One of the first things in the wedding planning process should be THE BUDGET! The first step in creating your budget is deciding which portions of your wedding are the most important to you. No matter who writes the cheques, you will still need to create and stick to a budget for your wedding. Your whole wedding team needs to adhere to the budget and communicate well about money, or else you will have problems. Money is the number one fight factor in the wedding team. Set the guidelines on who's paying for what, and what is the allowed budget.


Wedding Budget Summary...

  5% - Ceremony (Location fee, officiant fee, marriage license, musician's fees,
          ring pillows )

10% - Attire (Dress, Headpiece/veil, undergarments and hosiery, shoes, accessories,
          jewelry, hair and makeup, Groom's Tuxedo or Suit, shoes, bow tie, cuff links,
          studs, suspenders)

  3% - Rings (His and her rings, engraving)

40% - Reception (Reception Site, Food, Drinks, Rentals, Cake, Favors, Decorations)

  6% - Flowers (Ceremony, bride's bouquet, maid-of-honor and bridesmaid bouquets,
          corsages and boutonnieres, centerpieces, flower-girl basket)

  5% - Music (Ceremony Musicians, Band and/or DJ, cocktail hour musicians, sound
          system rental )

14% - Photography (Photographer and Videographer's fees, albums, additional prints,
          disposable cameras for candids )

  2% - Transportation (Transportation for wedding party, guest shuttle and/or parking
          attendants)

  4% - Stationery (Invitations, response cards, thank you notes, postage, calligraphy,
          guest book)

  3% - Gifts (Bridesmaid and groomsmen, parents, welcome baskets for out-of-town
          guests)

  4% - Parties (Bridesmaid's Luncheon, Rehearsal Dinner)

  4% - Miscellaneous (Wedding Consultant, Newspaper Announcements, Marriage
          License, Prenuptial Agreement, Bridal Gown/Bouquet Preservation, Wedding
          Planning Software)

Is the Traditional 'Who Pays" still relevant today? Times have changed since the traditional wedding years ago. More and more the cost of the wedding is either shared with both the bride and groom families or financed totally by the bride and groom. Still it is good to have a guideline to start from. The following Traditional list can be personalized letting anyone pay for the portion they can or want to cover. ... Read more