Compared to trying on beautiful dresses, taste-testing delicious cakes, and picking out gorgeous florals, creating a wedding budget might seem like the least glamorous aspect of wedding planning.
However, a well-thought-out budget ultimately goes a long way toward saving yourself both money and unnecessary stress. Make budgeting your first step before diving into the details so you’ll be able to fully delight in all of the other fun, exciting, and memorable stages of the wedding planning process!
If you’re looking to create a wedding budget and you’re not quite sure where to start, here are some tips from the wedding experts at Red Gate Farms.
Contemplate Your Guest List
When creating your budget, one of the first things you’ll need to consider is how many people you would like to invite to your big day. While your wedding day will likely be the biggest party you’ll ever throw, as your guest list increases, so will your costs. Your number of guests will have a direct effect on many of your other decisions, including the size of your venue, food and drink options, decor, and more. Deciding early on if you’re planning for 20 or 200 people in attendance will prove hugely necessary. And remember, it’s common for brides and grooms to have to trim down their guest list. After all, your wedding day is a time to celebrate you, your beloved, and your commitment to one another, and you should be surrounded only by the people you love and care for most.
Choose Your Date Thoughtfully
There are many things to consider when it comes to picking the perfect date for your wedding.
If most of your guests will be traveling from out of town to celebrate your big day, hosting your wedding on a Friday or Saturday is best. However, since weekend weddings are traditionally the more popular choice, they are also more expensive. Choosing to have a wedding during the week is an excellent option for saving money and allows you to get married on special dates that are meaningful to you as a couple.
Consider Your Wedding Day Priorities
When you envision the wedding of your dreams, what details come to mind? Just as every bride and groom is unique, everyone is bound to have different priorities regarding their reception and ceremony. After all, your wedding is a celebration of your love and should reflect who you are as a couple!
Make a list of the things you and your fiancé will cherish most about your wedding, and keep those as priority items during your budgeting process. Consider the following and rank each item in order of importance: venue, guest list, entertainment, food and drink, flowers/decor, and photography/videography. Once you agree on which details matter most, you’ll be better able to allocate your budget accordingly to make the wedding you wish for a reality. Though costs will vary depending on your specific choices, you can use this helpful breakdown of a typical wedding budget as a general guideline:
20%: Venue 15%: Photographer and Videographer 15%: Food and Beverage 10%: Attire (Bride and Groom) 10%: Flowers and Decor 9%: DJ & Day of Coordination 5%: Cake 4%: Invitations 3%: Guest Amenities and Favors 2%: Officiant 7%: Miscellaneous
Ask For a Wedding Budget Calculator
Our hand-selected preferred vendors' list at Red Gate Farms is made up of the best wedding professionals Savannah has to offer. This extensive vendors list and our useful Wedding Budget Calculator allow us to lend a helping hand to couples in their budgeting process. With your number of guests, tentative date, and other personal selections in mind, our Wedding Budget Calculator uses our vendors’ price lists to generate a more accurate estimate of your wedding expenses.
Here at Red Gate Farms, we are well-versed in helping couples host the wedding of their dreams. We offer many convenient wedding packages, over 400 acres of breathtaking Southern landscape, and three unique venues to choose from: The Barn, The Belle Tower, and The Grainery. To schedule a tour of the property or for more information on pricing and availability, contact us today!