Budgeting is so important, not only because it keeps you on track in terms of dollars and cents – but it helps you to make realistic and informed choices.  You will find out that there are so many vendors out there – how are you supposed to choose?  A good budget will help you to limit the playing field a bit.

Let’s talk about realistic for a moment – being that you may not plan weddings everyday – and you do not know what realistic is.  Before creating your budget, some works must be put in to determine what is realistic.

1. Figure out what you want – whether it be a black tie dinner on a Saturday evening, or a casual fete in the backyard.
2. Call some vendors and get proposals about what things cost.  Call a Washington DC hotel and get pricing if that is what you want.  Call a caterer to get a realistic estimate on how much it will cost to bring food, dishes, tables and chairs into your dream venue.  Call a few planners and see how much they charge for Day of Services.  Look at photographers websites, see what you like and how much it will cost.
3. Determine what your priorities are – food, style, photography, etc.
4. Allocate your money accordingly.

Doing all of this pre-work while you in the midst of hiring vendors is not only frustrating – but impossible if you want to stay on a defined budget.  You’ve made choices and hired vendors – to find out – that yeah, photography is very important, and you only have a select amount of money and cannot get the photographs that your desire.

Prioritize and focus money in those priority areas.

Happy planning!

Planning a $5,000.00 wedding in DC is not easy.  In fact, I think it’s one of the most challenging projects I have undertaken.  Not only do you encounter all the normal stuff one encounters when planning a Washington DC wedding, you also have to deal with all the stuff one encounters when planning a Washington DC wedding inexpensively, and you have to deal with the unknown.  You can get over all the other stuff, but it’s the unknown that can get ya – if you let it.

It’s Murphy’s law.  You just have to plan for it.  During the planning process, your car is going to break down, or the computer that you need is going to get a indestructible virus (that destroys your computer), or your furnace will break in the middle of winter.  Something can – and will happen.  It’s inevitable – how could it not?  Especially if you take 6 months, a year – or more to plan your wedding.  It’s going to happen – and if you are not ready – it’s devastating.

I’ve seen it.

So, what do you do When you are planning for a wedding on a tight budget in DC?  You also have to plan for the unknown.

Some things that may help

1.  Have all the wedding money prior to planning.  Put it in a separate account.

2.  Plan to have more than the money for your wedding.  If you want to spend $5,000.00 on your wedding, have $7,500.00 in the account.

3.  Have a disaster fund (this is important at all times).  Just keep it going throughout life.

4.  Discipline

5.  Be proactive

Things you should not do

1.  Call Lisa and cancel your entire wedding.  Not good.  Not good at all.

2.  Become a nervous wreck.  Bad Bridal Karma

3.  Get crazy and squawk like a chicken.  Bad idea

4.  Take it out on your mechanic.  Maybe – they are always a good target.

kidding!

I hope this post gives you some ideas of ways you can become proactive – and to prepare.  Plan for the unexpected and you will plan for your budget DC wedding!

Happy planning!

Sad, but true.

Thing is, I think I have some really wonderful ideas on how to make this budget work  and create an air of elegance and taste – which is one reason I decided to pursue this blog series.  Why should I keep it to myself?  With that said, when I do work with couples, I make sure to adequately prepare them before we sign the contract.  There are a few fundamentals that must be understood before we venture on this exciting journey – because planning a wedding on $66.67/guest in the DC area is not easy.  All of the preconceived notions of what a wedding is – needs to be thrown out – revisited – revised – stylized – and realized.  Once the realization takes place – the possibilities are limitless.

What are the basic fundamentals?

1. Forget about getting married in or around Washington DC.  Just forgetaboutit!  Not happening.
2. Allow the dreams of a meal flow from your mind.  Definitely not enough dough to do that.
3. Long gone are the days of olde!  Large wedding parties are out.  It’s 2010 – and 1 attendant is in!  Better yet, no attendants.  Ask your guests to honor you by sitting in their seats and enjoying the day.
4. The four hour reception is a no-go.  Sorry!  Short and sweet,  a lot of spunk and sass – but always with an air of elegance, class and taste.
5. Hotel?  No.
6. The big white dress – well that’s ify.  I tend to venture on the side of quality rather than quantity, but others might not necessarily share my ideals.  There are ways to get the large white dress on significant discount.  Whats more important than that, is that the dress reflects the feeling and theme of the day!  The Bride is, after all, the center of attention.  All eyes are on her, and it’s her attire that will make a break a theme.
7. Prioritize…prioritize…prioritize.  Determine what you can live without.

Everything else – possible on $66.67/guest!  Want to find out how?  Come back next week (or everyday)!  We will talk about choosing a venue.

Just a note:

I convinced my client to drop their guest list.  We got a 15 person drop!  Great going!  So, now we are working with

$81.97/guest

Happy planning!

1. Cut the guest list – if possible. Sometimes it’s not possible due to family situations etc. This is the number 1 way of cutting costs.

2. Freelance photographer – A great “freelance” photographer might fit the bill. Often, the wedding is looked through a fresh and creative lens. Expensive back-end costs are often reduced. Warning – if a professional album is your goal, this might not be a viable option for you. Tip – one might even reduce their cost, for a chance at getting a great wedding in their portfolio!

3. Trunk shows and sample sales are great!

4. Opting for a smaller “show” cake and offering sheet cakes in the back.

5. Cutting the alcohol out of your bar (they will survive one night, I promise). Nobody is saying that you have to offer, but if you offer it – you should pay for it.

6. Choosing a venue that has table, chairs, glassware, silver, etc. Covering the chairs is not as expensive as renting ones (if you find an economic rental solution. Don’t rent the covers through the venue).

7. Choosing a venue you are happy with, decor wise – choosing a venue that you do not like because it’s inexpensive, and then paying twice the rental fee in decor – is not a good plan.

8. Cutting out favors, or combining favors and place cards into one offering.

10. Make every aspect of your wedding matter. Follow this rule of thumb, “don’t just do it because you think you “need’ to do it. Do it because it has a significance to you, your fiancé, your families (collectively) and your guests”. Make the significance known to everyone.

9. Downsize your wedding party (or no wedding party at all).

10. Ceremony and reception in one place – no need to transport yourselves and/or your guests.

11. Renting instead of buying. Check prices. You will only use this stuff once, and renting will eliminate the need to sell afterwards.

12. Getting married during the “off” season. Many vendors would love to work early December, January and February – when things are typically quiet. They might even offer you a terrific deal if you give them your wedding!

13. Custom made dress as opposed to buying a gown at a bridal salon. I had a bride who loved a $3,500.00 dress. We got a dress made out of “real” silk satin, a cathedral veil which was lined in the same fabric, and a bolero jacket – all for $2,000.00. If that’s not cost savings, I don’t know what is.

15. Create a realistic budget and prioritize. Be honest to yourself and your vendors about how much you can and/or want to spend on your big day.

16. Hire a planner who has a strong network of vendors that they always use. This will save you time and money.

I hope this list will offer you realistic ideas on not only helping you cut costs, but also on maintaining the spirit of your day!

Happy planning!