How to keep your financial priorities while wedding planning

If there were ever a time when finances can spiral out of control, it’s when you’re planning a wedding. But the last thing newlyweds need is to dig themselves out of a wedding-related pile of debt. That’s why it’s critical for couples to keep their financial priorities intact while wedding planning. Here are 4 tips for keeping your budget throughout the wedding planning process. 

Decide What You’re Willing to Spend  

Before you lay out a single dollar for a wedding, it’s crucial to get both partners on board with the wedding vision. Developing a shared vision can help you create an appropriate budget. Factor in big cost drivers like:  

• Location  

• Season/Date  
• Type of venue  
• Number of guests  
• Entertainment  
• Food  

Once you land on an image of what the wedding looks like, you can create an absolute limit that you don’t want to go over during planning. From there, the hardest part is to stay on track which may mean you share the budget with a wedding planner or trusted friend who can keep you accountable. 

Manage the Wedding Budget Separately  

Trying to keep track of wedding expenses alongside your daily budget can be challenging. That’s why it’s simpler to create a new budget for just the wedding expenses. This enables you to track how much you’re spending and factor in payments from loved ones, like parents or grandparents, who may want to contribute to certain parts of your big day. 

Continue with Existing Financial Plans  

Just because you’re planning a wedding doesn’t mean you should press pause on existing financial priorities. For example, you’ll want to continue making contributions towards retirement accounts, paying premiums on a term life insurance policy, and saving toward goals like buying a house or new car.  

It’s important that you think about wedding costs alongside your existing and future financial priorities. While a beautiful wedding is a treasured memory, maintaining essential tools of financial security such as an emergency fund and a life insurance policy can help a marriage start on solid footing. 

Look for Wedding Deals  

Planning a wedding is, by nature, expensive. But that doesn’t mean you need to splurge on every element. If you’re thrifty in your daily life, be thrifty in your wedding planning. 

For example, maybe you can opt to DIY your table centerpieces instead of paying the big bucks to have the venue make them. You can also look for sales as you shop for the wedding dress, men’s attire, and shoes. Nobody at the wedding needs to know how much it costs to look that good!  

The Bottom Line  

Many couples have a dream wedding that they’re willing to work hard to achieve. But the reality is, it’s one day, and you could be dealing with the financial implications of that day for months or years to come. While trying to bring your wedding to life, be smart about your wedding spending and be sure to not let your existing financial goals take a backseat as you plan.