Your Wedding Budget: Setting And Sticking To It

Want to make sure your marriage doesn't end up on the rocks before you get to the chapel? Then set a realistic wedding budget -- and stick to it.

In the process of planning a wedding, budget concerns often is a source of disagreement for a couple. They may have different ideas about what kind of wedding they want, and about what they can afford. To make the wedding a truly happy occasion, it is important that the couple discusses financial constraints early.

Set A Budget And Save For It

The first tip is -- discuss finances before the wedding plans begin. Everyone involved in the decision-making process needs to understand exactly how much money is available for the wedding.

To maximize that budget, you should start saving early for your wedding. Advance planning and saving will allow you to maintain or even exceed your budget, comfortably. And that will make wedding planning easier and more fun.

Get Everyone On-Board

Once your wedding budget has been established, set it aside for a few days and then review it again. This gives everyone a chance to let the information sink in. The budget review after this waiting period gives the participants a chance to verify that they understand and agree to the budget. This is vitally important, because someone who does not agree with the budget may overspend in 1 area, leaving the rest of the budget in jeopardy.

Budget Line Items

When you've decided exactly how much money is available for your wedding, the next step is to divide the total into budget categories, such as the venue, food and drink, bride's attire, groom's attire, transportation, entertainment, photography, favors, centerpieces, and gifts. It is also advisable to set aside money for unforeseen expenses.

Who Pays

Part of establishing a budget is to be clear on who will pay for what.

Shopping And Negotiating

You will need to negotiate contracts for services, and so you must know the budget for each area of the wedding. If you have allotted $250 for entertainment, look for a DJ whose rate is approximately that amount, then negotiate to ensure that you remain under budget.
 
It's wise to shop around and compare prices for services. A company may come highly recommended, but if they are outside your price range, let them know why you are going to have to choose another company. You may be surprised at how willing they will be to give you a better offer.

Substitute Creativity For Cash

Doing things on your own is another way to stay under budget. Homemade invitations or making your own favors or centerpieces can greatly reduce the wedding cost, freeing up funds for other areas of the wedding.

Do not fall into the trap of viewing your budget as restrictive. Instead of thinking about what you can't afford, focus on how you can make your wedding and reception truly unique. You will be inspired to create a wonderful, memorable wedding regardless of your budget constraints.

Anticipate The Unforeseen

Realize that there are bound to be snags along the way. If you go over budget in 1 area, you will need to cut the budget in another area. As long as you stay aware of your spending and realize the ramifications of all your actions, you can roll with the punches and alter your plans to accommodate any needed changes.

Make It A Wonderful Memory

A wedding budget can cause emotional strain on a couple and their relationship. It is important for them to discuss their finances and establish a clear budget for their wedding plans. Doing this early in the wedding planning process can help the couple to avoid conflict during the planning phase of the wedding. It can also make the wedding more fun for everyone, and start out the marriage on a positive note.

After all, working together is what a marriage is all about.

Choosing The Perfect Wedding Caterer

Catering is an important part in any wedding planning. Hence a good caterer is needed to keep the wedding ceremony go on in good spirits. A person who has a good meal would be in good spirits than the person who is not enjoying his meal.

Choosing a perfect wedding location is important for the caterer. Most of the venues for wedding offer catering also themselves. They do not allow catering from outsider since they have a team with them always. Hence it is better to enquire about the catering service offered at a wedding venue before you even fix up the venue for the wedding. Hence planning a catering service provider is also done when you fix up the venue for the wedding. Most of the wedding venues have their own caterer or they recommend someone for their place.

Considering the quality of the food served by a caterer is important than the looks of the ballrooms that are available in the wedding venue. If caterer for a particular venue is not up to the standard you are looking for then it is better to change the venue if needed. If the wedding venue allows outside catering you can choose an outside caterer who is good in catering. Most of the best recommendations come from you friends and relative who had experience with a particular caterer. If you had a attended a wedding that served you good food then you might enquire the caterer who served that wedding and fix a contract with him for you wedding.

Checking out the price range for the menus they have for the wedding is also important. Some of the caterers may have a menu for themselves and they prepare food items only from that menu. If you have a special item that you want to include in your wedding party it is better to check with the caterer whether they would prepare that food item for you. Most of the caterers would prepare a food item that is not in their menu also. Most of them are skilled enough to prepare anything you ask for. When adding food items to your wedding menu make sure that everything is within your budget. Ask the caterer if they provide any tasting sessions. Choose one who has a tasting session. If you have not tasted the food prepared by the caterer there is no guarantee that you will be getting the required taste in the food prepared. Most of the caterers provide a tasting session so that you can identity, which items to choose from. Give a rating to the foods that

Beautiful Wedding on a Budget

Few people realize that having a beautiful wedding does not require spending their entire savings.

If you're planning a wedding, learning where to cut costs and how to budget will leave you with money to spare.

"There are many ways to have the wedding of your dreams without the nightmare of huge bills," said Anna Griffin, wedding industry expert and designer of the Wedding Studio line of wedding products. "You just have to be resourceful."

Here are some tips from Griffin on how to create a designer wedding on a budget.

• For something old, wear a vintage wedding dress. You can save hundreds on a wedding gown by shopping in consignment or vintage shops, in newspaper classifieds and on the Internet. You also can update your mother's, grandmother's or aunt's wedding dress with a new neckline or hemline, beading or lace.

• Print your own invitations. There are many wedding accessories that can be made instead of bought - the veil, the centerpieces and even the invitations. Do-it-yourself kits are available to help you create designer looks without the designer price tags.

The Wedding Studio, for example, is an entire line of paper-related wedding accessories - from invitations to menu cards to guest books and photo albums - designed for brides who want original and elegant paper goods. The invitation kit comes in four styles in three color options and includes envelopes, reply cards and printing instructions.

• Use an antique or classic car instead of a limousine. Contact a local antique or classic car club to rent a luxury vehicle, such as a 1939 Rolls-Royce or a 1952 Cadillac DeVille. Most of the owners will be thrilled to loan out their cars and you'll have more than enough room for the married couple at a much lower price. And, whereas a limousine is rented for a couple of hours, you have the benefit of keeping the antique vehicle for 24 hours or longer.

• Keep the flowers simple. Instead of hiring a florist, contact a floral-design school and hire students to provide you with flower arrangements. You also can create your own flower arrangements. Buy one color of flower in bulk. It creates a visual impact while saving money. Contact a wholesale florist; many will sell flowers directly to the consumer.