By Georgina Clatworthy

It seems the global recession has hit weddings too with many couples now spending around $7000 less on their weddings than they were last year.  For many these savings will have to come at the expense of the wedding reception budget which can account for the majority of the budget at any wedding.  The good news is you can trim your reception budget without compromising your celebrations and without any of your guests noticing! 

The six biggest expenses when it comes to the wedding reception budget are:

1. The venue hire
2. Decorations, flowers, table centers etc
3. Catering
4. Drink
5. Entertainment
6. Extras such as wedding favors 

With each of these you can cut around a third off the budget so you could pick which one’s you wanted to cut costs on without compromising too much on what you want. 

As an example you could cut the cost of your venue hire by choosing a less expensive venue such as a marquee in a garden or a local hall.  This would give you more money to spend on details such as flowers, decorations and entertainment to make it extra special.  Alternatively you could choose a more luxurious venue and compromise on your wedding date such as midweek or off season day when prices are lower. 

Decorations, table centers and flowers are other areas where you could cut costs on your reception budget.  Candles are very cheap and look amazing placed in colored glass holders or standing on mirrored tiles.  Use your wedding favors are centerpieces instead of formal floral arrangements and make your own decorations using balloons, streamers and die cut shapes.

Food is one area where compromising on price could mean compromising on quality so be careful about how much you cut back on the wedding budget here.  Trading a sit down meal for a buffet will save you money, whilst holding your wedding later in the day means you need only pay for one round of catering as opposed to two with an earlier start.  Look to source your own drink, at least for the wedding breakfast, from a wine merchant who will usually be cheaper than buying the in house drink from your venue.  You can also organize a pay bar for the rest of the reception.

Entertainment can be difficult to cut costs on.  Choosing just one form of entertainment as opposed to two will obviously be cheaper, for instance a disco or a live band, rather than both.  The cheapest option is to pre-load your wedding play list onto an iPod and hook up to the venue sound system.

Extras include things like wedding favors, master of ceremonies and having your photographer stick around all day long.  Decide on what is absolutely essential and then ditch the rest.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Keeping a handle on your budget is one of the most essential parts of wedding budget planning.  When you find yourself stating ‘Yes, I know it is $2,000 more than I was going to spend, but it is THE ONE’ you know things have gone too far!  So when it comes to your wedding budget make sure you avoid the following seven deadly sins:

1. Didn’t do any wedding budget planning: this is the most important part and where you need to start.  Download and print out a budget planning sheet from the internet and apply a realistic figure to every element of your wedding day.  Don’t forget to add a contingency fund as well – just in case!
2. Not asking enough questions: it is vital that you know exactly what is included in any packages you take up and that every element is booked before the wedding day. 
3. Not negotiating: don’t pay full price for anything unless you absolutely have to.  Every vendor and supplier will have a rock bottom price and most will agree to some kind of discount – if you ask.
4. Not keeping track: this one of the most common sins when it comes to the wedding budget.  You need to make sure you keep a record of what everything has cost you and what you have spent.  If you overspend in one area do not ignore it but recalculate your budget to absorb the extra amount from other areas.
5. Not prioritizing: one of the most important aspects of wedding planning is knowing what is important and what is merely window dressing.  Buying luxury wedding favors over the wedding rings could be a decision you will live to regret so make sure you assign your budget in order of priority.
6. Trying to do it all alone: wedding planning is complex even for the smallest of weddings and it is difficult to deal with everything on your own.  Try to delegate some areas of your planning to other people like the groom, your mom and your chief bridesmaid.  It will make things easier for you and can even help you to save money in the long run as many stressed out brides end up blowing huge amounts of the budget on last minute essentials they have forgotten about.
7. Losing touch with reality: if big prices begin to seem reasonable then chances are you are heading towards a massive shortfall in your budget.  If spending $2000 more than your original budget for an item seems perfectly alright then you are likely to overspend on everything else as well. 

By Georgina Clatworthy

There are two events in this life that are sure to double the price of anything you want to purchase – weddings and babies.  So when you embark on your wedding planning it is worth considering that the mere mention of the W word will instantly see the price quoted double.  This is something that many couples and industry watchers have been convinced about for years as nothing shouts money like a big wedding.  When it comes to wedding budget advice you may want to consider the following findings from a consumer report:

Researchers carried out an investigation into so called wedding rip off pricing and the results where astounding.  They collected prices from vendors and suppliers for a birthday party for 100 people, then recalled them for prices for a wedding.  Amongst the biggest changes were a venue which increased the hire charge by a staggering 25% and a florist’s quote for centerpieces which rose by an astonishing 400%!  Little wonder then that the average wedding budget now sits at $30,000.

But you can combat these ludicrous charges by adopting some of the following wedding budget advice:

1. Negotiation and haggling: some are good at this others are not, but it is the number one piece of advice when it comes to keeping within budget.  Holding your wedding outside of the busy wedding season could see you have the most success with your negotiation skills as vendors and suppliers will be keener than ever to secure your business in the quieter months.  Don’t be afraid to push hard for a price you can afford and haggle over those added extra fees such as corkage charges which don’t actually cost the supplier anything in the first place!
2. Flexibility: being flexible about what you want can go a long way towards achieving a wedding within budget.  Ask about hourly fees if package prices are too expensive and consider trimming down on details such as centerpieces, wedding favors and entertainment.
3. Check prices quoted have not been inflated: Many vendors and suppliers can assume that you will want to splash the cash for your wedding day and that you want the biggest, best and most expensive.  Do some research and check out prices quoted before signing on the dotted line to ensure you are not being charged over the odds.
4. Go for the DIY option: If you get someone else to do it then it will always cost you more.  There are many elements to your wedding that you can do yourself and for a fraction of your budget should you buy in from elsewhere.  Everything from favors and stationery to cakes, dresses and accessories can be done DIY and it is a great way of adding unique and personal touches to your day.
5. Avoid all the bells and whistles: whilst the images in magazines look very appealing you do not have to include every little detail in your wedding preparations.  One of the most expensive wedding budget traps is assuming that the advice given in magazines is true and that you have to include everything in your day.  Don’t fall into the trap of spending money on unnecessary details such as personalized, monogrammed stationery, solid silver cake servers or flashy wedding cars.  Avoiding these things alone could see you save around $1000!

By Georgina Clatworthy

If your budget is tight then you will need to use every tool at your disposal to make sure it goes as far as possible.  Wedding budget ideas are ten a penny but the best method of making your dollars go further is to learn the art of negotiation and secure more for your buck than was originally on offer!  Follow these simple ideas to take the hassle out of haggling and to make your budget stretch. 

1. You have found a venue you know is the ONE, however it is $1000 over your budget.

The best thing is not to let the venue know your bottom line right away.  A wedding is an emotional affair and as such we tend not to think about them in economic terms so we are more likely to overspend when our hearts rule our heads.  Playing your cards close to your chest from the outset will give you some room for manoeuvre and avoid you missing some great opportunities for a better deal.  However, don’t over play your hand and avoid insulting the manager – it rarely ends in a positive result.

2. When looking for your wedding transport, the first salesperson you meet gives a reasonable sounding quote on a limo hire package.

Research is always worthwhile even if the price quoted sounds like a good deal.  By researching average prices beforehand you will have some ideas of what you can expect to pay, so if the salesman quotes above this you know you have room to negotiate with them.  Always arm yourself with real quotes not made up figures so you can play quotes off one another.

3. You have found the perfect reportage photographer for your wedding but their prices are way above what you can afford.

It is better to carry out your price negotiations face-to-face.  Whilst sending an email asking for reduction is certainly easier, it also is also easier for them to say no.  Speaking face-to-face means you will be able to build a rapport with them, engage in small talk and create trust.  When you have these things in place they are more likely to take you seriously and work with you to give you what you want at a price you can afford within your wedding budget ideas.

4. You have negotiated a 5% discount with a caterer but they are still quoting a price over your budget.

In this case be prepared to accept their offer and compromise on the deal, maybe asking for the main course to be upgraded.  This will give both parties something to feel good about, but if you cannot reach a consensus on the price and are being pushed into giving up more than you are comfortable with then you should continue shopping around.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Not everyone has a big budget when it comes to their wedding plans but just because your wedding budget is small, doesn’t mean you have to compromise on style.  A wedding on a budget can include everything a big budget day has, you just need to plan carefully, know what you want and learn how to do some savvy shopping!

Of course, if your budget is low and you really don’t want to compromise on your dream day, then you will have to wait a little longer and save a bit harder.  Don’t be tempted to borrow money to pay for it, starting married life saddled with debt is never a good idea.  If you haven’t asked already, consider asking your parents to chip in as well.  It is traditional for the grooms parents to pay for the wedding ceremony and the brides parents to pay for everything else, but in modern times most couples will foot the bill themselves.  Consider asking them to pay for just one element of the day such as the flowers or wedding cake.

If you are planning a wedding on a budget then you will need to develop some good money management skills to keep within your means.  Use a budget planner sheet to set out how much you will spend on each element of your day.  Be realistic with your figures and if needs be obtain quotes from vendors and suppliers first to give you an idea of how much things will cost.  If the resulting total is too large then you will need to scale back some of your plans to stay within budget.  Always up date your budget planner as you make a purchase so you know where you are – set it up on your computer spreadsheet program to help you.

Open a separate bank account for your wedding budget to keep it apart from your everyday spending.  Choose one with a good interest rate attached so that you money will earn something extra as your progress through your wedding planning.  It may not earn very much but every little helps!  Always check statements and if possible set up internet banking to keep track of what is going out and when.

Your guest list is one area where you can save money.  Consider that every guest is an additional cost – food, drink, favor, invitation, slice of cake etc.  Prioritize your guest list with the most important people first, total up the cost of inviting them and then add in others till your reach your budget.  The number of guests you want will also dictate the size of venue you hire particularly for the day time reception.  Hiring a room for the evening party is often cheaper.

Think about holding your wedding later in the day.  That way you can invite any number of guests but only have to pay for one lot of catering for mid evening.  It is also worth considering that when it comes to catering, especially for a large number of guests, a buffet will always be cheaper than a sit down meal.

Finally, never be afraid to try to negotiate prices and packages with vendors.  The wedding industry is very competitive and most will be open to negotiating a price or package to suit your budget just to secure your booking.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Your wedding budget will dictate everything you plan for your wedding day.  It will tell you how you can spend on your dress, how many guests you can invite and whether or not you can afford those delightful little favors you saw in a magazine!  So it pays to have a wedding budget plan in place when you first begin your wedding planning and to learn how to stick to it.

Here are some simple tips on putting together a realistic wedding budget plan and how to manage it:

• Get quotes from different vendors and retailers on various packages and items to give you a realistic idea of the cost of different elements of your wedding day.  You can use these to apply a figure to your own wedding budget.
• Use a pre-printed budget plan which you can download for free from many internet wedding sites to help you to apply figures to each element of your wedding day and to calculate the grand total.
• Make sure you deal with the most important elements of your wedding first such as the ceremony and reception venue.  Don’t start with applying figures for tiaras and favor ribbons!
• If your grand total is way above your spending power then you will need to go back through the budget and adjust figures such as guest numbers and remove any non essential elements.
• Open up a separate bank account for your wedding budget and if possible pick one with a good rate of interest attached.  This will ensure your wedding money is kept apart from your everyday spending.
• Each time you make a purchase or place a deposit make sure you mark it off on your budget and subtract it from your wedding budget.  It is vital you keep your budget balance up to date if you are to stand any chance of staying within it.
• If you overspend then you will need to work through the budget plan again and adjust your figures to take into the account the loss of funds.
• Shop around for things like wedding favors, stationery, accessories and other supplies to get the best deals and prices.  Remember cheapest is not always best so look for value for money rather than big savings.
• Don’t be afraid to negotiate on prices and packages.  Many vendors are more than open to putting something together to suit your budget in order to secure your booking.
• Do not be tempted to borrow money in order to pay for your wedding.  Starting married life in debt is not a good idea!
• Pay big invoices, those over $100, with a credit card as they offer protection should the booking be cancelled or double booked or the order not fulfilled as expected.  But remember to take the money out of your wedding budget account to pay the credit card afterwards.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Whilst it can be difficult to conceive a low budget wedding having everything you ever wanted, it is entirely possible if you know which elements you should spend your budget on.  Just because funds are low doesn’t mean you need to compromise on your dreams, you just need to be clever about how you go about obtaining them.

Where to Spend your Budget:

There are certain areas within a low budget wedding where you should not skimp on spending.  These include:

• Catering – bad food will always be remembered by both you and your guests.  Your wedding catering is one area where you should set a healthy budget and go for the best you can afford.  Consider a buffet as a cheaper alternative to a sit down meal, or serving your wedding cake as dessert.
• Photography – your wedding photographs will be your permanent reminder of your day and bad photographs will lack the very essence of the day which you have worked so hard to achieve.  You can hire a photographer for a certain amount of time, so you can have photographs taken before and after the ceremony, and perhaps a handful once you arrive at the reception venue.  You can ask your guests to then send you photographs they have taken for a great range of ‘fly-on-the-wall’ shots.
• Entertainment – don’t underestimate the importance of your wedding entertainment, especially for the evening party when everyone will expect to be able to let loose and enjoy some dancing.  If you cannot afford a DJ and disco then hire in a good sound system (if your venue doesn’t have one) and hook an MP3 player packed with disco greats instead.  Delegate one of the groomsmen to keep an eye on it for you as well.

Where to Save:

It can be tempting to blow significant portions of your budget on little details such as favors, stationery, decorations etc.  Here are some tips on where you can save money within your low budget:

• Favors – these don’t need to be expensive and you can create beautiful little favors for about $1 each.  Remember they are only little gifts intended to say ‘thanks for coming’.  A bag of candies is just as good as a mini photograph frame.  Use pretty packaging to make them look extra special.
• Stationery – Once upon a time wedding stationery was a simple invitation, wedding program and place card.  Today the industry has exploded into offering use invitations with additional inserts, booklet style programs, coordinating menus, name cards, table numbers and table plans.  Not to mention save the date cards and thank you notes.  Forgo the invitation inserts, they are expensive, add to postage costs and if you use a personal wedding website instead, totally unnecessary, add an RSVP card though as it does speed up replies!  Print your own wedding programs, name cards and table numbers, and thank you notes can be written on any note card or writing paper.
• Flowers – it can be difficult not to go overboard on your wedding flowers because they add so much to a wedding, but they are also expensive.  Apportion the bulk of your flowers budget to your bouquet, wedding party bouquets and buttonholes, as well as corsages for the moms.  Reuse flowers from the ceremony at the reception, use your bridesmaid’s bouquets as table centers, if you have enough, or make your own table centers with candles or faux flowers.
• Wedding cake – it may form the centerpiece of your reception, but wedding cakes can cost a fortune, with the average coming in around $500.  Consider making your own if you or someone you know has the skills, or go for cupcakes as an alternative.  These look wonderful displayed on a stand and you could use them as wedding favors also.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Your honeymoon will be your first vacation away together as husband and wife, and as such it should be a special time for you both.  But with the average wedding cost around $30,000, there can often be little left to splash out on the honeymoon.  Planning honeymoons on a budget can mean making some difficult decisions, but it is possible to still achieve a holiday to remember.

Compromise will need to be at the forefront of your minds when choosing where to go and how long for.  Last minute deals are always an option, but can be risky.  Do you want to take a chance on a bargain break that lands you in the middle of a building site or in an isolated and remote resort which is still being developed!  Of course there are bargains to be had and you could get the honeymoon of your dreams at a budget price – just be sure to do some research before you book!

Choosing where to go can be the hardest decision.  You may dream of a destination that has always inspired you, perhaps you want sun drenched beaches, plenty of activities or a cultural experience.  Whether you have a big budget or a small one, the modern travel industry means just about anything is possible and when it comes to honeymoons you can negotiate some pretty good deals.

Merely drop into your conversation at the travel agents that it is your honeymoon but you have a tight budget.  Make references to destinations you would prefer or the type of holiday you would like.  Many agents can give you deals which may normally be outside of your price range and possibly score you some upgrades in hotels, rooms and flights.  If they cannot offer honeymoons on a budget then try elsewhere.

You don’t have to book through a traditional travel agency either.  The internet gives us the option of booking our own honeymoons from scratch, sourcing flights, accommodation and packages off our own back and bringing them together for a budget friendly honeymoon.  Make full use of price comparison sites and look out for companies offering to beat or match prices if you find better deals elsewhere.

Finally, there is one other option open to you.  Instead of taking a long honeymoon immediately after your wedding day, why not have a mini break locally in a romantic hotel or retreat and save your honeymoon for later on when you have more money to spend.  You should decide on what is the most important issue here for you both – being away together as man and wife or traveling to a luxury destination at great expense?  Many couples feel a little empty once the wedding is over, especially the bride who has been all consumed with wedding plans for many months and suddenly has nothing to plan for.  Having your honeymoon at a later date could provide the perfect antidote to the post wedding blues and give you something to plan for.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Planning a wedding on a small budget can seem like an uphill task, there is simply so much you need to pay for and so much you want to include in your special day.  So it makes sense to be able boost your wedding budget as much as possible, either by savvy shopping, compromising or finding some extra cash!  Here are some wedding budget ideas which could see your budget go an awful lot further than you think!

Become a savvy shopper:

These days the modern bride has the whole world at her fingertips, from the high street to the internet, there is no limit to the number of vendors and suppliers you can get in touch with.  When you are on a tight budget you need to shop around and you need to be able to compare prices.  Thankfully the internet can take much of that burden for us, offering us price comparison websites and price match guarantees from many online retailers.

Keep an eye out for sales, clearance offers and discounts, both online and on the high street.  Be proactive too, sign up for free newsletters, wedding clubs and voucher code sites all of which can help you make significant savings.  Learn the art of negotiation also, speak to vendors about discounts or special prices for larger purchases, many will be more willing than you think to offer you a discount of some kind and if you can’t get a discount, then try for some freebies instead!

Be prepared to compromise:

I hate to say it but you can’t always get what you want, especially if you just don’t have the money available.  Never sacrifice something on your budget for the sake of a lesser item, for instance, skimping on the catering for the sake of some designer bridal shoes!  Prioritize your wedding budget in order of importance, i.e. ceremony, reception, catering etc, keep your ideas in check and make sure you apply realistic figures to your budgets, get quotes if necessary.  And if you cannot afford it, step away and find a cheaper alternative.

Spend money to make money:

This is a risky strategy in terms of wedding budget ideas, but could be worthwhile and can give your budget a welcome boost.  Wedding favors for instance can cost plenty if you are having lots of guests, which is why buying them wholesale makes them more cost effective.  Even if you are having a smaller wedding buying your favors from a wholesaler can still be a good idea. 

Wholesalers usually work on the principle of selling goods in minimum quantities or they will have a minimum order value, for instance, you have to buy packs of favor bubbles in boxes of 50 or have a minimum order value of $200 plus shipping. For a small wedding this may not seem a good option, however if you were to purchase your favors from them, you could sell the surplus on through websites like EBay for a small profit.  The excess quantity needs to make it worthwhile though, not point attempting this if the extra favors are only ten in number! 50 to 100 extra favors could give your budget a nice boost though and who knows maybe give you some business ideas for after the wedding!

Hire a wedding planner:

At first glance this may seem counterproductive; after all you have to pay for a wedding planner.  But a wedding planner will have contacts within the industry which could see you make substantial savings on things like venue hire, stationery, photography and flowers.  They will have built relationships with vendors and suppliers and often have exclusive pricing deals or packages purely for their clients.  The money they could save you could be far more than you could achieve by yourself.

You don’t have to hire them to plan the entire wedding, although if your budget is really tight it maybe an idea as they can spend it more efficiently for you; you can hire them to organize just one element such as the reception.  Most will offer you a free consultation before you decide to hire, so make full use of it and find out what they can do for you and how much they could potentially save you – you maybe able to afford those designer bridal shoes after all!

By Georgina Clatworthy

So much is written about planning a wedding with a small budget or how to save money on your wedding, but what about those of you with a big budget, how do you spend all that money to ensure you get the most from it and ultimately your wedding day?  You may think it crazy to think that couples could struggle to spend a big budget, but when it comes to wedding budget ideas on a grand scale, some may find it difficult to know what to spend and where.

As with any size of wedding budget it is important that you prioritize those bits of your wedding that are the most important to you.  It can be all too easy to spend freely on luxury wedding favors, and then realize that you have nothing left to spend on your wedding rings!  Here are a few ideas on areas where you should be prioritizing your budget:

• Your wedding photographs – they are the lasting memory of your day so make sure you portion a large part of your budget to get really shots of your day.
• Catering – bad food will be remembered above everything else, and most guests will look forward to the wedding breakfast.  Get as many quotes as possible, having tasting sessions and try many different types of menus before making a decision
• Entertainment – whether it is during the daytime or for the evening party, make sure you set aside a good sum for some great entertainment.

If you have a big budget then you can probably afford to splash out on those luxury elements of your day that others can only dream of.  Perhaps you have ideas for a particular form of wedding transport, lavish vintage champagne on your guests or even invite your hair and beauty stylist along to the wedding to make sure you stay looking your radiant best throughout the day!

One of the best ways of spending a big wedding budget is to hire a wedding planner to work with on all the details.  Whilst hiring a wedding planner can ultimately save you money, they also have contacts which could see your wedding being held at a venue that may otherwise have been out of your price range – even with a big budget!  They will have the experience and expertise to be able to apply wedding budget ideas to every area of your day for maximum effect, leaving you with memories of a day no one will forget.