Create your wedding budget

As a floral designer I work with many clients hosting different events especially weddings.  I have also planned and hosted a large baby shower this year and two weddings in the past among other events myself.  The one common factor in all is the idea of a big celebration, but at a reasonable cost.

How much do you think a wedding costs these days?  As with gas and everything else, the cost has gone up drastically over the years.  According to the knot.com “the average wedding is now about $27,800. However, bear in mind that weddings cost more in large urban areas. This figure also includes those lucky brides and grooms who get $40,000-and-up weddings thrown for them, so that does slightly bring up the average.”

That does not mean you have to give up the idea of having a wedding or head to city hall.  Sure we all have friends that have thrown lavish receptions, that hike up the average with full orchestras, tons of flowers out of season, and extravagant gifts.  But really take a moment to think about it, what really sticks out when you remember about those weddings, was it the best mans speech or the flowers?

You can spend as much or as little as you want.  The real idea is to create a memorable occasion that will carry you into a happy marriage.  David Tutera ( a celebrity wedding planner) said it best “If a guest can go to a wedding and walk away knowing more about the bride and groom, and feel as if they've stepped into something very personal and learned a story about two people, that's what makes a wedding much more unique."

 So how do you make that memorable event that you and your guests will remember for years to come, while staying in the confines of a budget?

§  Set a budget.  Do your math.  Set a realistic amount you can afford to spend on your wedding.

You may feel your first priority is the flowers, but how do you know what you can spend on the flowers, if you do not first determine how much you can spend on the whole occasion.

Once you've set your wedding budget amount, evaluate your priorities. "I tell brides and grooms that they shouldn't take a large portion of their budget and use it in one area. That will allow for other areas to fall short," explained Tutera.

Use a budgeting tool, like the one found on bridesbouquetsandbaskets.com or TheKnot.com, This will help you divvy up the money so all your bases are covered.  Don't forget to create a buffer of about 10 percent of the overall budget in case you go over as Tutera predicts 8 out of 10 couples will.

§  Consider a destination wedding. It sounds more expensive, but it actually isn't, especially if you choose your location carefully.

"Hotels have incentive to give you a great deal, because their business is built upon guests staying there," explained Carley Roney, co-founder and editor-in-chief of TheKnot.com. "So if you're going to bring them 50 rooms for three nights, they'll want to work with you." Also, many beach hotels and resorts are all-inclusive, meaning meals and drinks are included in the price of your stay. But be wary of the wedding packages offered — they may come across as a great deal, but many services are ala carte.

§  Ask about discounts or specials, or make an offer for their service.   Vendors want your business, so there's no harm in trying to strike a bargain. In fact, not negotiating is downright silly. When buying your dress, it's always a good idea to shop around — most bridal stores can order any dress, so if you have a picture of what you want, bring it to a couple shops and compare prices.

Once you've decided, then offer to purchase the bridesmaid dresses from the same store — for a discounted price. By the same token, you can ask the caterer if they'll throw in linens, or any other services not already covered, for free or at least at a discount. These little things can really start to add up fast.

§  Be creative. People tend to put so much emphasis on proper wedding etiquette, forgetting that this is their day. Do not skip the thank-you cards, but it's OK to be origional in other areas.

"The uncomfortable issue that surrounds people with weddings is that they are always concerned with doing the right thing. As guests, we go to these weddings, go for cocktails, sit for dinner, then get up and dance — we all become robots. If you break that formula, you're actually providing something that is really unique," said Tutera.

§  Trim the fat. Rather than trimming the people you want at your wedding,  trim say, two courses from your five-course meal.   Have a buffet instead of a sit down service or better yet have a dessert and cocktail bar. You can save big by skipping the sit down dinner in favor of an extended cocktail party with passed hors d'oeuvres, for instance.  Offer a signature cocktail instead of the fully stocked bar.  Have a fabulous cosmopolitan or vodka bar, but don't have every single top-shelf liquor. This keeps costs down because you'll have less open bottles, and you pay for every bottle that's opened."

§  Be up front with the vendors and firm about your budget, it is their job is to stay within it. Go into meetings with a set amount of how much you can spend, and ask what they can do in that price range. If they're good, they'll be able to offer lots of suggestions.  Florists can substitute flowers that are in season, but still offer the same colors and effect.  Your bakery can create a small version of your dream cake, and a similar sheet cake to serve.  Wedding invitations can be done without the fanciest paper or designs.

§  Consider doing some do-it yourself projects.  It is very simple to make your own unity candle.

Target carries invitation paper, you just need to type up your wording and print it out.  You can add ribbon or extra embellishments.  I even printed out my own maps.  I created my own wedding program, seating cards and table camera cards.

§  One thing I will add, Ebay can be your friend.  Lots of items can be purchased through Ebay at less than retail prices.  Some important items to pay attention to when shopping ebay.  Read the sellers feedback.  It will tell you if a seller is reputable.  Also read the listing, is the item new, expired, what condition is it in, how many included, etc.

Everyone should have a budget set, even if you are throwing something quite lavish.  People respect you more for having one.  There is no reason to be embarrassed about having a budget.  Remember your planning for ONE day that begins the rest of your life.  Do you want to be in debt or broke because you spend more than you should of?

I have thrown two weddings for myself, so I will tell you from experience, that one day, goes so fast.  I remember at the end of the wedding as everyone was leaving from my first wedding, I said to myself “That’s it?  Its over?  After all that money and planning?”  I didn’t feel that way after the second wedding, because I planned better and smarter. 

I can not take credit for creating these files in excel.

I'm sorry I do not know who did. But amazing amount of help it gave me in planning my wedding.
this one is for keeping tracked of your budget.

Download the wedding budget planner