Wedding Planning on a Budget | Wedding Budget Etiquette
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Saving Money Without Sacrificing Quality
There's no denying that today's weddings are expensive. But they don't have to be, if you stick with your wedding budget. Truth be told, you can have a great, inexpensive wedding without sacrificing quality.
Read on to learn tips on how to have a great wedding for a great price without breaking any wedding budget rules. Oh and join me on Twitter where I tweet on all things wedding.
Common Thinking
Many engaged couples today really want to have a wedding that doesn't break the bank. And considering the fact that the average wedding cost is over $20,000, this trend might be here to stay.
However, the common thought is that a cheap wedding equals a bland wedding. Supposedly if you sacrifice on wedding costs, you will end up not having a great wedding, people won't enjoy themselves and the overall feeling of the wedding will be "cheap".
Fortunately for you, those ideas are wrong- you really can have a great wedding without spending too much.
Take a look at the following articles for some great ideas on how to create a wedding budget and save money on your wedding. Also, don't forget to read about wedding budget etiquette below.
- Top Five Tips for Saving Money on Weddings
With average wedding costs approaching $30,000, it's important to consider tips on how to save money on your wedding. Here are the top five money-saving tips for your wedding. - Wedding Tipping Etiquette | How to Properly Tip Wedding Vendors
Wedding tips are sometimes a taboo subject. Who should I tip and how much are questions often asked by brides and grooms. Here's a breakdown of each vendor with suggested tip amounts... - Wedding Budget Planning and Ideas | How to Create a Wedding Budget
Wedding budgets will help you save money on your big day. Having a budget wedding doesn't mean you skimp on the details, but you'll need to be planning in advance if you want to keep costs down. Here's how... - Tips and Tricks to Help You Save Money on Your Wedding
With the right tips and tricks, couples can save thousands of dollars on their wedding costs. Here are some of the top tips and tricks to help you save money and still have a great wedding. - 8 Ways to Reduce Pre-Wedding Stress
Having a wedding on a shoestring budget will take some work but don't get stressed out before your wedding even starts! Use these tips to reduce stress and stay on task with your wedding planning
Wedding Budget Etiquette
If you want to have a wedding that is cost effective, you will naturally have to adopt an effective wedding budget. But how can this be done carefully and without stepping on anyone's toes? Take a look at the tips below to create a wedding budget without breaking wedding etiquette rules.
Wedding Budget Rule #1: Keep communication levels high
When creating a wedding budget, you have to make sure you discuss your ideas frequently with your future spouse. This will help you further bond with your fiancee and will lay the groundwork for a healthy marriage.
It is also a good idea to regularly talk with those family members who will be contributing financially to your wedding. It would be quite rude if you received a lump sum of $12,000 from the mother of the bride and later decide your want to only spend $7,500 on the wedding. It's tacky and family might be insulted, so keep communication lines open.
Wedding Budget Rule #2: Be honest with your total budget and try to not exceed it
Although it's a good idea to add 10% to your total wedding budget to cover unexpected costs, try to not exceed your wedding budget. If you do exceed your budget, financially contributing family members might be let down that their monetary contribution, "wasn't enough". Plus, setting a budget and sticking with it is a good habit to have throughout life.
Wedding Budget Rule #3: Never ask for money for your wedding
This is similar to panhandling, and is just plain tacky. Rather than ask for extra money to help with your wedding, adjust your budget so that you don't over-spend.
Wedding Budget Rule #4: Fully disclose previous debt with your future spouse
Your relationship will be much better if you share with your future spouse all the debt you're bringing to the relationship before the wedding. So instead of telling your husband about your $40,000 credit card debt after you get married, be upfront and tell him about it now. It might have an impact on your wedding budget, but more importantly it will foster closeness and communication in your friendship.
Wedding Budget Rule #5: Don't skimp on etiquette necessities
If you want to have a wedding on a shoestring budget, great! But don't cause others to suffer because of your decision. Don't decrease vendor tips and don't buy cheap wedding party gifts. Do your best to communicate to your wedding party that you love them and are thankful for their friendship. Giving them a cheap gift (or no gift) doesn't help this effort.
Similarly, communicate to vendors that you're thankful for their help. If you don't want to have to tip them, simply don't hire them.
Wedding Budget Rule #6: Don't attempt to get money from guests or solicit for wedding sponsors
A cash bar at a wedding is like an open hand asking for money from your guests. Don't force them to feel guilty for eating the food and drinks you offered to them.
Also, having a sponsor for any part of your wedding is equally as tacky. Having brand names plastered in speeches and printed on products used in the wedding only detracts from the main event- YOU. Stick with proper wedding etiquette rules and avoid wedding sponsors.
Using these basic wedding budget etiquette rules you will be setup to have a fantastic wedding without breaking the bank and without stepping on anyone's toes.
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Comments
Great Hub! Thanks for sharing. You point out a lot of tips for those brides and grooms to be. Let me share - I lived this nightmare! While I did not want to spend the extra $$$ for an open bar ($10. bucks more per person), nor spend the $$$ on wedding attendants gifts - I did anyway!
Wheh! Best thing that I could have done!
Uncle Mike (No, I don't even remember who he is; brother of one of my Aunts, who is a sister to someone else...) He headed up to the bar early in the day. He ordered a Vodka and Tonic, & the bartender served him quickly and did not ask for $$$. Uncle Mike was pleasantly suprised and left a $5. tip.
As for my wedding attendants - I first thought that a "staple" gift (for each of them across the board) would suffice. (A picture frame, a candle holder, maybe even a pen and pencil set.) No! Stopped myself in my tracks. Each person received a personalized gift. All to which they would remember the day, and receive a gift (for their giving), that they could use &/or cherish.
Example: Sister in law, lives out of state, never really knew her well, but hubbie chose her to be in the wedding party. She loves cats. She has 6 cats. I HATE cats. What do we have in common? Not much.
I ordered her a "personalized" desk set of writing paper, sticky note pads, and pens with her name on it. Also, her name is Kathy - so had the "holder" personalized further: "Kat, thanks for a great time & being on my side - certainly you know how to take care of your Cats!, Hugs much, we love you." ..... XX and XX -
Works for me!
@ladyvenus- Ok, you've got the easy part done (wedding ideas squared away). Now for the hard part (roping a suitable groom)! Good luck.
@Jerseygirl- I loved the examples! Looks like you did a great job getting some great gifts for the wedding party...even someone you did't have much in common with. You win the award for most considerate bride.
My husband and I are thinking of renewing our wedding vows, in three years time. It won't be as expensive and as grand as the first one, but we are already saving for it little by little.
Elynjo that's Fantastic! Could be the topic of a great future hub, thanks for the idea!
Any budget tips for vow renewal ceremonies? I'd love to hear them.
Aloha Wedding Consultant,
Great tips!
I'm a wedding planner, too. And I sure as heck don't want one of my couples to end up in bankruptcy court before the top layer of their cake gets freezer burn!
One way I help couples save money is by having them bring an Ipod to Maui and then just rent the speakers. That alone saves about $700 compared with hiring a DJ.
As far as vow renewals go, I'd say just about anything goes... The etiquette is so much looser you can do, or not do, about anything you want.
By the way, I'm a barely hatched hubpuppy. Just hubbed for the firs time and this is my first comment on any hub.
But cheers! It's nice to see another professional who truly cares about the people first.
Peace, sunsets and aloha from Maui!
Well thanks for swinging by and dropping a comment mauiel. And a great first comment, at that! An Ipod instead of a DJ is a great way to save money, thanks for the suggestion.
Welcome to hubpages!
this hub provides a lot of good info
Great hub, I think I might fan you :) My spouse and I got married in a small civil ceremony, and we are planning on having a "wedding" in a couple of years for the experience, as well as for our families, since we couldn't afford it the first time. (The only reason we didn't wait flat out was because I needed it for my residency paperwork)
I'll definitely be keeping your advice in mind. One thing that I want to mention, is that when buying a dress, try out local dress shops first. A friend of mine bought her wedding dress at a small local shop, and she spent about $250 US on it. If she had gone to a large Boutique, a similar dress would have cost her a thousand dollars or more. Also you can get some great deals on wedding dresses designed in previous years if you absolutely MUST have a boutique dress. I'm currently dreaming of a beautiful one from David's Bridal which is a 5 year old design, but is still absolutely gorgeous and looks just like the dress I designed when I was a little girl. It costs about $400 US.
Suiiki, you're right about the wedding dresses. I'm in awe of how many thousands of dollars some brides shell out for a dress that will be worn once. I understand that it's a special, once-in-a-lifetime moment, but you make a very valid point- why not by a dress that has a style that's a few years "old"?
Thanks for nice information on your hub!!
Great...
ladyvenus says:
6 months ago
Thanks for this nice hub. I already have idea's about wedding reading your hub but the problem is I have not find my groom yet. Wink*