Planning a Wedding 101

Planning a Wedding - Where do you begin?
     
    First The Budget - How much money do you have to spend?

Budgeting for your Wedding for a Solid Beginning
   
Setting a budget for your wedding can be daunting to say the least.  Today's weddings can be so complex and the expenses can soar!  The best gift a couple can give themselves is to start their new marriage debt free! (or almost debt free) So before you begin to buy and spend for your wedding sit down and make a plan.

   Accounting 101
 
   Income = how much money you will have available to spend
   Expenses = how much you spend
  

Income

Start first by figuring out how much income you are going to have available to spend.  Don't include the amounts that "you think" you might receive as gifts. Talk to your parents - ask them how much they will contribute.

 
Don't depend on your credit card unless you can pay for the bill when it comes in.  Interest rates are extremely higher and will take longer to pay off.  Consider a loan or line of credit that can be managed and paid off in a timely manner.  If you’re getting married a year from this point start a **savings plan of your own and set aside a fix amount that you can afford.

Once you have the Income figure firmly in place, then you can move on to the Expense side of the Planning.  Keep in mind what you have available and tighten the purse strings when temptation strikes.

Expenses

There are a couple of expenses that are fixed that you usually don't have any control over. 1 - marriage license, 2 - your clergy or officiate. 

The next important step is to decide where you will be holding your reception. The dinner and meal will take up a huge amount of your budget.

At this step making a draft of your guest list will be helpful when deciding what venue to look at. (TIPS - Cutting down the guest list will cut your expenses.)

Once you have set the when and where and the costs that are involved you can see how much available income you will have remaining.

Prioritize what's important to you then you can make adjustments elsewhere.  There are many ways to "cut costs" in wedding planning.