Everyone wants a gorgeous wedding that costs them nothing. Duh! For most people though, that’s like wanting to loose 10 pounds without dieting or working out. It just doesn’t work that way. Yes, there are a few scams or lists that boasts of a bride who made a $500 wedding that looks like it cost $1,000,000. What you don’t see is she probably knew all the right people or is lying to you.
In our last post, Frugal Vs. Cheap Weddings Part 1 we talked all about the difference between a cheap wedding and a frugal one. Once you know the difference how do you put a plan into action to have a successfully frugal wedding? There’s no one-size-fits-all plan we can hand down to you with exact numbers. We do have a few tips though to help you successfully navigate finding your own way!
Prioritize
Before you start wedding planning sit down with your fiance and decide what you want to put more value on. Do you really want an amazing band your guests will love? Photographers who will document your day beautifully so you’ll always have incredible memories of your day? Make a list of what matters most to you and be willing to invest appropriately! Anything that either comes in at the bottom of the pack or doesn’t even make your list can be something you set a low budget for.
Wondering what areas you should maybe splurge a little on? Check out our Things You Need to Splurge On For Your Wedding post here.
Budget
This is hands down the most important step here! Do your research. Look into average costs of vendors, ask a few for pricing information, and try to objectively see what every service is really worth. Then, sit down and set your budget according to your priority list! Plus, having an actual budget will keep your expenses lower and give you the power over your money decisions.
Beware of asking in wedding or community forums though. You may find some cheap people who will tell you they got the best full on wedding planner for $500 when really it was a friend who coordinated the day of. There’s also a lot of people with different quality standards so cheap may be fancy to them.
Decide Together
Your wedding day is about both of you, equally! It’s so important that both you and your fiance can agree on your budget, your vendors, and other big decisions for your wedding. Communicating and working to make sure you’re both on track is huge. This will help keep stress low and both of you on the same team. It will also make planning way more fun!
We hope this helps you to learn how to balance your budget & your desires for a stunning, memorable wedding day! If you have any questions or concerns, or you know you’ll be too stressed out we highly recommend hiring a true wedding planner to help you. They’re an invaluable resource and worth every penny!!
Blessings,
Katie & Alec
