On a budget? I don’t think so

There’s no question that everyone’s on a budget these days. Ask most brides and they’ll tell you they want to keep costs to a minimum. But how many of these brides actually will stick to their budgets? The answer: not many. With so many unexpected costs associated with planning a wedding, most low-budget weddings tally up to much more than expected.

Take my wedding for example. Originally, my fiancé and I wanted to keep it small and budget friendly. We were thinking less than $10,000 total. Little did we know that that number is almost impossible to meet with all the things we want to include. With a live band, buffet dinner for 150 people, limited open bar and all the other wedding staples like flowers, we’ll be lucky if we get out of this at less than $20,000. And although it’s much more than we hoped to spend, that number is still less than the average price of a wedding, which is about $25,000.

The trick to budgeting is to keep it realistic. Realize that weddings cost more than you like; there’s no way around that. If you want a traditional wedding in a church with an indoor reception afterward, it will be difficult to keep costs under $15,000. I think I can say that with confidence. The cost of renting a reception site alone will be upwards of $3,000 in most cases. Add to that food, drinks, entertainment and other must haves, like decorations, and the reception will easily total more than $5,000--probably more.

If you go into the planning process with the realization that you will have to spend more than you like, you’ll be more likely to stick to the budget that you do lay down. So choose a budget that you can realistically keep, even if it’s more than you want to spend, and try your hardest to stick to it. This will make you feel much better than setting a low budget and going over by thousands of dollars. Trust me, I know.

Don’t get discouraged by averages, however. Some brides do manage to pull off a gorgeous wedding for less than $10,000. It’s all in how you approach it. With a little creativity and a lot of do-it-yourself work, you can get have a wedding without a sky-high price tag. You probably won’t be able to do the whole church-and-indoor-reception-at-a-fancy-club thing, however; that combination breaks the bank. Instead, think about having an outdoor wedding and reception. Or, plan to get married at your home and hold the reception outside. Save big bucks by doing your own floral arrangements; florists can cost thousands for bouquets, corsages and boutonnieres, and reception flowers. Have a friend take your pictures. Serve home-cooked food at your reception. All of these things can cut costs drastically, although the glamour level of your big day will be sacrificed along with the budget.

The most important thing about a wedding is that it suits you and your future spouse. So don’t feel that you have to host a traditional expensive party for the whole town. A small wedding on a budget can be just as wonderful as a large extravaganza. If you do want to make your wedding the party of the year, know that every little thing will add up. Figure out the maximum amount you’d be willing to pay for your wedding and don’t go over. Even the most fantastic affairs need a limit, after all.