Not many people have to plan multiple weddings, and the ones that do usually get paid pretty well to do so. It isn’t necessarily in everyone’s will-house. I know it’s not in mine. I probably have a lot more insight than the average person due to the fact that we play so many of them every year.
I’m going to look at something that you probably cringe a little when you see or hear it. Budgeting. Personally, I love budgets. I may not always stick to them like I should, but I do know where my money is going, at least. Budgets are a necessary evil when you are planning a wedding, unless you, or your folks, have a large pocket book.
Here are some things to keep in mind when creating your wedding budget.
Nearly 80% of couples don’t allow enough in their budget initially. There again, everyone isn’t in the wedding scene so they don’t really know what things cost. You don’t see those sort of things on The Price Is Right. So don’t feel bad if you start looking into things and you’re blown away by the price. Keep in mind that you get what you pay for sometimes, and even if you pay less for something that you don’t really want doesn’t mean that you’re getting a deal.
You need to make a prioritized list of your needs and wants for your wedding day. By that, I mean to list things that you can’t do without, and the things that you can. Hopefully, Spare Change is on the first.
You will then have to research prices for everything on your list. If you already have a list, all you have to do is put the price beside it, along with any details or things you may need to think about.
Lastly, you decide which vendors you’re going to use and hire them for your wedding day. You will usually have to sign a contract and submit a deposit to secure their services.
That may not look like much, but it can potentially be a lot of work. Many vendors will have questions before being able to give you an exact quote. In our case, there are many different variables that go in to figuring a price. We have a regular contact form on our website, as well as an initial questionnaire. The questionnaire has most, if not all, of the questions we need to have answered in order to give an accurate quote.
Don’t get overwhelmed. If you start the process early enough, you will have plenty of time to deal with all of this. Don’t wait too long, though. If the vendors you are looking to use are good at what they do, they will probably book up pretty far in advance. Good vendors will also be willing to help and answer any questions you may have. Don’t feel like you have to do it all yourself. Lean on their expertise and experience. You can never go wrong by asking a professional for help.