The good news? With a thoughtful approach, you can plan the wedding of your dreams without breaking the bank. We're sharing our top tips for stress-free wedding budgeting so you can focus on celebrating, not just spreadsheets.
Start with the Big Picture
Understanding your total budget early helps guide every decision, from venue selection to guest count. Before you book anything, ask yourselves:➤ How much can we realistically spend? Look at all of your income streams and potential cost savings. While we don't want anyone going into debt for the big day, review your credit options if that's vital to your planning.
➤ Who is contributing financially? Family, friends, or just you two? This might scale your budget in different directions.
➤ What are the must-haves versus nice-to-haves? If having the wedding venue of your dreams is a must have (like what we see in most of our real wedding features!), then consider what you might be willing to compromise if it's more than what you initially budget for.
➤ When do we want our wedding to happen? A longer engagement may mean more time to save or spread out costs.
➤ How many guests do we wish to invite? More guests means more budget is needed. (We have lots of guest list tips for you to read later!)
Prioritize What Matters Most
Make a list of your top 3–5 most important wedding elements. This can be details, professionals, and locations. Literally whatever is significant to you to have on the wedding day.Common priorities include:
• Venue
• Food and drinks
• Photography
• Entertainment
• Attire
Once you know what matters most for your wedding goals, allocate a larger portion of your budget there and consider savings in lower-priority areas. For example, if venue and photography are your top priorities, it can be a great idea to DIY your decor and consider buffet catering to help with budget allocation. There is not one way to do a wedding. The best wedding is the wedding that reflects you and your partner's style and story.
Break It Down by Category
If you are already having some overwhelm and not knowing where things go, you're not alone! Instead of concepts, try budgeting by category with concrete percentages. It helps mentally give you an anchor to where money needs to go (or not go).It's also important to note that this will be different for every single wedding because everyone is different! But for those who aren't familiar with the wedding world and just need a starting point, here's a general breakdown that you can use to begin visualizing where your budget might land:
Category
Typical % of Budget
Venue & Catering
40–50%
Photography & Videography
10–15%
Attire & Beauty
5–10%
Entertainment & Rentals
5–10%
Flowers & Decor
5–10%
Miscellaneous & Incidentals
5–10%
Online wedding budget calculators are widely available, but do keep in mind that their figures can sometimes be skewed. These often don't provide the nuance required for individual preferences, fluctuating professional costs (e.g., tariffs, catering ingredients, and supplies), and local economies, so use them as a very loose guide rather than a realistic tool.
Track Every Expense
Keeping a close eye on your spending is essential. Consider spreadsheets for organizing your finances, budgeting apps that help track costs automatically, and regular check-ins with everyone financially involved to catch overspending early.Don't forget to note hidden costs like taxes, service fees, and gratuities that can come up throughout the booking process. These can be forgettable, and they can add up fast.
Smart Ways to Save
There are plenty of ways to cut costs without compromising your wedding’s style or vibe! Our 50 Ways to Save for Your Wedding article is a must read, but for some quick ideas right now, you can:✦ Choose off-season or weekday weddings: Venues and vendors sometimes offer lower rates when it's not so busy.
✦ DIY things that can be done DIY: Handmade touches may help you save money and infuse more of your personalities into your details. (Psst, if you're new here and just stumbled onto this article from the web, we have a whole library of DIY tutorials and information! Not so humble brag: that's what Tidewater and Tulle is known for!)
✦ Rent instead of buy: Attire, decor, tableware, and even your wedding florals can be rented.
✦ Limit the guest list strategically: The number one way to cut down cost is to have a smaller wedding as this lowers your costs for catering, invitations, and seating.
Plan for the Unexpected
Even with careful planning, surprises happen. Set aside 5–10% of your total budget for emergencies. This cushion covers last-minute expenses like extra rentals, insurance, vendor fees, or unexpected travel costs.Budgeting doesn't have to feel restrictive. It shouldn't control your headspace! Focus on experiences, not things. Memories matter more than extravagant extras. Remember: a beautiful, meaningful wedding doesn’t require a massive budget. It just requires intentional choices.
PHOTO CREDITS
Hoi An Photography, Hannah Olinger, Vitaly Gariev, and Molly Lichten from this gingham engagement session on Tidewater and Tulle
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