Budgeting
Well the Budget!! What a hot topic especially at the moment. The “average cost” of a wedding in the UK is anywhere between £15,000 to £20,000. Wedding Genie believe that you don’t have to spend any where near this to have the wedding of your dreams, but what we absolutely must impress on you is to set a budget now!
I don’t want to make setting a budget seem hard its not really but I can’t impress on you the importance of doing it. According to some research if brides don’t set a budget they spend between 25% and 50% more than they wanted to. This makes for a huge debt to start married life with. That said lets go on to how to set your budget and where to start.
If you have followed our advice so far you will have your list of priorities and from that you can work out what is important and allocate a percentage of the budget to them. Remember its your money and you can spend it how you like. Nothing is fixed except the ceremony and officiant or church fees.
You can break down the budget into percentages, or amounts on what you really want to spend on each area, then make a simple spreadsheet to note all your expenditure. If you ask the Wedding Genie to help you with your budget we will do this for you so you can see exactly where your money is going and the limit of spending for each area of the wedding. If you are not computer orientated no worries use a notebook but you must document your spending, note your budget allocation for each priority, what has been paid and what is left to pay. Its a good idea also to record when deposits and final balances are due to.
Open a separate bank account so you can always keep track of what you really have at any time.
Bear in mind how much you can save without making your life miserable. Remember the wedding is not about the cost its about your commitment to each other. The wedding industry is very concentrated on the “Big Day” and so are we but we believe you can create a fantastic day with some thought and a little out of the box thinking.
Here a few pointers on how to have a beautiful day whilst at the same time saving!
- Go DIY, your invites, place cards and table names and table plan can be made by you or with the help of your friends and family. They will add that extra special personal touch to your day and its the first thing your guests see which sets the tone of your day.
- Creativity can go along way in getting everything you want.
- Cakes can be bought at high street shops now, they are great quality and can be decorated to look beautiful with fresh flowers. Alternatively if someone you know is coming to the wedding maybe they can make you one for for a present.
- Reducing the number of guests has a massive effect on your budget, so really thinking about who you want to attend makes a big difference. Think about the cost per head then multiply it, the ten people you thought you should invite may pay for the cake or flowers.
- Order flowers that are in season. Speak to your florist who will advise you. Instead of having masses of flowers using lush greenery will reduce the expense but still look beautiful.
- Getting married mid week is less expensive than the weekend, if you decide on a small intimate affair getting married on a Friday is a really lovely start to a long weekend.
- Use local vendors, if you use Wedding Genie we have access to the best ones around.
- A buffet meal costs less than a sit down three course dinner and creates a very relaxed atmosphere.
Please don’t think we want you to have a “cheap” wedding, far from it but we do want you to have one that is entirely in tune with you as a couple. If you want to spend lots of money thats fine too, whatever is right for you as a couple. We can help you put “your budget” together with our “budget service”, give us a call or check out our “Genie for An Evening” service to get you started if you are still struggling.
Summary of our Budget Tips:
- Decide on a Budget right at the beginning of planning and open a separate bank account.
- Enlist Professional help if you don’t know where to start, you will save money in the long run.
- Decide on your priorities. Make sure you carry your list with you so you won’t get distracted.
- Don’t bend under the pressure of what everyone says you should have.
- Document your spending, what you have paid so far, what is left to pay.
- Remember some of the wedding costs won’t need to be paid until a few weeks before the wedding so work out what time you have to save.
- Remember its your money and you can spend it how you like.
After all your meticulous planning the big day approaches all thats left now is to enjoy yourself, but wait read on for our tips and advice on how to really enjoy every minute of your special day.