He asked, “Will you marry me?” and she said, “Yes!”
You have shown all your family and friends the gorgeous ring either the both of you or he alone picked for this special moment. You are about to embark on setting the dreams, themes and color schemes in motion. Let me make a suggestion: Set a budget for the wedding! The average cost for a wedding is $28,800. Yes, it can be done for much less and unrestricted, it can cost considerably more.

Discuss and even research with your fiancé the options on how to split the wedding expenses.  Is your situation Traditional? the parents of bride pay the majority of expenses as outlined by traditional rules. Are you Modern? you and the groom pay for the wedding as a couple. Or perhaps, Progressive? all the expenses are shared equally (or there abouts) with your parents, the groom’s parents and you, the couple.

Before making any decisions and booking any vendors–shop around.  Research the vendors and get estimates before setting the budget. This is absolutely necessary. You (really, I am talking about your parents) may think flowers cost $600, but it can quickly reach $2,000.

Create a detailed list based on category, projected cost and calculate.  A simple spreadsheet can be easily updated and make cost comparisons between different vendors for the same service (like bakeries, florists, DJ’s, etc.).

Schedule a meeting and discuss your findings about the proposed budget early with both families. This meeting will save you from senseless disagreements and disappointment if discussed early, openly and honestly. Once you have come to a decision on how to pay for the wedding, put the budget in writing with every category listed.  Establish a special wedding account, such as a simple checking account, where all the contributions are deposited. From this account, all expenses are paid from this sole resource in order to be able to accurately track expenses.

Coming soon…..HOW TO STICK TO THE BUDGET