How to Set a Realistic Wedding Budget

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Set aside some time to review your own opinion on how you should split the wedding expenses - then discuss that with your fiancé.

   Do you want to go traditional (parents of bride pay & bride)? Do you want to be more modern (pay for it yourself)? Do you want to be progressive (and share the wedding expenses with your fiancé)? Keep in mind that the tradition of having the bride's family pay for the wedding was established in days when a father would effectively pay a family to take his daughter off of his hands, as she wasn't seen as contributing to the family economy.
   
   Consider whether that's a tradition you wish to be a part of.
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   Step 2: Plan to tackle the cost together.

   Since today is not the 1950s and most brides are working full time and plan to continue working full-time, ask your fiancé to share the expenses of the wedding.
   
   Traditionally the groom's family only pays for the rehearsal dinner, and possibly part of the honeymoon.
   
   The bulk of the expense is really the wedding (the flowers, the cake, the gown, the food, the music, etc.). , This is really critical.
   
   You may think flowers would cost $500, but really they can cost $2,400 easily.
   
   Many vendors have minimums
   - get this information up front. , Nowadays, wedding deals offered by websites such as Groupon or dedicated wedding deals websites such as Wedobo , BridesRally , Wedding Channel can save you a ton of money. , It may be good to use software like Excel to easily update this and make cost comparisons between different vendors for the same thing (like different flower shops). , How? Asking questions about his views would be a good place to start.
   
   Sharing the list of potential costs with him would be wise.
   
   Better yet, look into venues and costs together
   - reviewing purchases and setting budgets based on one another's needs is something you'll be doing for the rest of your lives! , Keep in mind that if your families are paying for all or part of the wedding that they may feel entitled to add to this guest list.
   
   Be up front with them about this. , Will you pay for it yourself or ask your parents for assistance? Do you both feel right even asking your parents for financial assistance? , Special note: money from family has strings attached, so be careful about setting expectations that this is YOUR wedding and that you appreciate their financial contributions. , The top line should have the total amount you are willing to spend and the end of the sheet should have a running total of projected and actual wedding related expenses. ,
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   Step 3: Research the vendors and get price quotes before setting the budget.

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   Step 4: Research wedding deals online.

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   Step 5: Write a detailed list with vendor name and projected cost and tally everything up.

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   Step 6: Once you have an idea of what your wedding may cost in your area (with vendors that you like)

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   Step 7: discuss the finances with your fiancé.

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   Step 8: At this stage

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   Step 9: start formulating a guest list

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    Step 10: because many budget items are proportional to the size of the wedding you host.

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    Step 11: Come to agreement with your fiancé about how you would like to pay for the wedding.

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    Step 12: Meet with your respective parents to speak honestly and openly how much they are willing to contribute to the "wedding fund."

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    Step 13: Create a spreadsheet using Excel or OpenOffice to write down and track your budget.

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    Step 14: Try to enjoy the busy and stressful wedding planning process

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    Step 15: knowing that you have made one of the first and important financial decisions with your fiancé!

Detailed Guide

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