How to Make a Budget?

Can someone please help me? Sorry to sound so naive, but I need to know how this is done. I mean, I am keeping track of the quotes we have received from vendors and the actual amount of money we are spending, but how am I supposed to know how much I want to spend on something. Like, for example, how do I 'budget' for flowers? It seems completely random and arbitrary to me. My mom is hounding me to do a budget and I don't see how it makes sense. Any advice from you smart ladies out there? I'm a good saver . . . TIA

i rely on weddingwire.com's budget. you just put in an estimate of your quotes and it will give you the total budget...

if its too much, then you know you need to come down on a few things. obviously, some things you cant come down on. for example, whatever contracts you signed you are obligated to pay (i.e., RH) as well as things you may have bought (i.e., dress, etc).

if you didnt buy/contract a lot of things yet, just put in the numbers you feel are appropriate. when it totals it up at the end, you will have an idea if its too much money or if you are okay. that is your 'budget'.

wedding wire is awesome cuz you can play w the numbers easily and it breaks it down for you in charts and stuff too.

good luck!

---

Posted by little j

i rely on weddingwire.com's budget. you just put in an estimate of your quotes and it will give you the total budget...

if its too much, then you know you need to come down on a few things. obviously, some things you cant come down on. for example, whatever contracts you signed you are obligated to pay (i.e., RH) as well as things you may have bought (i.e., dress, etc).

if you didnt buy/contract a lot of things yet, just put in the numbers you feel are appropriate. when it totals it up at the end, you will have an idea if its too much money or if you are okay. that is your 'budget'.

wedding wire is awesome cuz you can play w the numbers easily and it breaks it down for you in charts and stuff too.


good luck!

---

that does sound kool
im using the knot
might need to check this out.

---

Posted by CappyGirl

It's pretty great - I started already . . . its very scary, haha.

---

yup. the estimated budget on WW came in a little more than 10k what we really want to spend...so now i know, we have to cut things DOWNNNN!!!

its kinda scary to see the charts though. FH was looking at those this wknd and laughing....not in a good way tho...

This isn't our budget, but we basically sat down and asked

How much are we willing to spend on the wedding?
(.i.e. 50,000)

Then we listed all of the things we would need (Ceremony, officient, dress/tux, flowers, dj, photo/video etc..) and ranked them in what aspects are more important to us. We really want good quality photos and live music DJ so we would put a little more money there.

Then we listed things that we want but don't need
(custom cake, photobooth, Vietense hour,.. etc) and we listed them in order of really want to just kinda want.

We figured about 1/2 of the money we are wiling to spend will probably be on the Ceremony site, Reception hall/food/bar etc. (i.e. 25,000)

Then we split the rest of the money between the things we need.
(i.e. DJ 5,000, florist 2,000 Photo/video 5,000 stationary 1,000, favors 500, Dress/ bride accesories 3,000 groom tux/accesories 1,500, limos 3,000)

Once the 'need' things are taken account of, any extra $ was put towards things we want but don't need. This budget become more definate as the needed items are booked.

Also as vendors were booked, we tried to see what extras they would give us with in our budget. if we had extra $ left we put that money into the 'want' items if we went over budget we took that money out of the 'want items budget' and once or twice after booking vendors had to adjust our need budget as well once we got a realistic price range for what we wanted.

We also bugeted 2,000 for 'opps' which was good for us. it was for things we need but forgot to budget for, like cameras on the table, guest book, etc. that we didn't even think about.

I hope this wasn't confusing...

Hope it helps.

---

Posted by CappyGirl

But I guess that is my question - how do I know what my overall budget is? I guess that is where I am stuck . . .

---

Your overall budget would be completely up to you and FH....what are you willing to spend??? Are your or his parents contributing in any way? Or are you and FH footing the bill yourself? Those are the questions you'll need to answer yourself before deciding upon your own budget.

WHen I did my budget...I almost fell over!

But in the end you have to make a budget that fits your lifestyle and the way you envision your wedding

Here is a break down from a binder i have...

5%
Stationary (invites, postage, programs, place cards, ty's)

50%
Reception and Ceremony (site fee, catering & beverages, bar, wedding cake, table decor, cake knife, toasting glasses)

10%
Music (ceremony and reception)

10%
Flowers (cp's, bo-k's, boutonniere's, corsages, fg baseket)

10%
Apparel (wedding rings, dress, veil, headpiece, lingerie, shoes, hair appt, makeup, manicure, groom's attire)

10%
photography and video

5%
Honeymoon

Obv this isn't a set list and things move around and some people don't pay for everything but it's an outline.

I say spend on what's most important to you like for me, my pictures are the most important thing, flowers are not that important, the light show the DJ does also not that important. RH is important (but I'm getting married on a Thursday, saving BIG money) So I guess it depends on what is important to you