Budget Wedding Mistakes

Here are some Budget Wedding Mistakes You Should Never Make! Taking care with your wedding budget is admirable and even financial advisers agree that it's a really good idea. Entering a marriage with a truckload of debt from a celebration that lasts a couple of days at most isn’t part of the recipe for a happy future. There are a lot of ways to save on your wedding. Purchase affordable attire – solid gold bridesmaid dresses don’t actually have to cost you bricks of gold. Or, scale down your guest list to save the most. The cost of each individual guest measurably impacts the bottom line. Marry in off-season, on a day other than Saturday, or at a venue maintained by local government. All of these strategies could favorably minimize your budget. That said, there are some ways that you simply should not economize when it comes to your wedding. Food Quantity and Quality If saving money might lead to choosing a substandard caterer, stop your planning and figure out somewhere else to carve the budget. A great menu is critically important on a wedding day, and ordering enough food so that people don’t go home hungry is just good hosting. Rain or Inclement Weather Plan No one likes to think it might rain on a wedding day, but controlling the weather is still outside the wheelhouse of even the best of wedding planners. It’s vital that you have a backup plan and you know in advance what you will do if the weather doesn’t play nicely. Sweating the meteorologist’s report 24 hours out and pacing a few minutes before your wedding because you chose to save money on an alternate site in case of rain is not only nerve wracking, but inconsiderate towards your guests. No matter the cost, find an acceptable inclement weather site or plan and pay for it in advance. Set Up and Break Down Time Some venue contracts are paid by the hour and do not include set up and break down time unless you negotiate a rate for it. It might seem like an opportunity to save – like it’s not possible that the venue won’t let you set up, but it’s just not worth the gamble. Don’t cheat yourself or your venue management out of necessary set up and break down time. Make and pay for a reasonable estimate of the time you actually need to do what needs to be done. Open Bar with No Safe Rides Home If you plan to pay for and serve alcohol, figure in to the cost of your party easily accessible, safe rides home for your guests. If you can’t afford to provide them with drinks and a shuttle or taxi ride back to safety, simply don’t serve drinks. There is absolutely nothing and no amount of money that is worth the lives of your wedding guests. Anything Safety-Related Don’t use an outdoor, shade-less venue on the hottest day of the year because an air-conditioned building costs more. A flush savings account won’t make you feel better after you’ve subjected your guests to possible heatstroke. Don’t attempt to squeeze more guests than the legal occupancy allows into your ballroom. It only takes one fire to create a disaster, and no one wants a disaster on a wedding day. Ten, 20, or 30 years from your wedding day, people will remember your gorgeous gown, your stunning attendants in their gold bridesmaid dresses, and the beginning of your marriage story. Save money where you know it legitimately will not impact the final product, and avoid these common mistakes. by Wendy Dessler (305) 209-1277 Outreach Manager on behalf of www.honeyfund.com