Looking for wedding budget advice from someone who’s already done it…dozens of times? I’m a professional wedding planner and have helped numerous couples navigate their wedding budget. If you’re struggling with where to allocate your money, then you’ve come to the right place. The goal is to focus on the elements that give the biggest bang for your buck. Here is a list of what wedding elements I would suggest spending your budget on. And if you’re looking for the best places to save on your wedding budget, I also have a blog post for that!
Wedding Budget Advice: Spend on the Venue
Budgeting correctly for your wedding venue will set the tone for your entire wedding day. Choosing the right venue will potentially check other items off your budget list, such a furniture rentals, audio equipment, and event staff. It just depends on how much the venue offers with the rental. But you don’t have to break the bank on booking a wedding venue. Consider renting on a weekday or during the off season and you can still have the gorgeous setting at a fraction of the cost. You may be tempted to go with a lackluster venue, but then you are spending that much more money on proper decor, lighting, and other rentals. My professional wedding budget advice: spend on a wedding venue that fits your vision, but consider different wedding date options to save money.
Wedding Floral Arrangements
I’m a big believer in wedding flower power. When it comes to wedding budget advice, I usually recommend that couples invest in quality floral arrangements. This is for a few reasons. First, if you have gorgeous flowers, then you don’t need much else in terms of table decor. They also create the perfect backdrop for photographs. Flowers are also super versatile and come in a variety of color palettes to suit your event. The florist will help you realize your vision, so you don’t have to worry about creating coordinating DIY centerpieces.
Wedding Budget Advice: Spend on Lighting
Lighting will effect everything about the event, from the photographs to the overall vibe and mood of your guests. If your venue already offers lighting options, make sure to ask detailed questions! If not, you’ll need to decorate with candles and other sources of lights. Consider renting can lights to light the walls/ceilings, lamps for lounging areas, string lights for outdoor dancing, and candles for the tables. You won’t regret spending time and money on this aspect of your wedding.
Wedding Photographer
There’s nothing worse than paying for a photographer and not being happy with any of the photographs. If you invest in hiring an experienced wedding photographer, they will know how to get beautiful shots in any location or lighting. It’s a demanding job that requires them to think and move quickly. Usually, you get what you pay for in the wedding photography world. Do your research in this area and maybe even splurge for the larger package if having lots of photos is important to you. Expert wedding budget advice: hire an experienced photographer.
Live Entertainment
If you have really great music at a wedding, then the party automatically amps up. Everything becomes even more memorable when you have live entertainment. Even just a live jazz cocktail hour adds instant glamor. Live music might seem like an extravagance, but you’d be surprised at how many local bands and ensembles offer affordable rates. There are so many talented musicians out there excited to perform their work!
Wedding Budget Advice for DIY Weddings
Those are some of the main tips I have for where to allocate wedding funds. Focusing on the larger aspects of your wedding will make the event feel very cohesive and keep the budget under control. Then, you don’t need to waste energy DIYing all the small but time-consuming projects you saw on Pinterest. If this guide to wedding budgeting helped, then subscribe to my newsletter for more updates! I love helping couples create the DIY wedding of their dreams.
