| Controlling your budget is one of the biggest challenges | | | | your wedding. Things you could make yourself include |
| you will face with your wedding planning. It can be very | | | | stationery, favors, decorations and table centers. If you |
| easy to get carried away when looking for many of | | | | made all of these yourself you can save a large sum |
| the elements you want for your big day. From dresses | | | | from your budget. Other elements of your day which |
| to flowers, it can be easy to blow your budget just | | | | you could make yourself include your wedding dress, |
| because it is your wedding! | | | | bridesmaid dresses, accessories, wedding cake and |
| When you begin your wedding planning one of your | | | | photography. Ask around friends and family for |
| first tasks will be to create your wedding budget. It is a | | | | anyone who has skills which you could utilize, such as |
| good idea to use a budget planner to help you allocate | | | | making cakes, dress making and entertainment. |
| costs to each element of your day - ceremony, | | | | Other areas of your wedding planning where you |
| flowers, wedding cake etc. Try to give each element a | | | | could save money include the following: |
| realistic budget, call vendors and suppliers if you need | | | | - Your reception venue: rather than pay for an |
| an idea of the cost for specific elements. Once you | | | | expensive package, choose a venue such as a hall or |
| have applied figures to each item, add them all up to | | | | even a private garden with a marquee and cater the |
| give you a total figure for your wedding day. If it is too | | | | reception yourself. If you like a particular venue but |
| high then you will need to work back through and | | | | cannot afford it, ask about erecting a marquee in the |
| adjust the budget to a more affordable sum. | | | | grounds which could be significantly cheaper. |
| Do prioritize elements of your day in order of | | | | - Flowers: these can be a significant portion of your |
| importance, for instance your ceremony, reception | | | | budget. Choose in season and locally grown blooms, |
| venue and catering. This will help you to make sure | | | | use more expensive flowers in your bouquet and |
| you organize the most important elements first. Don't | | | | cheaper alternatives for your other arrangements. Ask |
| be afraid to negotiate on prices for venues, packages | | | | the florist to give you your buttonholes for free if you |
| and supplies. Many vendors will be happy to give you | | | | order the rest of your flowers with them. Alternatively |
| some kind of discount or freebie to secure your | | | | do you own flowers with garden flowers or cheaper |
| booking. But do make sure you obtain a written | | | | flowers bought from supermarkets. |
| breakdown of what is included in the price, including | | | | - Wedding Cake: wedding cakes can cost upwards of |
| taxes, fees and any other costs such as staff | | | | $300. Order a small cake which is within budget and |
| overtime. | | | | have plain cutting cakes hidden in the kitchen. Make |
| Consider introducing DIY elements into your day, | | | | your own cakes and ask a professional cake maker |
| making things yourself is a great way of personalizing | | | | to decorate them for you. Use plain iced cakes bought |
| your day and bringing an element of your own style to | | | | from supermarkets and use flowers to decorate them. |