What to keep in mind while budgeting for a wedding

You may know the venue you want and have the dream lehenga hanging on your mood board, but budgeting for your wedding is a herculean task. You’ll have to rack up your savings, create spreadsheets and maintain a detailed record of your expenses. Seems like a lot to do? Don’t fret, we’ve listed down a few things you need to keep in mind while budgeting for your wedding. Make your checklist! 

Begin by crunching the numbers

Once you figure how much each side is realistically putting in, half the battle is won. You’ll have a ballpark figure. The next step is to create a spreadsheet and allocate the funds for each function you’re going to have. Make columns for each aspect (outfits, catering, decor, jewellery, etc.) separately. As awkward as conversations around money can be, don’t procrastinate.  

Utilise your friend's talents 

If one of your friends is a photographer or a make-up artist, ask them if they would be willing to help out. You can even ask your friends to help out with the decor or get them to design your e-vite and wedding stationery. This way you are not only cutting costs, but also making your wedding more memorable for everyone who will contribute. 

Prepare for surprises 

Before you dot your i’s and cross your t’s on your wedding budget, make sure to put a hefty sum in the ‘surprises’ fund. A lot can go wrong at the last moment and you need to be prepared. Without this little squirrel fund, you are putting yourself at risk. However, this fund is not for things that are going over budget. No matter how tempted you are, remember this is purely a back-up.  

Choose your non-negotiables wisely  

There might be a few things that you aren’t willing to compromise on and there will be a few things your partner isn’t willing to let go of. Communicate and come to a common ground. Once you set your priorities, you can manage your expenses to accommodate this non-negotiable aspect. However, you need to come to this conclusion early on so you can divide funds accordingly.