How To Create A Wedding Budget

December 2, 2022

Review Your Savings and Budget

Narrowing down your wedding budget is no easy task.

There, I said it. In my experience talking with brides, it tends to be one of the biggest stressors on the to-do list.

Likely the biggest bash you’re throwing, your wedding is something you want to handle with care. With many details to narrow down, consider and plan for - making a budget becomes a top priority very quickly. Not sure where to start? It’s okay, you know EMP always has you covered.



Doing a detailed analysis of your savings and your funds set aside for the bid day is the first place to start when it comes to creating your budget. Consider your savings, your partners and any potential contributions from friends and family that may assist in the overall expenses. It’s also important to prioritize where your wedding budget will go. For instance, if the media for your day is going to be over what you had anticipated - but you know that it’s extremely important to you to have a quality photographer or videographer to capture your memories - then it may work for you to revise your budget to utilize costs for this vendor. This could look different for everyone. If you feel florals, hair and makeup or any other type of vendor is a high priority for you, then make sure you are prioritizing the things that matter to you most so that you can feel happy and confident in these important aspects! 

Create A Trackable Worksheet

Once you’ve narrowed down your available funds, its time to track where it will be going. I recommend having two tiers to review against. Consider reviewing estimated and actual costs to plan accordingly. As you will likely reach out to a few vendors to get multiple quotes, having an estimated column to plan against can help with a general overview of spending.

While it can be very tempting to splurge or go over budget, make sure to weigh out costs before doing so. Having a little extra for unexpected funds OR the big ticket item you simply cant go without, balancing out all of these possibilities should be accounted for in your budget

Remain Mindful

Be Open To Savings

Okay, so you maaaaaaay be over budget. Let’s talk about ways to save or cut back if needed!! Things you can look at specifically to cut costs include:

  • Editing the guest list (sorry!!)
  • Opt for a DJ rather than a live band
  • Design your own invitations
  • Save on vendors
  • Create your own decor 
  • Review venue costs and packages

It's time To Budget For Your Big Day!

Although budgeting can seem really stressful, there are always ways around the roadblocks to make things work for you.

None the less, I hope these tips have helped set you up to create a budget that works for you while giving you the wedding of your dreams!! 




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