What 40 Years Tells Us: On Wedding Budgeting
Between Betsy and Becca, we’ve been in the luxury event planning industry for nearly 40 years. Over four decades in this business, we have experienced it all. In this developing ‘40 years’ series, we’re sharing our greatest insights, tricks of the trade and lessons learned along the way. We hope you enjoy! If you missed it, take a peek back at the first post in this series: The *Real* Value of Hiring a Wedding Planner.
In this week’s blog post - we’re talking money, and what you need to know about wedding budgeting.
Photography by Heather Beerman
Who’s All In?
Yes, this conversation can be a little uncomfortable but soon after you get engaged, it’s important to have a clear understanding of your contributors and their financial commitment for the big day. Whether that’s agreeing to a certain dollar amount, or the ownership of particular portions of the celebration (such as the entertainment, catering or honeymoon) it’s the foundation for a successful wedding planning journey.
Prioritize the Good Stuff
What’s super important to you? Have you been eyeing a couture gown for months? Do you NEED your college marching band for your grand entrance? Having these conversations will allow us to know what sparks joy for you and your fiancé, and where our expertise will be leveraged, fully. Along with prioritization, it's important you allocate your funds appropriately (which we will give guidance on how to do). We can also help you assess the true value of different services based not only on your priorities, but the realistic impact on the guest experience. That’s why we take time to evaluate your intrinsic values as people and try to translate those into an experience that your larger group of loved ones can enjoy. Start thinking of your ‘non-negotiables’ and big ticket items that hold the most weight to you and use those as pillars to build the rest of the event around.
Be Mindful of Out of Sight Costs
We tend to steer clear of overtime costs due to our pre-production planning and day-of timeline, but on the off-chance that the party runs late and you still want your photographer on-site to capture grandad on the dance floor, you may need to account for this additional expense. Your venue may charge a fee for ‘take down’ past a certain hour, which may demand an extra set of hands from the rental company, for instance. We often favor those properties where a full buyout is possible so we can use the space to our advantage without feeling rushed or imposed upon during the weekend by other guests. Navigating all those nuanced service charges is part of our job - so let us handle the finer details for you!
Understand the Bigger Picture
While we never anticipate blowing a budget out of the water, it’s smart to expect the cup *may* runneth. If it’s extra vendor time as discussed above, an added element that becomes integral to the design, or weather-related expenses such as last-minute umbrellas (we’ve been there a time or two!), it’s good to keep in mind there may be some unforeseen costs that arise. In the end, remember your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime celebration and should be commemorated as such.