Your wedding is one of the most magical days of your life. It’s a special event meant to celebrate your love for another person and to commemorate your dedication to one another.

However, planning for a wedding can get very expensive very quickly. Because wedding costs can be so high, before you begin planning you should consider your budget, your goals and how much you plan to spend.

Building a Wedding Budget

To start determining the cost of your wedding, try making a list of your expenses— everything from the venue to catering to music and entertainment. Also consider the number of people you plan on inviting. A smaller wedding means a smaller venue and less you’ll need to spend on food and drinks. Setting a limit will make the process easier.

Once you've researched the cost of everything you need, add up your totals. If you exceed your budget, try to see if you can cut back on some expenses. For example, if you don't want to sacrifice the size of your wedding, see where you can cut costs— or you could decide to have your ceremony on a less expensive date.

If you’re looking for tools to help plan and visualize your budget, our free online money management tools are here to help. View the cash flow calendar to see where you’re actually spending your money and set text / email reminders to keep spending on track!

Establishing Goals

You want to be on the same page as your partner when it comes to your wedding. When building your budget, sit down with your partner and communicate both of your goals. Effectively communicating will help make your first major financial decision together go smoothly.

Be sure to go through your wedding expenses and determine which items are wants and which are needs. For example, is a beautiful venue more important than elaborate decorations? Do you want live music, or would you rather ask a friend to DJ? Or maybe you two would prefer a honeymoon overseas over an expensive wedding that would drain your savings.

Whichever the case, determining both of your goals and your wants / needs for your wedding will take away some of the stress of planning.

Takeaway

Nobody wants to start a marriage off burdened with debt. Don’t feel pressured by the weddings of your friends or the big, elaborate kind you see on social media. When planning your wedding with your partner, keep in mind the one thing that truly matters: your love for one another.

Having open communication about your budget and both of your goals will help reduce stress when planning your wedding and well into your future together as spouses.