Congratulations, you’re engaged! But before you get lost in the daydreams of your perfect wedding, here’s a statistic that will surely bring you back down to earth: on average, wedding expenses can total $30,000, and that doesn’t even include the honeymoon! Your wedding will be one of the most exciting days of your life, but also potentially one of the most expensive.
Daydreamers don’t despair. By employing and sticking to a realistic wedding budget, you can still have the wedding you always dreamed of. These tips are sure to help you save money and stick to your budget without compromising your dream day.
What Sort of Wedding do You Want?
When imagining your perfect wedding, what comes to mind? A classic ballroom reception? Maybe an intimate backyard barbecue with friends and family? Or the Kiwi special of a beachside reception? Pinning down what type of wedding you’re dreaming of is a crucial first step. It will determine the size of the budget needed and inform where you can cut costs.
Determine a Realistic Budget
By budget, we don’t just mean how much money you can spend in total. When looking at wedding expenses, it is helpful to break down your budget into specific categories.
We suggest breaking your wedding budget into these categories:
• Reception
• Ceremony
• Photography
• Wedding Attire
• Catering
• Miscellaneous
By breaking down your budget, you can decide which areas you want to allocate more of your budget to and get a better understanding of the total cost of your wedding. As uncomfortable as financial talk may be, remember it’s a lot easier to put the time and effort in now than to be still paying your wedding off on your fourth anniversary.
Chose Your Wedding Date Wisely
The date of your wedding can have a significant impact on your budget. Getting married between April and September is a fantastic way to secure lower rates from typical wedding vendors during the ‘off-season.’ Likewise, consider the day of the week too. Most wedding vendors will be more than happy to cut clients a deal for a booking on a day that isn’t Saturday.
Limit Your Guest List and Check it Twice
Less can be more! Especially when creating your wedding guest list. You may feel tempted to include absolutely everyone, from your second cousin to the guy that delivers your mail, but it’s important to remember to work within your budget. Every guest comes at a cost; this sounds harsh, but it’s true. To save money on your wedding expenses, you may want to consider hosting a smaller, more intimate celebration. It can be hard to cut people off the list but remember, this day is for you, not anyone else.
An On-Budget Wedding is Possible!
Having a sound plan for your wedding expenses can keep you from wasting money unnecessarily. At Why Not Finance, we can help you fulfil your wedding dreams with the best available wedding loans in NZ. It’s simple to use and even faster to apply for an easy online loan. Start your marriage off on secure financial footing with Why Not Finance.