We’ve covered budgets and why they are important on the blog before, but as wedding season and the NEW engagement season (because summer is quickly becoming the hot time to pop the question) draw nearer I thought I would speak to the cost cutting and budget related mistakes that have brides hitting the panic button as their big day gets closer. Being aware of these budget hot points will help you avoid a wedding planning meltdown.

Choosing the “cheaper” venue.

Venue searching is often one of the hardest parts of wedding planning. This is the point where engaged couples get their first taste of what the heck this wedding is going to cost, and often they can get overwhelmed. The list of what is included in a venue’s rental pricing varies greatly, just like the price itself. Just because the price is less, does not mean it’s the better deal. Do they have a caterer they require you to use and what are that caterers food minimums? Are there table linens included? Will you need to spend more on decorations to make that budget venue fit your vision? Does the venue set up the chairs and tables? DO THEY EVEN HAVE CHAIRS AND TABLES?! Be very careful to research all of these things or that budget friendly venue may quickly become far over your budget.

DIY Overload

We see this a lot in the Midwest where brides and their families tend to be very hands on. It’s a good thing, who doesn’t love personal touches in their special day. BUT it can easily be taken way too far. There are so many times I have had so many brides with big DIY dreams then they (or their mothers) realize that the DIY plan was a lot more than they expected it to be. Friends, there is a reason there are so many vendors in this world with different specialties. TO MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER! DIY DOES NOT MEAN CHEAPER. It truly does not. Do you value your free time? You know that time where you aren’t at your JOB, the time where you relieve stress and enjoy yourself?! If so, consider less DIY for your big day. Your wallet and stress level will thank you.

Not researching rental options vs. buying

You know all those groups on Facebook where brides sell all the stuff they used at their weddings? And where you often see the same people posting the same items for MONTHS which means it hasn’t been sold? Yea. Many of the times we see things like that, it’s for items that someone purchased for their wedding but most other people rent so therefore aren’t buying off of fb. CHAIR COVERS are a perfect example. Linens and chair covers are one of the easiest and most cost effective things to rent, and though it may seem cheaper to buy them- when you take into account the labor involved in laundering them and then trying to sell them (because I don’t know about you but selling stuff on fb is the most annoying thing to me- it’s so time consuming!) it really is not always the most budget friendly option. How many of you have a friend getting married who says “I just ordered these on Amazon and I’ll just sell them after the wedding”. Research your items and your options throughly and really think it through before buying ALL THE THINGS ON AMAZON. Putting in the work beforehand in researching your options will pay off after the wedding bells have rung.

Not Reading Contracts and Proposals throughly.

This is a hot topic. Reading contracts and vendor proposals throughly is the easiest way to avoid unforeseen costs while planning your wedding. Big ones to be conscious of- catering gratuity and service fees, venue service fees, insurance, items that were not included in your rental such as chairs and tables, delivery fees. READ THOSE CONTRACTS!

CHEERS TO SUCCESSFUL BUDGET PLANNING AND A HAPPY HEALTHY START TO MARRIAGE!

XOXO, Amber