Ah….the drama of the wedding budget. So many people to invite. So many things you want to do. So little money to spend. How do you make your wedding dreams fit your budget reality??
I always suggest that you start with a reality check. The majority of brides salivate over the idea of a Saturday night wedding, an open bar, live musicians at the ceremony, a choice of filet mignon or lobster at the reception, tons of flowers, a live R&B or jazz band and a wedding cake that rivals those in wedding magazines. All of these ideas are GREAT. However, when your budget is $10,000 and your guest list boasts more than 200 attendees….it’s time for a reality check.
The majority of your budget (approximately half) will go to food and beverage. Flowers, cake, lighting, live musicians, linens, transportation, stationery and honeymoon costs also add up. So, what do you do? Examine your guest list. Yes, it would be great to invite every single person you know. But reality may not allow it. Think about those people on your list. Do you HAVE to invite ALL of those people?? Everyone from Girl Scouts when you were in the 4th grade? All of your parents’ co-workers? Your 3rd cousin’s best friend? The reality is that it is a lot cheaper to feed 75 guests than it is to feed 200. Consider a micro-wedding. It can be small, intimate, romantic and memorable. Your dollars can go so much farther if you have to spend less on feeding tons of folks. You might not be able to have everything that you imagine, but you can get a lot closer to your reality if you cut some of those people off of your list.
It may seem cruel at first, but think about. Wouldn’t you rather have some of those important wedding elements that you’ve fantasized about for months? Or do you want to do want to do scaled down versions of ALL of your ideas to accommodate more guests? Are you prepared to sacrifice the elegant, 5-course meal that you imagined for the typical hotel chicken and rice plated dinner because it’s cheaper?
So, when you’re searching the internet and saving photos of your fantasy dress, your fantasy flower arrangements and your fantasy 7-tier wedding cake, think of the guest list and remember what you’ve always heard…..less IS more!!
