Saying ‘less’ to the dress
• Cost of weddings in 2016 show the importance of budgeting and planning
Whether you have $1,000, $10,000 or $100,000 to spend on your dream wedding, your special day will require careful planning — and a budget to go along with it. With the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. now $31,213, according to online wedding experts at theknot.com, couples need to be open and honest with each other about their wedding day expectations. Talk about the money, honey As soon as you have started to plan your wedding date, talk with your families about who will pay for what. Some brides' families still pay for the whole wedding, but as times have changed, more grooms' families are putting in their fair share. Here are a couple of strategies to get this conversation started, according to theknot.com. • Ask both sets of parents if they are planning to contribute any specific dollar amount to the wedding. Financial expert Dave Ramsey advises couples to approach the topic with a gentle spirit and be ready for whatever answer is given. Between your family, your fiance's family and you as a couple, you can then determine your total budget for your wedding. • Another option is to ask each set of parents to finance a particular aspect of the wedding, such as the ceremony, honeymoon or catering, instead of just committing to a dollar amount. • Decide as a couple how much you can contribute yourselves, between now and the wedding. About 43 percent of surveyed couples from theknot.com said they planned to contribute financially to their wedding. Determine your top priorities Think about what will matter most to you on your wedding day, and appropriate your budget accordingly. If your top priorities are your wedding gown, the dinner and photographer, then spend your dollars in those areas and be flexible and creative Be prepared for last-minute emergencies While weddings are beautiful and romantic, they can also be stressful and unpredictable — rain at an outdoor wedding, vendor cancellation, etc. If you account for budget overages, then you never are actually blowing your budget. Try to earmark 5 percent of your budget for unforeseen costs. Know your typical wedding costs Reception: 48 to 50 percent Photography/Video: 10 to 12 percent Attire: 8 to 10 percent Flowers: 8 to 10 percent Entertainment/Music: 8 to 10 percent Miscellaneous: 8 percent Emergency/unforeseen costs: 5 percent Ceremony: 2 to 3 percent Stationery: 2 to 3 percent Parking/Transportation: 2 to 3 percent Wedding rings: 2 to 3 percent Gifts: 2 to 3 percent Don't forget to budget for your honeymoon, too. The average newly married couple spends slightly over $5,000 on their honeymoon trip, according to a Conde Nast Bridal Infobank survey.
"It's been very challenging to stick to a budget. We remodeled our excel spreadsheet at least three times! I figured that was pretty normal for someone who had never planned a wedding or large event before." Danielle Hardy, 29, of Linden Engaged to be married Dec. 31 to Sam Goodsitt, 27
"Forty-five percent of weddings exceed a couple's budget and, of even more concern, 23 percent lack a budget altogether." Time.com
The average cost of a U.S. wedding in 2016: $31,213 The average cost of a wedding dress in 2016: $1,357 The average cost of a honeymoon in 2016: $5,113 SOURCE: theknot.com
10 ways to save on your wedding 1. Pick your top three priorities and allocate a little extra money for them. Budget accordingly for your lowest priorities, too. 2. Cut the guest list. This is the fastest and most effective way to lower your costs. At $100 a head, taking 10 guests off the list saves $1,000! 3. Pass on pricey details. Before signing a contract, look through the itemized list of what you're buying and ask yourself, "Will anyone notice if we don't do this?" 4. Lower invitation costs by eliminating extra color of ink and make sure the size of your invitation doesn't require extra postage. 5. Save on transportation by using town cars to shuttle your wedding party to the reception, rather than a stretch limo. 6. Skip the special effects. Keep your wedding photos simple and pass on options like sepia tones, multiple exposures, etc. 7. Choose locally grown flowers that are in season, rather than blooms that must be flown in. 8. Simplify your menu, by reducing the number of entrée choices and stick with specialties of the season and region. 9. Have the caterers bring out the "fancy stuff" for the wedding toast, but pour a less expensive champagne the rest of the night. 10. Pare down the cake extras. Order a small, fabulous cake that's exactly what you want, and have several sheet cakes of the same flavor baked in the kitchen for your guests. Stay away from tiers and time-consuming handmade sugar flowers, fancy fillings, etc. Buttercream is tastier and less expensive than fondant. Source:theknot.com
