Avoid Wedding Budget Nightmares

First have a wedding planning checklist.

Yeah I know that's the obvious right?

Not really, you'd be surprised how many couples don't have one.

And here's why you need one...

There are too many working parts to planning a wedding and if you don't have a checklist things will quickly get out of hand and that will have a DIRECT effect on your wedding budget.

Let's face it, every bride has their own idea of what they want (or what they don't) for their wedding.

And there comes the setting the budget reality...

We wish we didn't have to set one, but we have to be realistic about it, I know, sometimes reality hurts, I hear you!

You may have dreamt about that wedding in Paris, but reality is maybe you can't afford it. It may be a silly example, but you need to know what kind of budget you have for your wedding.

The purpose of wedding planning is to reduce the number of unexpected and disastrous surprises down the road. What if you go over your wedding budget and wedding cake is not delivered.

Can you afford for that to happen? If not, follow these quick tips to make sure you have the best wedding possible.

Avoid the Upgrade Trap...

Usually about 40% to 60% will go to venue and food.

But I want you to think what the "most important" item in your wedding is for you. Whether it's the dress, the decorations, the flowers, or the cake.

Think about this as your deluxe item and splurge on it. By splurge I mean, spend a 20% to 30% of your budget on it.

Even if you have to cut corners and save money in other areas you'll walk away happy because your "most important" item was taken care of.

If you spend less than that on your deluxe item: Congrats!!

Now you have some extra money for the rest of your wedding! But never, and I mean never spend more than that on one item alone.

You want your wedding to have a uniform level. For example, wearing a dress that costs 3 times the cost of your venue...not such a great idea.

You don't want a ghetto looking venue because you blew your budget on the dress alone. Don't be a victim. Do yourself a favor and keep those rough percentages in mind. While they are not set in stone, they will truly help you along the way. Trust me on this one, I have over 15 years of experience.

***Once your budget is set, don't be a victim of the upgrade trap.***

I know you're looking at your screen all puzzled, but bear with me, I'll do my best to quickly explain.

You are going to see and be offered "upgrades" by wedding professionals. They know you are willing to do whatever it takes to make your day a fabulous one and it's their job to exploit that fact.

If you think the upgrade is worthy and it fits your budget, then by all means go for it.

But keep your numbers always in mind, OR just write the numbers down on your wedding planning checklist so you don't have to remember them. Actually write the dollar figure down.

Once the wedding budget is set, try your hardest to stick to it!

Temptation will always be there, but I know you are a smart and savvy bride. The best day of your life is about to come!

Live it happily and enjoy every moment of it.

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