If we had a pound for every couple who ever said ‘We haven’t set budget, but we won’t spend over X amount of pounds,’ we’d be very rich, and those couples would be very in debt! Yes, addressing the wedding budget is not a romantic part of your plans but neither is the reality of letting your heart rule your head and spending far beyond your means! Setting a wedding budget is a must-do, and the best bit is, you won’t even have to compromise on your dream day with our helpful tips!

In a recent survey from You & Your Wedding couples in the UK spend on average over £20,500 on their dream day, that is a staggering amount of your hard earned pounds on one event, but in our opinion, totally worth it!

Does money grow on trees?

There are no hard and fast rules on how much you should spend your budget. The important thing to remember is to spend only what you can afford. You and your fiancé should stay grounded and be realistic when deciding how you are going to pay for your wedding. Many couples choose to save money for a few years before the wedding; the benefit of this is that when your wedding is over, everything is paid for. Others choose to take out a bank loan, the downside to this are the obvious monthly payments long after your wedding is over. However you decide to pay it is also important to discuss your plans with your parents, as they may want to make financial contributions. If they do, make sure you know exactly what they want to pay for and how much money they are willing to spend.

The big list

Once you have decided on your budget and how you plan to pay for it, you should draw up a list of everything you will need for your dream day. From the dress to stationery, flowers to favours, all elements should be considered. Estimate how much you expect to pay for each item on your list and then start shopping around. Now may be the time when you have to make certain sacrifices- if you discover the budget is already starting to creep up think about everything you want. Are there any elements you could do without or scale down?

Ten Tips To Keep Your Budget In Check

Are there any elements of the day you can DIY? This should save on the overall budget, but do remember to be realistic with your time, and how much you spend on tools.

Finally, don’t let yourself become obsessed with money. Your wedding should not be judged on how much you have or haven’t spent, it should be a celebration and the start of a happy and hopefully debt-free life together with your new husband.