It’s no surprise that weddings come with a price tag. Creating, and sticking to, a wedding budget will ensure that you can afford your wedding day details. Even though everyone knows you need a budget, all too often couples make the same common wedding budget mistakes.
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However, with so much to buy and only so much money, it could be all too easy to go over your budget. Ask anyone that has planned a wedding and they’ll likely tell you they’ve made some of our common wedding budget mistakes during their planning!
Today, we want to share common wedding budget mistakes so you can avoid them! If you are all set to discover what these things are, be sure to read on:
Not Planning for All of Your Details
All the small details add up! Booking a venue, hiring entertainment, renting linens; with an array of elements to plan for, it could become all too easy to go over your budget. However, if you plan for these details ahead of time, you can ensure that you will be able to avoid any costs. The best way to do so is to create a list of each and every detail that you will need for your big day. This way, you will be aware of every purchase that will need to be made. In addition, create an “incidentals” category in your budget. This will cover those unexpected extra costs that pop up in the planning process (we can’t always plan for everything!).
Not Including Vendor Upsells
After booking your vendors, you may end up wanting to utilize other aspects of their services, causing you to have to pay more. Not including these upsells is a very common wedding budget mistake. You may think you’ll print your own photos and don’t need an album, but as the wedding nears, you may decide you do want your photographer to assemble a beautiful album for you. This can be avoided by knowing exactly what your vendors have to offer before you book so that you will know everything that you will be paying for and receiving at your time of booking.Â
Not Including Vendor Gratuities
Your wedding vendors will provide an array of services for your big day. Even though they are paid for their services, gratuities are always appreciated. So be sure to include gratuities in your overall budget. Avoid this common wedding budget mistake by asking your planner for advice on how much to tip your vendors, and including those figures in your preliminary budget.
Increasing Your Guest List
While you will create a guest list for your wedding, know that this number could change as time goes on. Forgotten guests, new friends; there is always the potential for your guest list to grow. You need to ensure that you leave some wiggle room within your budget if extra guests should attend your nuptials. Remember that extra guests means more food, more favors, more rentals and potentially more centerpieces, creating the perfect storm that will ruin your budget.
Underestimating Food & Beverage Costs
Food and beverage costs will likely be one of the most expensive wedding day costs. Therefore, it could pose as all too easy to go over your budget with this spendy wedding detail. You don’t want your guests to go hungry, so plan to allot more to food and beverage.
You deserve to be able to purchase every detail that you seek for your big day! These are just a few tips to assist you with avoiding common wedding budget mistakes.
More Reading: Top Tips for Planning Your Wedding Cake
Are you ready to plan your own wedding budget and big day with a wedding planner in Boston, Massachusetts? If so, please contact us here at Contagious Events, as we would be honored with the opportunity to assist you with creating your once in a lifetime celebration.
Photo from Jacki & Will’s Wedding, by Anne Liles Photography
