yours. Focus on what you want and not what you think you’re supposed to want and the day will be perfect.