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So you’re ready. You’ve enjoyed the first couple weeks of your newly engaged status and you’re ready to tackle your dream day. Just remember through all of this that it’s your dream day and you shouldn’t let anyone or anything take that away from you. Take on what you can when you can and know that it will all fall into place as it should…
However, in order for everything to fall in place, you need to know what that everything is. And you can’t really determine that everything before setting up a budget. Believe me, as one of many wedding photographers across the US, we hear of budgets and try to work with budgets the best we can.
First things first, is the word around the country. And that word is about the average wedding. Maybe you’ll want to sit down for this, but the average wedding at this time is around $29,000.00. Typing that tells me why the budget is the most stressful part of the entire set, so hopefully I can share some words of advice with you to help assist your day.
First things first is setting the budget and to do so you need to sit down with everyone involved. It’s the oldschool way to say that one certain family covers the cost for everything. With the cost of weddings rising, the amount of people helping on the financial side has also gone up… (thankfully)…
Now that you have come up with a realistic budget that works for everyone involved, it’s time to determine where that money is going and to allocate it to the correct pieces and parts of your day. Sit down and come up with a list of items and details that you will need for your day and how much, roughly, you’ll have to allocate to each one. (I have a great spreadsheet that I share with my brides that I would be more than happy to e-mail you. Just shoot me an e-mail and I’ll get it out your way) From there, really look at your list with your fiance and determine what the most important parts of your day would be. Much like I do as a wedding photographer with all of my brides. I don’t believe in packages A, B, or C because I don’t believe each individual couple has the same thoughts and or needs for their wedding photography.
From there, you’ll need to set up a reliable way to to account for each and every part of your wedding day and the budget. There is software out there to help with that or just a simple spreadsheet will do. But something that will keep it all under control is a must!!!
If the money is something that is already there, put it in the bank! And not in one of your pre-existing accounts but an account for your big day. That’s the only reason that account will exist. Don’t use money out of it for gas, food, or anything else. Let it accrue intrest and stay safe.
If you’re starting with nothing and need to work it up, plan on putting a piece of every paycheck into the account. And think about paying for as much as possible with a credit card that will supply frequent flier miles, cash back or another useful bonus. But what ever you do… TRACK IT ALL!!!!
Shine on,
~Tim
NEXT Wedding tip coming up – Saving $$$ tips
As many of you know from reading these posts I’m a New England and Ct. wedding photographer that enjoys shooting weddings across the country. And since this all began I’ve come to realize that each and every couple feels something different about their day. From the joy to the stress, each wedding and engagement is different. The last post was about the fresh engagement, this post will be about what you should do next. What are the first steps to planning for your big day?
Well, before you even start planning you should enjoy these few weeks of the new “status”… Enjoy that he just “popped the question” and be ready for a heavy dosing of questions. From dates to colour schemes and more. And while the questions will roll in, don’t hesitate to tell those with wonders that you are just taking a few weeks to enjoy the engagement. If parents haven’t met now is surely the time. Get the families together. But most of all, enjoy these few weeks before really running full steam with the planning…
So now what. What are the key steps to planning for your big wedding day???
Before anything else, Plan your budget! Every single piece of your day needs to revolve around this budget so things not only get kept in certain ranges, but also making sure there is a piece of the pie put aside for each and every part of the day. Bring anyone involved in the budget together. It’s no longer up to just the brides side of the family to pay for the day. And weddings are becoming more costly so take the time to sit down and really plan this one out. The budget will really tell you what kind of day you can have. From the amount of guests to venues. This is surely the main key.
The guest list. There are many places to find tips for your wedding day, some of those places will tell you different things about the 2nd step. But think about this, the guest list truly tells you the size of your day. You can’t cram 250 people into a venue that only holds 100, you can’t invite 300 people when your budget on meals will only feed 200… So you need to get this list worked out. It can change a little but before you can make any other contracts work you need to know how many people will be showing.
Next is your wedding venue! Where will your wedding be held. From the ceremony to reception. Now that you have your budget set out, and your guest list, you can decide what locations will fit your needs. From size to pricing, to location. This is key because many venues book out a year in advance. So you really can’t decide on a wedding date until you book your wedding venue, and you also can’t take on any other contracts for the wedding photographer, cake designer and more until the date is set. So VENUE VENUE VENUE….
Once you have these steps in place everything else will start to just flow right along…
Shine on,
~Tim
I know, it’s crazy. I don’t know why but I continue to come back to wedding cakes…. Who knows, if I had to take a guess though, well, it’s really quite simple. I’ve been shooting a ton of weddings and seeing a ton of cakes. Not to mention this show we’ve been watching, I want to say it’s on the discovery channel? Not sure? But it’s all about cakes and many cake making competitions! Seriously unreal. Makes me think, hey, I can be a wedding photographer and a cake designer in one stop! HAH! Of course next would have to come florist and then why stop there, I might as well get ordained. LOL…
Anyway, Cakes, Love them! A video?? Heck yea! Right here!
And check out these pics!!!! http://blog.pinkcakebox.com/category/pastry-images/wedding-cakes
And on an important note, keeping your cake in budget from elegala.com!
Ways to Save – 7 Wedding Cake Budget Tips
Let them eat wedding cake – without eating up your wedding budget…
Your wedding cake should be eye-catching, fabulous, and of course, tasty too! And just like every other aspect of your wedding day – costs can creep skyward. But don’t let a tight budget stand between you and the ultimate wedding cake. Size and design are the main determinants in wedding cake cost. You can play with these elements to create a confection that is super-fab….and kind to your catering tab.
Have your cake (and eat it too) with these budget saving tips:
Cut that Guest List
As with all cost-per-person aspects of your wedding, narrowing down your guest list will result in significant wedding cake savings. Less mouths to feed = less slices; you get the idea. And any cake cutting fee, typically charged on a per slice bases as well, will also be reduced.
Hip to be Square
Square wedding cakes yield more slices than round ones. So go square – and make a deliciously modern statement!
Go Natural
Hand-constructed gum paste or sugar paste flowers can quickly rack up your wedding cake cost. Substitute these costly adornments with fresh fruits and flowers – an inexpensive option that is equally stunning.
Keep It Simple
While intricate, over-the-top cakes evoke the ultimate in wedding day opulence, today’s shift towards modern minimalism can foray into the world of cake design. Simple wedding cakes can be deliciously chic. So lose the ornate adornments and infinite skyward-stretching tiers, and opt for a clean design with an impeccably smooth surface. Add simple details such as a Swiss dot pattern or wide ribbon around the base. Stick to one flavor, as multiple flavors will increase the bottom line.
One Stop Shopping
If your wedding venue offers an onsite caterer, employ their services for your confection as well, and save on delivery and service fees. You will also ward off chances for a transportation mishap – a headache you surely want to avoid on the big day. Many reception sites offer a wedding cake as part of their package deal, so be sure to inquire when scouting reception sites. You can find more questions to ask your reception site here.
“Dummy Cakes”
Fancy a towering and dramatic wedding cake but don’t want to shell out the extra cash? Instead of paying for extra layers, ask your baker to create faux layers consisting of iced Styrofoam. Trust us – your guests will never be the wiser; it will be our little secret.
Outside the Proverbial Cake Pan
Of-the-moment brides are breaking with tradition and forgoing the cake all together – presenting instead pies or pastries on tiered platters as the centerpieces of their wedding receptions. Depending on your selection, this can be an uber-chic way to save. Dare we say it, even doughnuts are in vogue and have been spotted at some of the poshest black tie events!
And I even wrote an article on ehow.com about choosing the right cake. Just a cake filled week huh. http://www.ehow.com/how_4575483_choose-wedding-cake.html
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