While planning a wedding, there are many parts and decisions to be made which all come together to create our dream wedding. From venue choices to colors, vendors to be booked, wedding ceremony style to be decided, wedding dress designer and so on. Did you know that there is one piece of information that you must know and decide upon before you begin to plan your wedding?
This is your wedding budget. Yup! Your Wedding budget
Maybe the exact amount is what you and your spouse-to-be’s have saved or what you agree you will be able to save over the course of the wedding planning period.
It may even be that your family members are contributing to fund the wedding as well. In some cases, maybe your parents are footing the entire bill.
But no matter who is paying for the bulk of your wedding day expenses, you need to know how much you have to spend before you start spending it. Before you book any vendor (or even start discussing with a potential vendor), you must first figure out your wedding budget.
This is very IMPORTANT as it will help you to stay within budget. When you know the amount you are
working with, you can allocate the funds properly.
Discussing Budget With Family
Identify the family members that are likely to contribute to your wedding. Choose a time that is convenient and let them know that you need to discuss wedding plans with them (for Nigerian Brides, this is usually after your introduction).
This conversation can also be held with individual family members depending on the family structure (this is more stressful for the couple).
This discussion is very important and it is better to have it early so you don’t end up spending more than you have or want to. Even though it might be awkward discussing finances with some family members, it is essential to keeping everyone on the same page about the plans.
Once you have the figure family members want to contribute, be sure to ask for a timeline when you can expect to receive the funds. (for family members who decide to pay for particular services, be sure to ask details of what they would like to pay for so you can include it in the budget).
The importance of knowing the payment timeline is so that you don’t have a cashflow problem when it comes to paying vendors or deposits on time.
What to Do Once You’ve Set Your Wedding Budget
Once you’ve had the discussion and come up with a total budget, the next step should be discussing your wedding priorities.
Decide on a top three items that are most important to you and your partner in terms of your big day and compare your lists. This will guide you in allocating funds based on your vision and priorities for your wedding day.
Check out our wedding planner with budget sheets.
