Our goal as wedding coordinators is to be able to offer every couple a peace of mind through planning and organization! We noticed that one of the main stressors of the wedding planning process is a couple’s budget. Knowing how important budgeting is to our couples we’ve created a few videos all about wedding budgeting! For each video we will be creating a blog going into more detail on the topic! So stay tuned for that! :) But for today, we will be sharing the top 5 decisions that WILL affect your budget!

Decision #1: Your Wedding Date

Believe it or not the day you choose to get married can affect your wedding budget! The venue, vendors, and materials that you may want for your big day depends on when in the year you’re planning to get married, as it could be more expensive than usual. So if you're flexible with your wedding date and don’t have a preference on a certain month or day, we recommend selecting a date that is not on the more expensive side. Wondering what dates may be more expensive than others? What to consider when selecting your wedding date? Check out our blog HERE to learn more!  

Decision #2: The Time of Day of your Wedding

Not only can your wedding date affect your wedding budget but so can the time of day! The time of day is a big factor, especially when it comes to your wedding reception! Though we often see receptions happen in the evening, there are money saving advantages with an afternoon wedding. Many venues offer lower rates for a lunch event versus a dinner event. However when booking a lunch reservation you typically don’t have as much time as a dinner reservation. Also though a lunch reception is a little nicer on the wallet than a dinner, one thing to note is that the lighting may not be the ideal for projections and candles. So if you want to have a slideshow or same day video edit projected for your guests to see, keep in mind that the afternoon lighting may not be the best for this kind of presentation. 

Decision #3: The Size of Your Guest List

When determining your guest count it’s important to remember, more people = more money! With that in mind the amount of guests you choose to invite will play a big factor to your budget. Since this decision can really affect your budget it’s important to work with anyone that may have the ability to invite folks to your wedding (such as your parents or anyone funding the wedding). Having these conversations will help to ensure that your guest count doesn’t increase unexpectedly. 

Decision #4: Your Wedding Venue

Oftentimes when selecting a wedding venue it’s typical for only the food cost that couples take into consideration. However, depending on the type of venue you select there may be more than just food costs to consider. Whether it’s an estate, ranch, hotel, resort, or country club there can be additional costs that come with a venue. Since there are so many different factors to consider when choosing your venue, we actually created a whole other video about it. Feel free to check out the video HERE if you’re interested in learning more about the additional costs that can come with a venue. 

Decision #5: The Size of Your Wedding Party

Though it may not be common everywhere, in Hawaii we often see couples paying for practically everything that has to do with their wedding party. 

Some of these things are: 

• Attire, including alterations

• Hair & Makeup

• Transportation

• Flowers such as bouquets & boutonnieres

• And sometimes even accommodations for them and their plus ones

Regardless of whether you choose to pay for one or all of the items above for your wedding party, it will be a cost to your budget. Consider even the number of Bridesmaids, Groomsmen, Flower Girls, Ring Bearers, and etc. you would like can really affect your budget as well. 

All in all your wedding date, time of your wedding,  guest count, wedding venue, and size of your wedding party are the top 5 decisions that we feel will affect your budget. In order to create your wedding budget it’s important to keep these decisions top of mind. Looking to learn more about budget planning for your wedding? Check out our various YouTube videos on budgeting and stay tuned for further blogs! 

XOXOXO

Happy Planning!

(A Perfect Day)