” How much does all this stuff cost?” – A guide to wedding budgeting

Wedding budgeting… let’s face it, it’s not the most exciting job during your wedding planning journey (unless you love a damn good pivot table…)

It’s one of those jobs however that needs attention (before you even step foot in a bridal boutique) & I assure you, spending some time putting your budget together will massively reduce those wedding planning stresses.

Every couple will have their own specific priorities & will want to allocate different parts of their budget to certain areas of their day so there’s no generic rule, it’s your day!

Suppliers will also provide pricing based on their experience, talent, knowledge & quality of their work, so knowing your budget for each category can really help narrow down your supplier search.

Below you will find my average breakdown for a wedding budget & some handy tips to kick off your budget planning.

Remember, this is just a guide; you may want to allocate more of your budget to those dreamy wedding heels/sumptuous invitations/billowing florals over a towering cake…or not!

Starting with some averages will really help when you’re crunching those numbers so grab a glass of bubbly & pull up a chair!

Neutral wedding table styling and floristry

TIP 01.

Pick your top 5 budget areas that spark the most joy & make them non-negotiable –

There’s a lot of choice out there so before shiny object syndrome creeps in, think about those absolute must haves for you both & keep them at the forefront of your wedding planning.

TIP 02.

Set a budget before you start to shop around –

Trust me on this one, there’s no worse feeling than trying on ‘the dress’ before setting a budget to then discover it’s out of your budget reach… I had to learn the hard way with this tip!

TIP 03.

Add a miscellaneous fund of 5% to your budget –

There will always be something that crops up such as hotel for the night before, beauty treatments, supplier meals… or your misc fund comes in handy if you decide to upgrade/invest a little more in other areas of your wedding that bring you joy.

TIP 04.

Be honest with suppliers over your wedding budget –

Most suppliers will ask about the investment you wish to make to help them put the right products/services in front of you – It saves you time too because you won’t end up with an inbox full of quotations that aren’t aligned with your budget.