The following is a post about budgeting for a wedding by Miss T who blogs at Prairie EcoThrifter. She grew up in the Canadian prairies and still lives there today. She is passionate about saving money, being healthy, looking out for our environment, and most of all having fun. Her blog shares tips on how you too can live a green, debt free, and fun life.
It’ s the summer season or should I say wedding season?! I don’t know about you but when the flowers start to bloom and the birds start to chirp, love seems to also be rampant. I can’t look at my mail without seeing a wedding invitation.
It’s great; it’s a time to celebrate a new season and the start of a new relationship. However, it is also a time to keep our personal finances fresh in our mind. If you are getting married this summer than this post is for you. Today I am going to share with you how to enjoy your special day without blowing your budget.
Wedding Budget
Budgeting for your wedding day is important because if you don’t you risk running up bills amounting to many thousands of dollars. First and foremost, decide what you budget is , stick to it and don’t be swayed and end up spending more than you can afford.
Wedding Attire
Some of the biggest expenses that arise for a wedding is the cost of wedding attire. Not only can your dress get expensive but the costs of bridesmaid dresses, flowers, corsages and suit hire or purchase for the groom and best man can also add up. Then come the wedding rings and the the gifts for the bridal party and parents. See if you can rent clothing online for cheap or by used items at a thrift store. Or see if any relatives know how to sew and see if they can make the outfits for you at a reduced rate.
Wedding Guests
Decide on how many people you are going to invite and then look at potential venues and catering costs and explore the alternatives. You don’t have to have a costly formal sit down meal when a more relaxed buffet style function may better suit your needs. If you do opt for formal you may choose to limit the number of people at the formal sit down meal to limit costs and then invite more guests to an evening buffet disco.
Our wedding was small, under 100 people, so we were able to have a sit down dinner and reception for a reasonable price. If you are getting married in church, you will not only have to pay the priest, but you will also need to arrange some form of transport to get there. We hired a Justice of the Peace person to marry us and he was amazing. He cost less than $100 and made the ceremony feel so special and unique. He even helped us with writing our own vows.
Wedding Location
Remember, these days you can just about get married anywhere you choose and it doesn’t have to be in a church, so you may be able to get married in the same venue where you are holding the reception. We did this very thing. Our wedding ceremony started at 4:30pm and was followed by cocktails, dinner, and then our reception. This cut down on transport costs and saved us money since we worked out an all inclusive package. Whether you choose a romantic castle in the Highlands of Scotland, a magnificent stately home or something more modest, remember stick to your budget and don’t be tempted to overspend.
Of course you and you future spouse may just decide to go abroad either alone or with a few friends and family and get married on a beach, up a mountain, of even Las Vegas in Elvis Presley style. My running mate did just that a couple years ago. They got married in Vegas and broadcasted the ceremony over the internet. She found tour operators very helpful in providing the correct advice and information about getting married abroad. When choosing your exotic destination remember that some of the destinations we normally associate with glorious sunshine and beautiful beaches and scenery may have seasons where the weather may not be so predictable or kind.
Wrap Up
Organizing a wedding can be a very stressful affair but there are usually plenty of people that will be willing to help such as friends and family. You don’t have to pay for help. There are also many ways that you can get the information that you need to ensure your wedding day goes smoothly and to plan, such as the internet. Whatever you decide, stick to your budget, have fun, and make you wedding day a very special day.
Crystal’s Comments: I was obviously a big fan of wedding budgets - our entire event cost about $3000. The key to me was not to go flipping crazy on the dress. I ended up with a gorgeous gown for $150 instead of a more expensive gorgeous gown for $850. I looked great in the photos and that’s all that really matters 6 years later, lol.
How did you work your wedding? Was there a budget involved? Don’t worry if there wasn’t, let us know all the juicy details anyway! 
We got married a week out of grad school and paid for our entire wedding except the alcohol. So, we went into debt creating the type of wedding we thought we were supposed to have. Watching the video the other night 20 years later, I would have totally done things differently if I were going to get married today. Of course, we were young and didn’t know much better. Plus, my husband has a huge family, and we thought we should invite all of them as we had been invited to many of the weddings in the family.
My dress was $450, and I really liked it. If only I could fit into it now. Not because I want to wear it, but because I wish I weighed what I did 20 years ago!
I’m not married yet, and I’m definitely not looking forward to the costs. When I do, I’m sure I’ll be looking to save money in these areas. I’m definitely a fan of the destination wedding idea, but I’ll probably have to compromise more than I’d like to on a lot of these things.
@ Everyday tips. Hindsight is always 20/20 isn’t it?! Don’t get too down on yourself. I am sure your wedding was beautiful and you fully enjoyed yourself. That is what matters. You’re right; you were young and didn’t know better and felt family pressure. Sometimes we can’t get around those things. The key is to do your best to stick within a budget so you don’t have stress later on.
@Jeffrey. Just do the best you can. Destination weddings can be cheap but they can also be expensive too. It just depends on what you plan. Remember that some guests you might want to attend maybe can’t travel and then you will be faced with a decision of whether or not to have a wedding at home. The idea is to do the best you can so you don’t end up in huge debt.
Like Jeffrey, I’m not married yet either, but when I do get married I’m thinking I’ll want to concentrate more on being able to provide the kind of atmosphere for everyone to just relax and have fun. The few fancy, expensive weddings I’ve been to have certainly been nice, but it’s seemed to me that everyone would have been able to “let their hair down” a bit more and have more fun if they hadn’t been as fancy… and usually, fancy equals expensive.
I’ve been traveling to a lot of weddings so far this year, and have a few more, and while these are my friends weddings and I dont want to be nosy, I’m always curious to see what they cost. I know what most of them are costing me, as I’ve got to travel, etc for them!
My wedding cost about $3,000 also, including the honeymoon but not counting the rings. We had about 25 guests. We just went simple on everything. I spent $400 for my dress but I wish now I had just rented it. What do I need to keep my dress for? I don’t have room for it and I can’t get rid of it. So now what?
@ Go be Rich. We felt the same way which is why we had a smaller wedding. We had couches and chairs for people to sit and visit at and a park outside to get some fresh air. We also had a dance floor. Everyone could chill out and have fun doing what they wanted to do.
@ Jeff. I think it really depends on the wedding. Some people have no problem spending thousands while others are on a real tight budget. It really is a case by case basis.
@Ashley. Good for you for setting such a great example. That is awesome. You’re right about the dress- you only wear it once so why spend tons on it.
Great advice Miss T. So many of us are stuck in the mindset that we have to spend a ton of money to have the perfect wedding. A little contentment and discipline go a long way. I like to think that 20 years later you won’t remember half the details so they’re not worth spending the money today!
Looking good is important not the price tag. Great things to consider. We did a great infographic comparing the price of the royal wedding to the average American wedding. Check it out here: https://www.adaptu.com/community/visualize_money/blog/2011/04/25/regular-vs-royal
I’d have to double-check to be sure, but I think our wedding was under $3K also. For me the key was to not plan it until the last minute! I knew that I have a tendency to keep buying “just one more thing” for events, so not allowing much time for planning certainly cut back on that. Plus the venues and vendors that were still available were much more willing to work with us.
Our wedding was under $1,500 and I wouldn’t change a thing!
@ Matt. You are totally right. If you aren’t going to remember that detail than why waste money on it. It is sometimes hard to not get lost in the details but if you can keep your focus on the big picture- dedicating your life to someone, than you will be ok.
@Jackie. That’s a good strategy if you can handle it. I must say I am not good at leaving things to the last minute. It would stress me out too much. However if it can help you spend less than go for it. To each his own.
A wedding can be the most expensive thing in life. It is the thing that stresses me out the most! A couple doesn’t want to start out in debt. Thanks for the helpful hints.
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