I see this so often in forums lately! "We are on
a budget". Most often, the couple is trying to say that they don't have a
lot to spend, but in actuality, ALL weddings should be on a budget! Some are
small and others large. It is only smart to decide how much you will spend and
stick to it. Also, what is a small budget to one person may seem like a big
budget to another. It is all relative to your situation, so those words alone
don't tell the whole story.
Some think their best option may be to go "all inclusive",
but unless you want all the services they offer that doesn't save you money. If
you pay for something you don't want or could do without, that is not good use
of the funds. It is best to create a budget that lays out each area of the
wedding and how much you want to allocate for each area. You have to have an
officiant and the rest is "icing". You can adjust as needed, too. For
example, if you allocated $1000 for a dress and only spent $300, you can put
the savings into the honeymoon fund or toward more photography, etc. You need
to know what are your priorities.
It may not be best to DIY unless you are really talented or
the person designated for it has a great working knowledge of what they are
taking on. Many people find out that they have taken on projects that drain
their time, cost more than anticipated, take up space they don't have to create
or store them, and add to their stress.
A good planner will help keep all of this in line for you,
as well. Look for our favorite ones here:
