So, you have your wedding budget, but do you actually have a complete wedding budget? 

 

I ask this question because in America the average couple underestimates their final wedding cost by 30%. And believe it or not, the average wedding in America cost $30,000. Wow, that’s a lot, but if you have a complete budget plan, including all the factors that go into the cost of a wedding, you can avoid hidden costs and keep your budget to your specified limit. 

 

The best place to start with creating a budget is by listing out all the wants and needs of your wedding. Be sure to contact friends and family that have recently been married to find out what they had to pay for their wedding. 

 

That’s a great start, now once you have a general list of wants and needs, the next step is to price out everything and come up with a total cost of that list. Instead of taking time to contact a million vendors at first, I find that sites like wedding wire and The Knot have really good budget calculators. These can be used to get a pretty accurate general budget. Here is a link to the wedding wires budget calculator, which I recommend all the time. Wedding Budget Calculator 

 

Once you have everything priced out on your list, it’s time to cut the “want” items on the list and keep what is a “need” item until you have a comfortable budget. Some side trips for cutting costs include: 

• Doing things, yourself instead of paying for them (however, you will pay with your time)
• Ask for discounts from vendors (military, college students, etc.) 
• Look for used centerpieces and décor from other weddings online or from friends 
• Ask your friends and family what or how they can help with your wedding. (Making décor, labor, etc) 

Lastly, I want to conclude by remembering to factor tipping your wedding professionals into your budget. It is expected by most of your vendors that you will provide a tip if you appreciated their services. The amount for tipping all the different types of vendors does vary so here is a link to a wedding wire article on tipping. Tipping your Wedding Vendors 

I hope this tip helps make your special day everything you envision. If you are still in need of a DJ for your wedding feel free to contact us at 571-520-9603 or reply to us via HoneyBook or email at info@garciaentertainmentgroup.com to discover why we are more than just DJs!