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Money is the most fought about thing in a marriage. The tension
surrounding money begins long before the couple says 'I do'. Wedding
costs can easily escalate, which is why it is necessary to begin the
planning by forming a realistic budget. Once the budget is
determined it is pertinent that it is closely adhered to.
The wedding budget does not have to be a bad thing. Planning a
wedding without a set budget will guarantee serious financial debt.
The key to determining the budget is open, honest communication.
Couples must discuss the vision of their special day. Women many
times assume that men don't care about details but that is not
necessarily true. It is his day as well and he has family to please
also.
Once the excitement of the engagement has passed discuss what is
important in regards to the wedding day. Be sure to listen to the
other person's feelings. Make a list of what both parties would
like, and also absolute necessities. This information will all be
needed to allocate the budget.
Once the important details have been decided, it's time to crunch
the numbers. Determine how much money is available immediately, can
be saved from income and how much (if any) will be given by others.
Depending on how distant the date is, a high interest savings
account could be considered.
Do not make unrealistic demands on those that may choose to help pay
for the event. Take whatever others are willing to contribute
graciously. Anger or disappointment is a very immature way of
handling the situation.
After the total amount of available funds is determined make a list
of all wedding-related expenses and allocate a dollar amount or
percentage that can be spent next to each item. This will help when
the services are being contracted. Remember if the budget is
exceeded in one category, another will have to be scaled back so the
budget will balance. Wedding budget worksheets, software and other
tools are readily available and should be used immediately!
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