Top Tips for Planning your Wedding Budget

Getting engaged can be a very exhilarating feeling indeed. However, often in the aftermath of the big announcement it dawns on you just how expensive weddings can become.

Your first thought may be to find a good wedding planner to help create the day of your dreams without breaking the bank. However, another consideration to make your big day the best that it can be is to talk to a financial planning adviser.

One of the first steps to creating and funding the wedding of your dreams is to figure out exactly how much money you can afford to put towards it.

Enlisting the help of a financial planning adviser can take the hassle out of financing a wedding. An adviser can help you determine how much you can afford to spend and can ensure you do not go over budget.  

Weddings on the whole have the potential to become expensive quite rapidly. Even the basics such as the flowers, cake, venue and band can add up really quickly.

One way to minimise the money you spend is to take the time to think about the key elements of the wedding.

Firstly, figure out how many guests you want to invite, as this will give you a number to work with in terms of estimating required space, food and entertainment.

The wedding cake
The cake has the potential to be an expensive addition to your special day. Potentially you may want to consider making it yourself or asking a family member or friend who has culinary skills to help you.

Location
The venue and reception are another key consideration. If it is possible, try to locate a venue which could be used for both the ceremony and the party afterwards. Overall this could help to reduce your costs.  

Entertainment
To ensure you have the best first dance as a married couple, you want to think carefully about what type of music or band you choose to hire for the day.

Your choice of musical entertainment may be dependent on how much you want to pay since a band is likely to be more expensive than a DJ.

Transport
People have lots of different ideas about transport for their wedding – there are less expensive ways of travelling to and from your wedding. Taking the time to think about how important it is to you will help you decide how much you are prepared to spend.

Photography
Having an amazing record of the day is important – costs can vary amongst different photographers. Your choice of photographer may rely on their price tag, however it pays to get some quotes from a few different ones and then compare them, before you make a decision.        

Flowers
Decorations can be pricey and flowers can sometimes be one of the most expensive of them all. An important consideration is choosing flowers in season to reduce costs and take the time to shop around to find the best deal.

With so many costs to consider, it is easy to see how people find themselves in a bit of tailspin trying to figure out how they are going to afford their perfect wedding.

To make the ceremony as special as possible, you may want to consider compiling a budget and getting an adviser to talk you through a few saving strategies.  

About the Author
ipac is one of Australia’s largest financial advisory firms and has offices based across the country. A wholly-owned subsidiary of the AMP Group, ipac specialises in research and financial advice that helps clients lead happier, more fulfilling lives.

Photo credit: © Bobby Earle – Fotolia.com