Wedding Wednesdays: Creating A Wedding Budget [Episode Three]

Budgets, Planning & Advice, Podcast

In this week’s episode of the Wedding Wednesdays podcast, we’re talking about creating a wedding budget. If you want to plan a (relatively) stress-free wedding, then having an idea of what you can spend is an absolute must.

In order to work out what your budget is and how you want to divide it up, there are seven questions you can ask. In this episode, we go through all seven questions and help you work out what your priorities are!

We also got the expert advice from Caroline Dunne, from the Help! I’m Getting Married Facebook community. Take a listen:

 

Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts!

 

Episode breakdown

Question 1: What do weddings in Ireland cost?

Sometimes it helps to get an understanding of what other couples are spending! At least then you’ll have a vague idea of what weddings cost. This isn’t a ‘copy and paste’ situation. If you aren’t able to spend as much as other couples, or if you want to apportion your budget differently, then go for it! Make your budget work for you.

>> Wedding Survey 2022 – see what other couples are spending <<

 

Question 2: What are the most important elements of a wedding day for you?

Sit down with your partner and talk about the most important parts of the day. There are no wrong answers to the question, but it’s important that you’re on the same page. For some, it’s the venue and food. For others, it could be the flowers or honeymoon. Hopefully your vision of the day will be in alignment and planning will be a breeze!

 

Question 3: What areas are you happy to splurge on?

Fancy serving fillet steak instead of roast beef? Orchids over roses in your bouquet? Before you speak with suppliers, decide if there are any areas that no matter the cost you simply must have at your wedding. Work forward in your budget from there!

 

Question 4: Who is paying for your day and how much are they paying?

These days, it’s not unusual for couples to pay for everything, but if you’re lucky enough to have family who want to contribute, now is a great time to get them involved in the conversation. Talking about money can be awkward, but it’s essential that you know how much everybody is happy to put into the pot before you make any budget decisions.

 

Question 5: What figure do you want to stick to?

Now that you know how much is being added to the wedding pot, it’s time to get down to some serious counting. What are you able to add? Where is this cash coming from – are you planning on saving or taking out a loan? Remember that your location and the size of your wedding will play a big part in how much it will actually cost.

 

Question 6: How do you plan to divide up your budget?

With a figure down on paper, now you can work out how much you are happy to spend on each area. The survey we shared earlier is a helpful place to start, but you might want to begin with a big list of every individual wedding item you’ll need.

 

Question 7: How will you keep your budget on track?

It’s one thing to set a budget and a totally other thing to stick to it! Maybe you’re a spreadsheet genius (lucky you) or maybe simple pen and paper is more your thing. Whatever you decide to keep track of it, DO!