Following on from my blog yesterday on budgeting, Ian Fish my favourite DJ of all time just happened to be thinking of the very same thing and writes about budgeting for entertainment. I thought I would add this little extra post this week so you can go and read what Ian has to say when you are looking for a DJ and entertainment for your wedding celebration.

Enjoy! Click here

Until next time, happy planning.

Today I want to share with you how very important it is to really think about your wedding budget. I know you are probably sick and tired of hearing us all harp on about it but it’s vital that you think about it at the beginning of your planning. Over the last few weeks I have been working with new clients who have defined their budgets and decided exactly how much they want to spend. The budgets have been good and when you are thinking about that kind of money you think it will stretch incredibly far!

But when I start to discuss the costs of the various areas of the wedding it is very easy to see that many couples have no idea of what things like venues, photographers or even dresses cost. Why would they? It’s not like you go and organise weddings and parties all the time.

A budget of even £20,000 sounds so much but if not spent wisely it soon gets eaten up. First and foremost the venue and food will eat half of your budget, or very nearly half of it. Of course it is entirely up to you what you want to spend your money on, but please have realistic ideas of what things cost and how many people you can invite with that amount of money. I also ask the question. Have you written down in black and white what you have costed so far? Most of the time the answer is no but I have it totted it up in my head. Well let me tell you when you put it in a spreadsheet and you clearly see the figures it is quite a shock.

If the aim of this blog does nothing more than make you concentrate on the building blocks of your wedding, such as

• Venue hire
• Reception food and drinks
• Wedding dress
• photography

I will be happy. If you don’t have anywhere to hold your wedding, or anything to feed and water your guests and of course you have to look and feel like a bride then have the wonderful day recorded then you truly have to start thinking of your wedding planning all over again. All the lovely bits around the edges such as decor, flowers and entertainment is secondary to the main criteria noted above. Of course this is my opinion, photography for instance, may be low on your list but I can guarantee on your wedding anniversary you will want to look back at your wonderful wedding day. Whether this is in the form of a DVD or album you will certainly want it to capture it.

In short I am saying get a spreadsheet, make one, download one or look at the Wedding Genie Wizard planning tools. If you want to use a notebook then do so but be sure to use something to document your costs and keep them up to date.

Enter the estimated costs against each area and then add the whole lot up. From then on you can see what monies you have left and how you want to spend it. Using the national average of what you should spend on a wedding can be a starting point but it is your money so spend it on what you want to make your wedding day the best you can have.

My whole wedding philosophy is work out what is absolutely crucial to both of you and apportion your budget accordingly. You will then be sure that you spend the money on things you really want. It is such an eye opener on what things cost this spreadsheet will focus your attention and keep it focused.

For more information on how to budget for your wedding click here. If you want help just give me a call.

This week I had an enquiry from a lady that is trying to plan a wedding blessing. On their original wedding day they only had two weeks to plan and missed out on getting their families together and wanted to live the day again to experience things I guess they missed the first time around. When she came to looking at costs she was overwhelmed, her words, and quite rightly thought she might be better off getting expert help to make sure her budget was spent wisely. Even if you only talk to someone you know who has got married recently for advice it will be worth it. Get your budget right and the rest will follow.

Until next time, happy planning.

The wedding is all about the two of you and your relationship. From the very beginning make sure you sit down and talk about exactly what each of you wants on your wedding day. Often brides do tend to take over a little and the groom doesn’t get much say. It’s his day as much as yours so do take this into account. By spending some quality time together you can really decide what it is you both want. After all you want to have a wedding day that meets both your expectations and celebrates your relationship.

If you are still not sure about involving your man I have it on good authority from, I am Staggered that 32% of men deal with a wedding planner! Now I bet you didn’t know that! Men can be great organisers and they are fabulous at sorting out things like the transport, food, suits and having a more objective view of a guest list. You will be surprised, this year already I have seen so many men accompanying their fiance’s to wedding events and being totally involved in the wedding. it really is the year of the groom.

Set Your Priorities

Make a list of the three or four things that you categorically must have for the wedding. This means from the start you are both on the same page. Marriage is about compromise and sharing so taking the time to listen to each other right from the beginning is the best start.

Once you have your list keep it at hand, it maybe a fabulous dress for you and your fiance may want to turn up at your venue in a super sports car, you both want fantastic photographs and great food. Whatever your priorities are write them in a notebook that you can carry in your handbag. Armed with your priorities if you are tempted to spend when you shouldn’t you can check your list.

The next thing is BUDGET!

Once you know what you want from your day you can portion your budget to the areas that you both want to spend money on. Remember it is your money and you can spend it how you like. There are no fixed rules for setting a budget, there are suggestions from planners like me based on our experience but these are a guide. The one thing we will all advise is to have a contingency in your budget. Perhaps 5 -10%

Here is a list of the main areas bearing in mind an average wedding costs around £20,000 with 80 – 100 guests. Of course you don’t have to spend any where near this to have a fabulous wedding. Thinking outside the box and shopping around can really save you money.

What you must do though is start a notebook or a spreadsheet and document all of your spending. If you don’t I can guarantee you will run up your own national debt. You may be tempted to think that if it’s in your head then you can keep track of it. Definitely not! this is the best way of letting your wedding budget spiral out of control. I had a lovely bride last year and she said don’t worry I know in my head what I’m spending. I asked her to go home and write down the items and their costs. Once they were in black and white she was mighty surprised by how it really looked and what it added it up to.

Always remember it is your money and you can spend it on what you like. If you need to spend more on one area than another, that is perfectly fine, just cut back somewhere else.

Wedding Budgets are only scary if you don’t have one or keep a track of them. If you want something to help you keep on track click here for my specifically designed wedding tools. They will be available at the Genie Shop very soon.

Until next time, happy planning.

Today I received an email asking me if I sold some of the wedding planning tools you can get from my bridal workshops

The key to wedding planning is being super organised, so organise like a professional and keep everything recorded. Make a note of things as they happen, that is the secret. Over the months whilst you are planning your wedding you will accumulate the most amount of paper and information you have ever seen. When I visit some brides I see it stored in carrier bags, in big boxes, or dotted about here an there. Using my budget calculator with it’s own little built in database all you have to do is open your excel spreadsheet and there is all the information. Of course you still need to keep all your paper work such as receipts but if you put the vital information in your spreadsheet it will be there at your fingertips.

Record all your notes here

Along with the budget calculator you also get a copy of my Guest Management spreadsheet. You can make a note of all your guests as they RSVP, record who they are, what their dietary requirements are and it also adds up automatically so you know who is coming to the wedding in a heartbeat. When you need to let your stationery company know your guest list so they can print your invites just send them a list of guest names easily copied from your guest management spreadsheet.

On the CD is also my handy planner, a 12 month countdown for you to carry around and tick the tasks off your list as you do them. My top wedding tips and instructions on how to use everything. All this for £10! I can email you the files so you can start to use them instantly or if you prefer post the CD for an extra £1.50. All you need to do is email me at and ask for the Wedding Genie planning tools. I will send you a link to pay by paypal, you don’t need an account so super easy.

In a  couple of weeks you will be able to buy my wedding planning tools straight from the website. I hope you find them useful. It’s a little piece of The Wedding Genie to have at home with you. If you want to book on any of my Bridal Planning Workshops I would love to see you. The next one is March 27th, Sunday 10.30am till 1.00pm. Click here to book. There are more budgeting tips here.

Until next time happy planning.

Your wedding cake for instance can be a very costly item. There are some fantastic options on the high street. If you think that these are boring options where you can’t inject your personality then think again. Take a look at these lovely styles from Marks and Spencer. would you believe that this cake is the same but decorated three different ways.

You can even choose different flavours such as fruit, chocolate, sponge or an assortment of all three. With prices from £50.00 – £199 and various sizes to suit all numbers of guests it definitely is worth looking at.

These are gorgeous too, £199.00 to feed 100 guests and they are chocolate!

If traditional is more your style then check out this lovely option below, you can decorate the cake using flowers that match your wedding theme. There is even a video to explain how to put the cake together.

The web site is very user friendly and answers all the questions you can think of. Waitrose is another high street option that you can use too which also has a super selection. If cupcakes are more your style then both websites offer a good choice. One of the best things about ordering your cake from these stores is you don’t have to book months in advance so for last minute weddings they are a great option too.

If you have any budget saving ideas you want to share then send them to me and I will feature them on the Wedding Genie blog. Email or call me we love to hear from our readers.

Until next time, happy planning.

In the second series of this blog I thought it would be good to give you some examples of what kind of wedding entertainment is available depending on your budget, and the areas of the day to consider when you allocate your budget.

Lets look at a budget: Up to £10,000

Bored guests are never happy ones so the parts of the day that you should cater for are the drinks reception whilst you are having your photographs taken, the wedding breakfast if you have a lot of time before the evening event and of course the main evening party. In my opinion the evening entertainment is where you should concentrate your effort for this type of budget. If I had to suggest three choices of entertainment that couples might be able to afford on this budget  the following come to mind.

A DJ

There are some brilliant DJ’s out there who can really make your party swing. Look around, don’t just go for the one that your venue suggests, ask your friends, look on the internet. Check out what they bring with them in terms of lights and decor. Often the DJ can put on a really good show and really create a great party atmosphere. Lots of the DJ websites now show you what their style is and give you a choice of music to play. Don’t forget that if you want to involve your guests and ask them their favourite songs, be careful they are not all love songs. You could suggest they give you their favourite love song and their favourite dance track.

Ceilidh Band

If you want to dance but don’t like the idea of a DJ then why not try a Ceilidh band. The music is lively and the caller, who is the chap that talks the guests through the dance, creates a great atmosphere, which makes everyone take to the dance floor. It’s a fun thing to do and really involves your guests. The bride and groom can then take to the floor and be totally involved in the evening’s celebrations. A great idea for a county wedding.

Live Singer/Jazz

The Rat Pack sound is great for vintage weddings. In between sets you can always fill up your IPOD so that your guests can dance and still stay in the party swing. That way you may be able to get live music for part of the evening. I have seen many weddings where this has been the case. Its a great way of getting your party started and this type of music brings a little sophistication to your evening and the older relatives in your party will love it. Your first dance can be sung live whilst you glide round the dance floor.

How about a budget: £10,000 – £20,000

Mix and Mingle Artists/Live Bands/Photo Booths

The evening reception is still the biggest area of entertainment but when you have more in your budget it would be great to entertain your guests during the wedding reception as well as during the photo’s and drinks reception. Using entertainers that mix and mingle such as caricaturists or a silhouettist is a great idea because your guests each get something to take home with them.Close up magicians can be extremely funny and entertaining too if you get a good one. I would highly recommend www.magicatyourfingertips.co.uk

String quartets and harpists are fantastic for a classy drinks reception and then can play at your ceremony if you are getting married at your venue. They create a lovely atmosphere if the weather is gorgeous and your setting dictates it. A lovely country mansion with beautiful gardens and guests spilling into the gardens being wafted by lovely classical music in the sunshine starts your wedding reception off with style.

For the evening if you budget stretches then you can’t beat a live band for atmosphere and the wow factor. Often the bands will play music to dance to in between their sets. You can work out the times they appear to suit the flow of your reception. Good bands give out a great vibe and if they are really good the dance floor should be full all night.

One other idea that is very popular at the moment, is a photo booth where your guests can take pictures and dress up in props, then write comments into your guest book. The photos are generated there and then just like a passport photo booth. They can even be projected into a slide show for the evening.

Photo booth by www.sayfromage.co.uk

The choice for entertainment is quite vast but I would urge you to choose what suits your style and personality. Choose what makes you happy and what you are comfortable with. I have decided to run one more blog next week to finish on entertainment as once I got started it was hard to stop. Next week I will cover budgets of over 20k and also how to create free entertainment for your guests. If you want me to help source you some great entertainment give me a call I will be happy to help.

Until next time, happy planning.

At the Wedding Genie we are committed to helping couples start married life with a strong foundation. We really hate it when we hear how the wedding budget escalated, and the day after the wedding couples are hit by the reality of a huge debt that is going to take months, or even years to pay off. We ran this blog last year so we thought for anyone who has recently become engaged, Congratulations! it would be very useful. We have added a few more tips to help.

To start you off here are our top tips for planning and managing the finance, how to keep track of it and ideas on how to save.

• Where is the money coming from? – Who is paying for the wedding? - You may have savings that can be used for the wedding budget, but often most couples don’t have enough for the whole wedding. Your parents may want to contribute so now is the time to tactfully ask them. Once you announce your engagement I am sure they will have started to think about how you will finance the wedding, so this conversation won’t be a surprise to them. If they are worried about how much they want to give, you can suggest they pay for certain items perhaps the photography, the dress or the cake. It is sometimes better to get them to contribute to these areas rather than the reception, that way you will have more control over the guest list and food etc.
• Open a separate Bank Account - This way you can identify exactly how much cash you have at anytime. Keeping it separate from your normal household account will encourage you not to spend it. At the moment the interest rates are very low and there is not a great return on your savings, but there are some deals around to entice you with short-term bonuses that offer a good rate of interest. Always check how long these special deals run so you can move your account when they are over.  Perhaps if you are getting married in the next twelve to eighteen months it may well be worth taking out an ISA. This is a savings account where the interest on your savings is tax free. The allowance is £3,600 cash per year each. It can go up to £7,200 if you have stocks and shares. Take a look at The Money Saving Expert for the best deals and tips on saving. There is also a great budget calculator that Saffron Building Society have set up to help work out what you spend. It then calculates automatically what you left, therefore how much you can save each month. Their Wedding Saver Account is guaranteed to be in the best 10 available in the online market.
• Save Regularly Each Month - Set up a standing order so you know for sure the money is going into your savings each month. It will really help when you see your money start to grow. Work out what you can save comfortably, that way you will be more inclined to leave it in the bank, and not spend it because you have left yourselves too short.
• Cutting down on some everyday spending can boost your savings – For instance buying coffee everyday really adds up. A latte can cost around £1.80 and if you buy three a week thats £5.40, over a month its £21.60 and over a year its a whopping £259.20. You can take your own lunch to work to cut down costs, and if you go out for dinner a couple of times a month, cut this down to once.
• Wedding Magazines – These are quite addictive and very expensive, if you want to splurge, choose your favourite and not two or three different types. Your friends may have just got married and they may have some to loan you.
• Set up a Spreadsheet to keep track – If you are computer savvy set up a simple spreadsheet split up into all the areas of cost such as, photography, cake, dress, reception, stationery etc. Apply the amount you want to spend against each item, total everything so you can see what the budget is. If you do not use a computer do the same in a notebook. Keep all of your receipts so you know exactly what you have spent, and keep an eye on when payments are due. Don’t forget you won’t have to pay for everything all at once so you will have time to save. A deposit is generally needed in the early days to secure a supplier, then payments are split according to time frames set out by the terms and conditions of your suppliers.
• List and Stick to your priorities - If you read our blog regularly you know we talk about setting your priorities and writing them down. Keep them with you. When you want to start spending get them out and look at what they are then compare them to what you are about to buy. Do you really need the item and is it a priority?

These are just a few ways of tackling your budget. We cannot stress highly enough the importance of working out your budget and most of all writing it down. In the cold light of day the figures you have been thinking of may add up to much more than you thought.

For more information on budgeting read our tips and advice or call us to see if we can help with our budgeting service. A new pair of eyes is often all it needs to look at your budget from a different perspective. I guarantee we can find ways of helping you save money and perhaps moving funds around so that photographer you really wanted is affordable.

If you have any ideas for saving or tips let us know and we will post them on our blog.

Until next time, happy planning.