| You can make a lot of mistakes on your way to your | | | | celebrant or a dress. Money problems can derail a |
| fabulous wedding. If you make big mistakes about your | | | | marriage. Work them out before they build up. You |
| Wedding Budget, your wedding can be seriously | | | | can avoid this problem: Record your money as you |
| impacted (and not for the good!) Here are three big | | | | spend it. If you spend more money in one column it |
| ones, which will get you off to a bad start at the very | | | | means you need to spend less in another. Remember |
| least. Avoiding them, however, will set you up for the | | | | what they say: plan your work, and work your plan. |
| wedding of your dreams -- a wedding that leads to a | | | | 3. Don't base your budget on your values or your |
| marriage of happy ever after! | | | | lifestyle. It is 'way too easy to be seduced by what's |
| | | | fashionable in weddings. It's easy to wind up spending |
| 1. Don't bother with a budget. You have put some | | | | money on things that have nothing to do with who you |
| money aside, and you're pretty good about estimating | | | | are and what you believe. You can avoid this problem: |
| your expenses. Wrong! What is unbelievable about | | | | By looking closely at what you believe in and value. |
| weddings is how complicated they are. There are so | | | | Make your decisions about what you will spend money |
| many people to hire and objects to buy. You need a | | | | based on what is important to you. Have a wedding |
| spreadsheet. And you need categories with | | | | ceremony and a reception that look like you. Let your |
| guestimates about expenditures. You can avoid this | | | | wedding theme be your great love! |
| problem: Buy the books, do your homework, make a | | | | You will be amazed at how much you will gain both |
| budget. This is going to set precedent for the rest of | | | | for your wedding and in your relationship if the two of |
| your life. Why not set a precedent for planning ahead? | | | | you sit down, figure out what has meaning, what you |
| 2. Overspend your budget. You know what you have | | | | can spend and how you're going to allocate your |
| to spend. You set a budget and check out the | | | | funds. Your wedding will be beautiful because it will |
| magazines and books. You meticulously note all the | | | | reflect who you are, how you love one another and |
| categories and the recommended percentages. You | | | | what you believe. You will walk down the aisle to your |
| figure out what those percentages mean in terms of | | | | future and stand there, hand in hand while you make |
| the money you have. But then, something happens. | | | | your wedding vows. Then celebrate with your |
| There's a fabulous deal on something you hadn't | | | | community at a reception that truly celebrates your |
| planned on. You spend a little more over here, a lot | | | | marriage. Celebrate with your community at a |
| over there, and you get halfway through and oopsie, | | | | reception that is paid for! Go ahead, bring it in under |
| there's no money left to spend and you don't have a | | | | budget! |