Whether you plan for $30,000 or $300,000 wedding, you will need to go on a budget. Weddings are all about the lavishness and you may end up spending more than your budget. You cannot let all the hard earned cash go in one ceremony.
Remember Chandler Bing also put Monica on a wedding budget because he was not ready to spend all his hard earned cash. This is a prudent thing to do. Turn your wedding budget into your comprehensive plan.
The most tedious or monotonous part of a wedding is the wedding budget. Sadly there no magic formula to save you from the budgeting. Whether on a small budget or ready to go all bowled out, the allocations will depend on the formality, time of the year, guest list size.
Here’s the overview of a wedding budget breakdown:
Plant out the wedding budget as per your requirement. This wedding budget checklist will help you budget your wedding in different parts, dividing each part into percentages for each section. You can use the suggested checklist as your guideline to figure out the budget and the amount you are willing to spend.
You can adjust the percentage numbers as per your desires.
Ceremony (2 percent)
Ceremony location fee
Official fee or church donation
Marriage license
Reception (50 percent)
Reception site fee
Food, beverage and service
Bar
Cake
Rentals
Coat Check
Attire (10 percent)
Bride’s wedding dress
Headpiece and veil
Bride’s wedding shoes
Lingerie
Jewelry and other bridal accessories
Hair and makeup
Groom’s tuxedo or suit
Groom’s shoes
Groom’s accessories
Wedding Rings (2 percent)
Bride’s wedding ring
Groom’s wedding ring
Flowers and Decorations (10 percent)
Ceremony floral arrangements and decorations
Bride’s bouquet
Maid of honor’s and Bridesmaid’s bouquets
Flower girl’s buds and basket
Corsages
Boutonnieres
Ring pillow
Guestbook
Reception centerpieces and decorations
Lighting
Ceremony and Reception Music (10 percent)
Ceremony musicians
Cocktail-hour musicians
Reception band, deejay, or entertainment
Sound-system rental
Dance-floor rental
Photography and Videography (10 percent)
Photography for engagement
Photography for the wedding day
Wedding album
Additional prints and albums
Videography
Stationery ( 2 percent)
Save-the-date cards
Invitations, RSVPs and additional envelops
Ceremony programs
Reception escort cards, place cards and menu cards
Thank you cards
Postage
Calligraphy
Wedding announcements
Transportation (1 percent)
Limousine or car rental for bride and groom
Limousine or car rental for a bridal party
Transportation for wedding guests if ceremony and reception are not in the same place.
Valet parking
Favors and Gifts (3 percent)
Wedding favors
Bride’s parents and groom’s parent’s gifts
Maid of honor’s gift
Bridesmaids gifts
Best man’s gift
Groomsmen’s gifts
Child attendants gifts
Welcome gifts for out of town guests