We are on a budget!

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:

http://www.withthisringwed.com/Vendor-Referral-Links.html