Your Dream Wedding On A Budget

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Now more than ever before, marrying couples ask us: “How can we have our dream wedding on a budget?”

Well, first things first. You need to set a budget. The majority was concerned about the cost of having the wedding of their dreams. They were shocked to learn that today, the average wedding costs over $27,500. Does this frighten you too?

Even a beautiful wedding, just as you pictured it does not need to cost quite that much. You can have your dream wedding for a fraction of the price. “How”, you ask?

Use good organizational skills, ingenuity, flexibility, and enlist the help of friends and family.

Many components go into planning a wedding day. Details need to be completed and intertwined to create not only a wedding but a dream wedding.

Today, about 70% of the marrying couples pay for their own weddings. So, set a realistic wedding budget that you can work with and stick to it. You must do it if you are to keep the cost of your wedding within your budget.

Your most important tool is a Budget planner. So, subscribe to the FREE, PRINTABLE edition of the wedding planning guide. Read the information and work with the budget worksheets contained in it. Additionally, utilize the individual budget worksheets for each vendor and service provider.

Your first step is to determine and figure out what you can afford or want to spend.
The second step is to find out if your families plan to contribute. Ask if they will offer a financial contribution or; Will they pay for a certain aspect of the wedding such as the flowers, the cake the drinks etc.
Once you know, assign realistic figures to each aspect of your pre-wedding activities, wedding day and honeymoon, and stick to them.
The third and possibly the most challenging task is to stay at least 10% below your assigned budget. This will secure funds for incidentals and un-foreseen expenses. Actually, why not treat 90% as if it were 100%.

Knowing if and what contributions are added to your base, will help you arrive at a workable budget. Be sure to base it on an amount both of you can comfortably take off your pay checks. A good practice is to deposit this money in a special joint wedding account.

Using a credit card is safe and cancelling a transaction is quite simple. However, it is important that you pay each monthly statement IN FULL. This way, there will be no interest added. Instead, look for a credit card that offers ‘awards’ for purchases. You do not want to start your married life with a credit card debt hanging over you.

There are many options to choose from and many ways to save. So, get creative, keep on reading and examine your options.
You will be surprised by how much money you can save over a period of time. If your parents will be paying for the wedding, ask them what their budget is. Do your utmost to spend less than their specified budget.

Search The Internet and Set Your Priorities and Your Budget

Search the Internet
calculating wedding costs
Pay by credit cards
keep wedding expenses ledger
Setting your wedding budget
Take Notes

Search the Internet thoroughly and you can save time and money. The World Wide Web provides you with information and resources. Use it for making wedding decisions and to make purchases on-line. Many wedding web sites as well as the A-wedding Day Magazine, provide links to wedding related businesses. The Internet could be your answer to quality products and services.

In addition to the FREE WEDDING PLANNING GUIDE, A-wedding Day offers you a series of wedding planning articles. These articles concentrate on how to choose hire and work with wedding vendors, professionals and service providers. You will also find a wedding resource directory of vendors, and a wedding planning checklist.

Take into consideration that most online only vendors have no brick and mortar expenses. So, they often pass the savings on to their customers. The internet also offers you huge choice and discounts on wedding attire, gifts and accessories.

As you plan your wedding create three categories:

Must have (we cannot do without it)
Optional (we can be flexible)
Nice to have. (if need be, we can do without it)

Base your decisions on availability, on your budget your creativity and on your ingenuity. Once you decide what your priorities are, involve yourselves, your friends and your families. Most will be glad to be asked to participate in at least some of the preparations and possibly on the wedding day too. In olden days and in many traditions even today, a wedding is a community event. Everyone wants to be involved and contribute.

Loved ones will be honored and appreciate the opportunity to contribute their talents and connections to your special day. You will have fun working with them and you’ll save money too. Find out if you can borrow attire accessories such as a veil, tiara and jewelry from a friend or a family member. After all you need to have “something borrowed”.

Find products that have multiple uses. For example, favors that accommodate place cards or that serve as centerpieces. Use your ceremony flowers and bridesmaids’ bouquets at the reception.

Now when you look at your budget you must create your guest list. The reception is the most expensive aspect of your wedding. You may need to trim your list to stay within your wedding budget.

Also, you need to consider hiding costs such as having to pay a cake cutting fee, a corking fee at the bar, tips to vendors and service providers, and in most states in the USA, SALE TAX These fees are seldom mentioned but they most certainly add up fast.

Time and Place

When figuring your cost consider the time and place you want your wedding to take place. For example, a Saturday night wedding is the most expensive and the hardest to hire vendors for. They are booked way in advance. A Friday or Sunday evening is less expensive because it is less in demand. A Friday or Sunday morning or early afternoon are even less in demand. Not being busy, vendors will cut their fee and thank you for offering them business when otherwise they would be idle. Another way to save is to have your wedding in a place other than a wedding reception hall or hotel banquet hall. Try to have the ceremony and reception at the same location. Or you may choose a beach or a garden wedding. So, get creative and look for options that may be unique and make your wedding more memorable.

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Beware

Choose vendors and service providers who can assure that your priorities will be met. Make sure that the vendors you hire will bring to reality the wedding you dreamed of. Do not be afraid to ask for discounts and to negotiate!

Wedding vendors and service providers are quite familiar with budgets. Convince them that you appreciate the quality if their work or service. Vendors and service providers who take pride in what they do will want to work with you. Before you do, read the series of wedding planning articles devoted to choosing and working with wedding vendors, professionals and service providers. Subscribe to our FREE WEDDING PLANNING GUIDE. It provide you with the work sheets and checklists you’l need for each.

. When you negotiate with vendors and service providers, be firm. Stick to what you decided you want and to what you budgeted for. Do not let them talk you into anything you neither budgeted for, nor want. But by the same token, be flexible enough if necessary, to either spend more or to substitute. You may need to, if you cannot find exactly what you considered a priority. But, try to stay within your budget.

Do not sign any contract, or finalize any arrangement until you examined them thoroughly. you must be sure that you are familiar with all changes, return and / or cancellation policies. Having to buy something twice, or having to pay additional fees for changes, can and does add up. Always keep documentation of every contract and receipt in a safe place. Pay special attention to deadlines for returning rented items.

Whatever you are looking for, be it a service provider, wedding accessories, wedding supplies, or rentals, always comparison shop. Interview AT LEAST 3 before you select the one who will accommodate you best.

Look for discount malls on and off the Internet. Shop for bargains and at clearance sales. If you are careful, you can save a lot of money. Do not get confused between inexpensive and cheap. If you purchase at a discount mall, you’ll generally receive the same merchandise you would at a more expensive shop and be able to return or exchange items. However, when shopping for reduced priced and clearance items, check to make sure that they are not of inferior quality since you’ll most probably not be able to return or exchange them.

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Author Byline
Nily Glaser, the CEO of A-wedding Day at: http://www.a-weddingday.com She is a published author of books and important articles. Her Personalized Wedding Planning Organizer that is available to subscribers in printable format, can be found in the A-wedding Day Magazine. Nily Glaser has presented workshops for parents and for wedding professionals all over the USA.

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your dream Wedding on a budget