It's the time of year when engagement season is wrapping up! Couples are starting to shake off the excitement of their engagement and realize the financial realities of paying for a wedding. The truth is, you will likely spend more money on your wedding than you will on any other day of your life! In fact, the average Canadian wedding costs approximately $27,000 - that's a lot of money! 

It's fine to spend some money celebrating your relationship and your future, but it's far more important to acknowledge what that dollar amount looks like as a small piece of a very big puzzle. Paying for a wedding should never make it so that you can't live married life the way you want to financially. Don't stress - you can still stay within budget and throw a stunning wedding!

Managing Costs: Establish Who Is Paying What

Before starting any of your wedding planning, it is important to figure out who is contributing to your wedding and what exactly that means. If your families plan on pitching in, sit down with them and find out exactly what they plan on giving you and when they plan on giving it to you. This conversation can be a little awkward so be sure to have no expectations, be gracious and show gratitude.  Once you establish this you can take a better look at your budget.

Cutting Costs: The Engagement Ring

Engagement rings have become a status symbol but they still need to fit your budget. There will always be something nicer and more expensive when it comes to jewelry but it is extremely important to stay firm to your budget. I have seen so many couples splurge on a ring and regret it after having to cut out something special on the wedding day. 

If you are set on a big, expensive engagement ring, look online! The internet is a wonderful thing. Websites like eBay, Kijiji and Have You Seen The Ring make buying a used engagement ring is easy and very inexpensive.

Cutting Costs: Set Your Priorities

There are a lot of details when it comes to wedding planning. You have flowers, cake, attire, entertainment, catering (the list goes on and on). It is really important to determine what is important to you and your fiance. Some brides put little importance on their wedding gown and would rather spend their money on good food for the reception. Other brides spend more on their gown than any other aspect of the wedding! Sit down with your fiance and rank all of the aspects of weddings and determine what the top three most important things are for you. This will help you decide where to spend your budget.

Cutting Costs: Hire a Wedding Planner  

Abby Larson of Style Me Pretty Canada says "One of the best tips that I give all brides is to hire a wedding planner, because a good wedding planner can save you time and money spent on making uneducated decisions and costly mistakes." 

There is a misconception that hiring a wedding planner is a luxury for brides with a huge budget. This couldn't be more wrong! Hiring a wedding planner will ALWAYS save you money! We have connections and are expert negotiators when it comes to dealing with vendors and making contracts. Even if we can't get you a deal with vendors, we know the wedding industry and have the knowledge to make sure you make the best financial decisions possible. 

Weddings are expensive, but celebrating your big day does not have to put you in debt. Hopefully these tips will help you save some money on your wedding day! 

Haley Evans, WPICC
From Menus to Venues Wedding and Event Planning
email: info@frommenustovenues.com

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