One of the first things I recommend you do when planning your wedding is think about what your budget will be and I looked at this in more detail here. In the excitement of planning the wedding it is easy to get carried away and not work out what you can and can’t afford.
Ultimately there will be compromises to be made along the way but if you prioritise what’s important to you the decisions should be a lot easier. Also do bear in mind that even if something is a priority try and stick to your allocated budget and get the best you can afford within it or if you do go over then either pull back in another area or lose something completely.
There will always be areas that you can make savings in but I believe these are three areas NOT to scrimp on for your wedding:
1. Food and Drink: wedding days are often long ones, your guests may have travelled a long way to join you and share this special day with you both. Make sure that there is enough food and drink throughout the day, a well-fed guest is a happy guest. That’s not saying you need to blow your budget on fancy ingredients or an extensive bar list with every drink under the sun! It’s better to pick local and seasonal foods and have a personally selected list of favourite wines and beers with a special wedding cocktail or two.
2. Entertainment: guests looking back on your wedding day will most likely remember how they felt more then what something looked like so do keep them entertained. Each part of the day will have a different vibe and feeling so choose entertainment appropriately. Close-up magicians or music duos/ trios work well at drinks reception as guests relax into the day and mingle with each other, live bands or an expert DJ will keep the party going once the formalities of the day are over.
3. Photography: once the day is over the food’s been eaten, the music danced too and the dress packed away what will you have to look back at of the day? Your photographs and a video (if you can stretch the budget to include this) Choose your photographer wisely and you will have a record of those precious moments as you walked down the aisle and your partner, friends and family saw you for the first time; the first kiss, the joy on your guests faces as you shared your vows and laughter during the speeches, moments you may not even have had a chance to take in on the day. A good photographer will capture these highlights and more as the perfect record of the day.
Worried about your wedding planning budget, not sure where to start? Get in touch today to discuss my wedding planning services and to book your complimentary wedding planning consultation so we can discuss how to use your wedding budget in the best way.
Photo credit Anushe Low
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