Budgeting for Your Wedding
You don’t have to marry the Prince of Wales just to have that wedding you’re dreaming of; although actually marrying the Prince of Wales is always part of every woman’s wedding dream. The key is to (1) find the persons who could offer the services you are looking for in the least amount there is in the market and (2) learn to apportion your money properly, or in other words, learn to budget.
The first one is easy. All you have to do is scout, scout, scout: in the internet, thrift shops and local markets. The challenge lies on the second. Wedding budgeting is tricky. Wedding budgeting is not all about finding the cheapest supplies. It starts with dividing your money in percentages and putting them in their right places.
The Great Three
1. Food and Venue
2. Dress
3. Photography
FOOD
A large percentage of the wedding budget goes in The Great Three. Food must be scrumptious for your guests to enjoy and the venue or the reception area must look good when photographed. Indoor weddings must have at least a spot where guests and the couples could be photographed. Don’t waste your wedding budget with reception areas that only offers dining area; choose those that offers their lobby or some parts of the establishment that have an elegant and stylish backdrop.
DRESS
You don’t want to look like a window draped with curtains in your wedding day, nor for your bridesmaids to be the called walking throw pillows. Apportion the twenty-five percent of your wedding budget to dress. Dress tells whether or not you have taste.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Yes. It’s not wedding invitation, it’s not entertainment, it’s not souvenirs. Twenty-five percent of your wedding budget must go to photography.
After the sumptuous meals had been munched down, after the drinks had been gulped down, and after the dress had been worn and laundered, the only thing that will make the couple and the guests happy after all the partying have died down are the photos. For years to come, photos will be looked upon, with brimming happiness, by the then bride and groom, again and again, and also by their children and grandchildren.
PERCENTAGE
Thirty percent (30%) of the wedding budget goes to food and venue, twenty-five percent (25%) of the wedding budget goes to the photographer and twenty-five percent (25%) of the wedding budget goes to the dress.
Stick to this wedding budgeting tactic. No ifs no buts. Don’t overspend on souvenir or invitation. You can even create one of your own to lessen the cost. There are a lot of souvenir shops around that can give you an inspiration for your own wedding giveaways. Buy one and buy the raw materials for its production from your local supermarkets or office supplies stores. This will help you maximize your wedding budget.
For entertainment, you can ask friends who can belt out a Mariah Carey to sing for the night; an overly talkative officemate as the host. If you have a friend who works for the circus, don’t ask him to bring an elephant for a magic show; a dove and a rabbit will do.
Others List(or the remaining twenty percent (20%) of the wedding budgeting list)
-Legal Papers
-Invitation
-Souvenir
-Entertainment
-Transportation
-Flowers