Crush Your Wedding Budget with These Tips

If you are like me, I can get kind of carried away when planning a birthday party, let alone a wedding. And it's not just your desires to take into consideration here, breaking news: you have a partner in this to consider. So, it's time to sit down together and get this budget under control.

Sure, you can pick a number out of thin air, but it probably won't get you the wedding of your dreams. Here are some tried and tested tips and tricks to keep your wedding on track.

MAKE A LIST

Have yourself and your partner write a list of 5 non-negotiables. For example, mine would be catering, bar, music, dress, photography. My partners may look a little different, so we look for 3 main ones that we share and these become our spending priorities.

SHOP AROUND

Get some quotes from 3 of your favourite businesses that cover off these main wedding priorities. This way you get to shop around within your desired aesthetic.

SHALL WE ELOPE?

A chic elopement is a great way to keep the wedding budget in check. Perhaps it's a destination elopement that doubles as a honeymoon and then a low-key party with family and friends on your return.

CHOSING A VENUE

If you or a loved one has the space, there is a resurgence of chic backyard weddings as featured on cool-bride sites such as anti-bride. Saying your vows with the backdrop of the family home is a truly meaningful and intimate way to share your love with family and friends. You can arrange a local caterer and air-task a couple of bar staff to serve up your favourite cocktails to guests.

If you don't have the space at home, reach out to your favourite bar or restaurant to hold your special night, perhaps it's where you met, or had a first date. They may not be as big as a traditional wedding venue, but it holds more meaning and can have the added bonus of keeping the number of guests down to those who truly need to be there. Your guests will remember it as a truly unique celebration.

CATERING

I'm a foodie so I think this was no 1 on my list above! There are still ways to keep to budget here though. Cocktail weddings can be more cost effective than a sit down dinner, however, you can think outside the box with ideas such as a traditional Spanish paella feast, or a woodfired pizza truck. Good food doesn't have to be expensive and is something you and your guests will remember sharing on your special day. Being local to the Northern Beaches of Sydney, my local pics would have to be Harvest Lane food, Belinda Black Catering and Paddock to Plate catering.

 

YOU SHOULD BE DANCING, YEAH

I'm a lover of live music so if my favourite band is out of reach, a good DJ with a live music element will still get the party rolling. Most DJ's have options to add on a saxophone player or a percussionist which really livens the vibe and kick starts the dance floor for a fraction of the price of a full band. My local pic: Upbeat Social

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

Getting a dress made by a dressmaker can actually be quite costly, as not only are you paying for exquisite fabrics and trims, you are also paying for the makers time. It is not a quick process to create a made to measure gown with lots of fittings along the way. It can also be difficult for many brides to visualise the end result, it may not be just like the picture, kind of like going to the hairdresser, it's all up to interpretation.

Online bridal boutiques or shopping RTW brands that also sell bridal wear is much more cost-effective way to shop for your wedding dress. By all means go to a bridal store and try on different styles to see what suits your body shape, then have a search online to see if those similar styles are available as a Ready To Wear gown. Most bridal stores will have you measured, but that is only to see what standard size you fit into. You then have to have alterations made on that dress as it will not be exactly to your body shape.

BREAK IT DOWN

Once you and your partner have agreed on the wedding you both desire, it's time to start putting some money away so it doesn't hit you all at once and you can enjoy your wedding without the financial stress. Most wedding vendors will take installments before the wedding which will help with the budgeting.

CALL ON YOUR TRIBE

DIY can be lovely but can also leave you being the wedding planner on your day when you just want to enjoy it. My advice is to not take too much on yourself. There are amazing wedding planners and stylist out there catering to all kinds of budgets. My faves are Little Lane Events and Days Like These. Even if it is hiring someone for on the day co-ordination, the peace of mind is so worth it. If that is out of reach, and your friends and family want to help, find some key people that enjoy planning and organising and give them a small task for the wedding, it will take some stress off the big day as you get to share the load.