It’s so easy to get swept up in the excitement of planning your Dream Wedding. But spending too much could turn your “happily ever after” into agony afterward. Money is one of the number one reasons couples fight, so it is important to communicate with one another about how much you have to spend and where you want to spend it. The small stuff adds up, so spend your dollars toward items that will have the biggest impact and that are most important to you.
Let’s talk about how to plan a wedding that fits your style AND your budget.
IDENTIFY YOUR PRIORITIES
Sit with your spouse-to-be and together decide which details are most important to you. What do you want to splurge on, such as a high-end venue or a DJ who provides lots of bells and whistles to keep the wedding party going. Spend the money where it has the most value to you, and scale everything around those two or three priority things. Don’t skimp on good food. No one remembers that you had chair covers, but they will remember a cheap meal. Personally, I recommend the best photographer you can afford – a good photographer will capture all those special moments and emotions that bring back memories every time you look at your photos. Those photos will last a lifetime. In fact, I have a bride’s mom call me today, her daughter had a fire and they lost everything – however, the photographer had backup copies of all their wedding photos! She was so glad they hired a professional!
AFFORDABLE VENUES
We are so fortunate to live in the St. Louis area where we have many great venues that can fit almost any budget. Forest Park, Quail Ridge in St. Charles, Art Galleries and other community centers. A great resource to find your venue is our new VenuesofStLouis.com which lists over 300 venues that you can search by location, by price, and by type of venue.
TRIM YOUR GUESTS LIST
Celebrate your day with the ones that mean the most to you. So much of the expense is calculated per person, so keep your guest list small.
FEEDING YOUR GUESTS
Good food doesn’t have to be expensive to be enjoyable. Be creative – hire a food truck, have stations where people can make their own meal, such as a pasta bar, potato bar, etc. Have an afternoon wedding and serve sandwiches. Host a small Sunday wedding with Cake & Cocktails. I love one bride who had a “brunch” on Sunday after the ceremony, and then invite only the immediate family to an up-scale dinner at a local restaurant that evening.
HIRE PROFESSIONALS
Don’t make the ones you care about have to work at your event. Hire a florist and choose in-season blooms to save money. Pass on the photo booth. Professional vendors will deliver the SERVICE and product that will make your day special. There is nothing worse than handling issues on your wedding day.
Need more help? Email us and we will send you our new eBook “Wedding Planning for The Midwest Bride.”