Are you newly engaged to be married, and you’ve started planning your wedding budget? Are wedding costs getting you down, and you’re not sure how you’ll afford the wedding you want? If so, then you’ve come to the right place.
In this guide, we will help you set a realistic wedding budget and provide you with tips on cutting costs for your DC, Maryland, or Virginia wedding. Let’s get started!
Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Wedding Budget
Before you can determine your official budget, you need to take a few things into consideration. Take a moment to ask yourself these questions so you’ll be at a good starting point.
Are You Getting Any Financial Help From Your Family?
Determine if your parents or your future in-laws are willing to contribute toward the wedding. Are there any other family members, like aunts or uncles, who want to pay for part of your wedding as an engagement present? Find out and calculate this information into your wedding budget.
How Much Do You Have and Are Willing to Contribute?
Decide how much money you and your fiancé have to comfortably spend on the wedding, and check your monthly income and your savings. How much are you willing to take from your savings account? Figure this out and add the numbers into your wedding budget.
How Many Guests Are You Planning on Inviting?
The cost of your wedding will greatly depend on the number of guests who attend. If you plan on inviting a smaller number of guests, you could save on the food, alcohol, size of wedding cake, number of tables, and even floral centerpieces.
Breakdown for Your Wedding Budget
When developing a wedding budget breakdown, be sure to set aside 50 percent of your budget toward the venue, catering, and any rentals for chairs, tables, and dinnerware. Photography and videography should take up 12 percent of your budget, while your attire, hair, and makeup should be nine percent of the budget.
Decor including wedding flowers should be eight percent of your budget, while a live band or DJ should take up seven percent. The rest of the budget should be positioned toward a wedding planner, stationery, officiant, transportation, wedding favors, and wedding bands.
The DC, Maryland, Virginia area can get expensive quickly, so know where you want to allocate your funds.
Tips for Setting Your Wedding Budget
Here are a few more tips to help you get started on your budget.
Choose Non-Negotiable Items First
Talk to your future spouse and find out what their top priorities are for the wedding. Pick out the non-negotiable things that you and your fiancé want to splurge on. For example, wedding flowers will be visible in your photos for years to come, and your bouquet might be the only pop of color your outfit will have.
Research Multiple Vendors Before Picking Yours
Researching several vendors is important. For instance, wedding planners can come at different prices and provide various services. Find out what price you’re willing to settle on before picking a planner.
Keep a Spreadsheet to Help Stick to Your Wedding Budget
Does your budget breakdown match the type of wedding you want? You’ll need to keep a spreadsheet to ensure your budget matches the wedding you’ve planned. It will keep you organized and help you hold yourself accountable for your expenses.
Choose Your Time of Year Wisely
A wedding in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area can be costly. Everyone wants to get married in the warmer months (warm, not hot). Therefore, if you really need to save money, aim for January or February. You’ll miss the expenses of a Christmas wedding and will likely get a much better deal from the vendors you choose.
Wrap Up
Now that you’ve read through this guide, you should be able to plan a great wedding on an affordable budget. Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter and receive extra wedding tips!
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