When it comes to planning your wedding, we know there’s always one thing that’s top-of-mind: budget. There are probably a million questions running through your mind when it comes to this topic. How much should we expect to pay? What areas can we save on costs? What services should we invest in? Luckily, you came to the right place for advice! Aside from the obvious advice to hire a planner who can help you map out the perfect budget for your needs, our Junebug top planners from around the world have provided their best wedding budget tips just for you!
DETERMINE WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT
“Sit down and determine what is most important to you as a couple. Put more of your budget into what screams “you” and then it’ll feel better cutting back on other areas. Are you musicians? Focus your money there! Love being in the outdoors together? Allocate more towards a venue that embraces that!”
SIMPLIFY THE WEDDING PARTY
“Many of our couples recently have been skipping the wedding party. Instead, they’ve told their besties to wear a dress in a certain color family. So no bridesmaids dresses or matching shoes needed, but you can still snag that cute photo with your friends! This has further benefits for budget, in not needing to fit wedding party gifts, groomsmen boutonnieres, bridesmaids hair and makeup, and bouquets into the budget. Bonus: Your friends will thank you when they can sit comfortably through the ceremony.”
UTILIZE YOUR OWN PERSONAL TREASURES
“To our design team, bringing out nuances of the couples’ spirit is always our jam. Often I ask clients to look around their home and “shop.” Think of ways to incorporate decor elements and accents pieces you already own. Do you have Restoration Hardware wooden tooled candlesticks on your mantel? Grab those for me! Or Anthropologie baskets, vases or throws? Then pack them up and bring them!
As planners and designers we can incorporate what you already have. We can populate a welcome table with your wood trays from your home coffee table and we’ll use those trays to wrangle your Fugi Instamatic cameras. We can use one of your large West Elm vases as your gift card receptacle. You World Market wood frame makes great bar sign, your kilim throw pillows become accents to rented lounge furniture. Your grandmothers vintage china set? Let’s use these for your dessert grazing table.”
LEAVE SOME ROOM IN YOUR BUDGET
“It’s essential to allocate an extra 5 to 10 percent of your money for surprise expenses like printing extra invites because of guest list changes, additional dress steaming, tailoring needs, umbrellas for a rainy day, and other last minute items.”