If you’re newly engaged and starting your wedding planning journey, it is easy to get overwhelmed by everything you have to 1. plan and 2. pay for, especially with the average American wedding costing over $30,000. That’s why I’ve compiled these wedding budget tips for you to help you feel more confident in your wedding planning journey and prepared to have the tough budget conversations early (and often.)
Tip #1: First things first, DETERMINE YOUR BUDGET – and more importantly, stick to it!
This is one of the most important things you and your future spouse should do as soon as you’re ready to begin your wedding planning journey. While it can be difficult to talk about money, now is not the time to avoid such an important conversation!
If you don’t know where to start when planning out your budget, first determine what money you currently have available to spend in your checking or savings accounts. Then determine how much money you will be able to save during your engagement period . Will any family members be helping you pay for portions of your wedding? Now is a good time to find out who will be contributing what.
Some helpful budget resources I have found include:
The Knot’s Wedding Budget Tool
Nerd Wallet’s Wedding Budget Calculator
Tip #2: PRIORITIZE YOUR SPENDING!!
Make a list with your future spouse with your top 2 or 3 priorities for your wedding day. Is it important to you to have a large guest list? The best caterer in town? A big party with a great DJ? 🤔
Identifying what is important to you and your future spouse helps you understand which areas you can splurge a little and which you will be spending less on.
Tip #3: BE OPEN TO A WEEKDAY/NIGHT WEDDING!
If you and your future spouse are looking to have all the luxuries while spending a little less, I 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘺 recommend considering having your wedding on a weekday versus on a weekend.
Weekend weddings are extremely common, which means they are more expensive because the demand for them is high! Many vendors will offer a different rate for weekday weddings because it is less likely they will have much demand for them.
This also applies to what time of the year you get married.
The months of June through October are the peak wedding season in Minnesota. If you get married in the winter or spring months (November through May) you may find vendors who offer “off-season rates”!
Plus, wouldn’t a winter wedding with fresh snow falling just be sooooo dreamy?! 🤩
