Before day one of making vendor decisions about your wedding, you need to set a budget. Are your parents helping out? How much? Do you have money set aside? How will you split the wedding-related bills? Are you saving together? Is family kicking in? Oaks Manor looks into wedding traditions and what modern couples are doing to pay for weddings now.
Traditional Rules
Traditionally, the bride’s family pays for most of the wedding, including the dress, wedding planner, invitations, flowers, photographer, videographer, ceremony, reception, cake, the groom’s wedding ring, transportation and lodging, and more. The groom’s family is responsible for the bride’s rings, groom’s clothing, boutonnieres and corsages, the officiant, marriage license, rehearsal dinner, and little else. You get the idea.
Modern couples generally eschew tradition and do things their own way.
Communicate Openly
If you’re expecting your parents to contribute, talk to them openly about what they want to do for you. They may choose to give you a certain amount of money to work with, offer to pay for certain parts of the wedding, or even to split the bill three ways — between both sets of parents and the couple. Or you may choose to pay for the wedding on your own. The key is to find out what everyone is comfortable with so you have a solid budget to work with before you start calling vendors.
Saving for the Big Day
Once you know how much you and your fiancée will be responsible for, you can figure out how to begin budgeting to save towards your goal. Take the amount you need and divide it by the number of months you have to save. For example, if you need to save $15,000 in a year, divide it by 12. That gives you a total of $1250 you need to save each month.
If your monthly amount is more than you can afford, consider cutting back on some of your monthly expenses — skip going out for dinner, pack your lunches for work, or find other ways to save like giving up one of your streaming services or turning off your cable. Every dollar helps! Deposit your wedding savings into a special bank account that neither of you touches until it’s time to pay a wedding-related expense.
It’s tempting to rely on credit cards because you’ll probably use them to pay for vendors. The best way to use them is to pay off the balance as soon as possible before interest starts to add up. It’s not wise to start your life together with debt hanging over your head.
Throughout the months before your wedding, keep the lines of communication open between you, your partner, and your families. This will save you from any misunderstandings as you’re planning.
However you choose to pay for your wedding, we know your day will be special. Call Oaks Manor at 585-468-6257 for information about our venue. We still have dates open for your wedding events!
Oaks Manor Events: Celebrate in Style
At Oaks Manor, we specialize in creating unforgettable experiences for weddings, receptions, and special events. With elegant spaces and personalized service, our team is here to bring your vision to life. Call or contact us today, and let’s start planning the celebration you’ve always dreamed of.
