How to Set Your Wedding Budget

Talking about wedding budgets usually makes people cringe. It can be one of the most stressful parts of the process, but it’s a necessary part of wedding planning. So we’ve come up with some tips on how to set your wedding budget! Hopefully these tips help  to alleviate a lot of anxiety and awkward conversations.

1. Determine your Guest Count

Guest count will be one of the biggest factors in determining your wedding budget. With catering and bartending being one of the highest expenses, your guest count can drastically make a difference in your overall total due. However, it is more than just the cuisine and the alcohol to consider. With larger guest counts you will need a venue that accommodates your number of guests. You will also need more tables which requires more linens, centerpieces, florals, rentals, etc. All which, of course, add to the overall budget you have in mind for your wedding.

Photography: Raquel King Photography

2. Prioritize your Vendors

Prioritizing vendors is the best and easiest way to starting and keeping to your wedding budget. No matter what your budget, there are always particular vendors that you know you will not compromise on and other vendor categories that you’re okay having play a smaller role in your wedding.

For you, photography might be the most important. For others, having the best DJ and entertainment may be the priority. You can prioritize each vendor category (such as photographer, videographer, catering, bar, entertainment, florist, etc.) by rating them 1-5 on your importance scale. So, if photography is your number one priority that category would get a one. If food is important, but you really just want to make sure the meal is overall good and served hot, then it may get a three on your priority list. This is totally up to you and your partner on how you rate your priorities. And, know that you may spend a little more in one category, but make up for it in another.

Photography: The Maewood Collective

3. Choose your food and how it will be served

Catering and the bar can easily be the largest expenses at any wedding. There are several options to how you can serve a meal. You can do a plated meal, a buffet, family style, stations, or even a food truck. Depending on what option you choose, it could change the budget considerably. Each caterer is different, of course, so be sure to ask for all the options. That way you can understand what works with your budget and decide what you want!

Photography: Vow and Venture

Now that you know how to set a wedding budget you can start on all the fun parts of planning! Feel like you still want help with planning? Contact us today!