3 Tips for Staying on Budget

3 Tips for Staying on Budget

1. Designate 2-3 items that you are not willing to cut corners on, price them out, and adjust budget to match.

If you know you are not going to want to pass up the perfect wedding dress because it would take over the budget for the wedding invitations, then set that dress as a no compromise item. Doing this does require you to do some preliminary browsing and research, but it helps you set a budget that gets you the most of what you want. For example, if you would rather spend more money on your wedding dress or wedding cake and topper, than you might choose to forgo sending out wedding announcements and would instead announce online or in person and then just send out invitations. Or if you still want to do both, then look at options for making your own announcements and invitations. DIY can not only help you save money, but it allows you to control everything that goes into it! 2. Get Organized

One key to getting organized is to make sure everyone is on the same page. If two people spend the same designated money on different things then you are going to run into problems. So, alongside creating a wedding binder or using online wedding planning tools, be sure to create an easy and open method of communication. For example, uploading your budget sheet onto Google drive and then sharing it with anyone planning the wedding so that everyone can see updates and update the budget as you check off wedding to dos.  You also may want to create a group chat whether it be on Google hangout or on Facebook. 3. Shop Sales Sales are going to be your new best friend. When you walk into a wedding shop or hit a wedding website, start with the sale section. You will make your life so much easier if you put yourself in the position to fall in love with an item that is half off, before you see the way over budget perfect veil, garter, centerpiece, or wedding cake topper. A lot of the time if you find a sale item you love first, and then a full price item you love as well, it will make it easier for you to go with the sale item and keep in budget. Alongside sales, check the clearance section! Clearance and sales are often two different things. Sales will be temporary and will take a certain percentage off a full price item. Clearance will be items that the shop is trying to move out and will then be marked down significantly without the intention that it will soon be marked up again. You may even be able to find a clearance item that is also on sale. This doesn't mean it will be the "ugly" leftovers. You can see this happen a lot at places like Target where the same lamp in two different colors will be two different prices. Most of the time the cheaper item will be the simpler item, and when it comes to wedding accessories, simple is often better!