Post # 1
Member
7295 posts
Busy Beekeeper
i feel like i am going way over budget, but i am not sure if all these things are supposed to count in the budget? like wedding bands for example? because we use them forever after the wedding day.
here is a list of things for i have either paid for or need to pay for, i was wondering if i am counting things in my budget that i shouldn’t – or if i am missing anything! so what do you count in your budget?
Lost $$ on first (and sold) Dress
wedding dress
invitation stamps
Deposit for wedding package
Lost deposit on first photographer
Deposit for photographer
Invitations + Thank you cards + Registry cards (business card paper i printed them on)
bridesmaid gifts
wedding shoes
The knot store: napkins, centerpieces, water bottles, bubbles & favors
hotels for me & Fiance (wedding and honeymoon resorts)
photographer balance
manicure
TTD dress
pedicure
balance for ceremony setup, reception dinner + bonfire
wine for dinner
1.5 bridesmaid dresses (paying for 1 and 1/2 of another cuz they can’t afford it)
Fiance suit
dress alterations
flights for destination wedding/honeymoon
hair + make up
jewelry to wear on wedding day
stamps for Thank you cards
wedding favors + welcome bags
pictures printed + album
wedding bands
guest book + pen
cake + knife set + champagne flutes
cake topper
rose petals + ribbon
bridesmaids’ bouquets
Post # 3
Member
1850 posts
Buzzing bee
When I think of a wedding budget I guess I just think of what is used specifically for the day. I don’t count rings or the honeymoon in the budget but pretty much everything else on your list I would count as wedding budget:)
Post # 4
Member
995 posts
Busy bee
That’s a pretty great list. I can’t see anything that you forgot. You are much more organized than I was 🙂
Post # 5
Member
7295 posts
Busy Beekeeper
@mg1363: i guess that means you don;t count wedding albums either?
Post # 6
Member
9053 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
I had my “day only” budget of 15,000 but tracked everything remotely related to the wedding in an excel spreadsheet. Wedding magazines, a mileage rate on my car every time I drove to the venue, the binder I bought to hold all the wedding stuff…
Our all inclusive budget including my e-ring, wedding bands and honeymoon was 28,000.
Post # 7
Member
7295 posts
Busy Beekeeper
@SapphireSun: maybe i will separate the day only stuff from the long term stuff. might make me feel better! plus any money i get in wedding gifts, i will take off of what i spent in the end and i plan to sell my wedding dress. i have just been freaking out a bit, because with all the little extra things i never counted before, its creeping up to a few thousand over my budget!
Post # 8
Member
2239 posts
Buzzing bee
My “budget” includes mostly just vendors.
It looks like this:
Photographer: 3300
Venue: 900
Catering: 2700
Florals: 600 (I know this is laughable, but I’m planning on DIY)
Coordinator: 500
DJ: 405 (this is what we are actually paying! Fiance gets a discount through his employer with our dj!)
Officiant: 300 (the going rate around here ugh)
Pretty much everything else is coming out of my “Allowance” or the rest of the cash we have weekly after we pay our bills. Some of that extra stuff includes hair, alterations, my dress, one of my bridesmaids dresses, our ceremony venue (only 50 bucks), our ABC license (only 50), hotel the night of, rings, hair, and decor. Luckily we’re almost done purchasing our decor and we can move on to taking care of some of the other things on the ETC list.
Post # 9
Member
4137 posts
Honey bee
my “budget” doesn’t include flights to dw, album, rings, or honeymoon.
sucks you lost your first deposit on a photographer! hopefully it wasn’t too much!
Post # 10
Member
3564 posts
Sugar bee
We did not count the honeymoon, but everything thing else was included in the budget. Albums are part of our photography package, so we did count them.
Post # 11
Member
1030 posts
Bumble bee
I’m always really confused about this question. We are including everything in our budget- rings, honeymoon, everything. If we have to spend money, we have to put it in. But we can’t afford to spend more than the amount we have allocated for this event, so every expense needs to be accounted for. Not sure how people manage doing it other ways?
Post # 12
Member
566 posts
Busy bee
I’m not counting rings and the honeymoon in my budget. I also have a wedding spending file that I add in the miscellaneous stuff. For example, samples for invitations, random yard sale acquisitions. I decided not to include wedding mags because it’s soooo embarrassing how much money I spend on those.
Post # 13
Member
90 posts
Worker bee
everything but our wedding bands, really.
but not the little things we pick up here and there
Post # 14
Member
281 posts
Helper bee
I’m not ‘counting’ things that I will wear/use again (blue shoes, rings, clutch) and not things like bridesmaid dress trip, or beauty prep things like facials, teeth whitening, mani/pedi and not craft stuff, like the gold pen I bought to write the Christmas cards (we included Save-The-Date Cards in the Xmas cards, but I counted the stamps)
Post # 15
Member
116 posts
Blushing bee
For my budget and in my head, I’m tending to only keep track of the large ticket type items. But, I know everyone and every situation is different.
Venue fee
Catering
Rentals
Photographer
Floral/Decor
Hotel Expense
Video
Dress
I’m not including most little extras, etc. or the groom’s attire (re-wearable). Nor am I including my pampering costs because I frequently do spa and salon appointments. My paper expenses are also not significant. And I don’t have transportation on the day because I’m planning at one location for the weekend of events.
Post # 16
Member
1498 posts
Bumble bee
Anything that is specifically for the wedding is included in ours. So the rings and honeymoon are not included.
I also didn’t include hair/makeup/nails since I will just pay for that the day of and isn’t something I need to order or reserve ahead of time with money.
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