THE B Word....

...BUDGETS

If you are planning a wedding, nothing can be more stressful
than figuring out how much you want to spend on your big day! While engagements
can be a joyful time, putting pen to paper and working up a budget can make and
bride/groom/family want to pull their hair out of their head!

It is important to consider what is important on your big
day – and even more important, make sure you share this information with your
planner! You may wonder why they need to know, but if your planner knows your
budget, they can make magic happen and more times than not, make your BIG day
happen within your budget no matter how big or small it might be.

What are the big budget items? Usually 3 things to consider
– 1) Photography 2) Catering/Facility 3) Floral.

1. Photography – this can be a large portion of
   your budget, but the good news is that you get to keep this portion of your BIG
   day. Remember your grandchildren will look back at these photos one day, so
   this is an important investment!
2. Catering/Facility – it can be difficult to
   determine how much is reasonable, but do  your homework and do some comparison shopping
   among facilities and caterers. It will give you an idea of what to expect. Just
   make sure you are comparing apples to apples (seated serve dinner vs. buffet
   style vs. pasta stations – all excellent choices, but all will be priced
   differently)
3.  Floral – flowers can be costly depending on the type of flower and the season you are
   getting married in (for example Tulips after Easter have to come from Holland
   which can add to their cost). Work with your planner or research online which
   flowers come in your colors and are in season to get the most bang for your
   buck

Lastly, a big tip (and it’s free, you don’t have to budget
for this advice!) – agree on your budget. Make sure whoever is involved in the
planning/paying process agrees on the budget whether it is your groom, parents,
groom’s parents, etc. – everyone needs to know the parameters.

Best of Luck and Happy Planning!