Lovely brides, I have a little project for you to commence over the weekend. If you have not yet given some attention to your wedding day budget, it’s time to pull your pretty little head out of the sand and face this head on. 

We have made the task a little less daunting by providing you with a printable budget tracker. You can put in the amounts you have already committed to, and fill in the gaps according to what you have to spend. When each expense is in front of you and accounted for – from the makeup artist to the reception venue, you can clearly see where your budget needs to be allocated next. 

Here are some tips to help you work out where you can splurge and where you could save

• Sit down with your fiance, each of you secretly write down the top 3 things you would like to give priority to when it comes to budget for your wedding. Compare notes, and where you have come up the same, give weight to that particular element. Where you differ, it’s time to compromise and come up with figures you are both happy with. 
• Work out what your bottom line budget actually is. Break down your wedding budget into what you already have saved, any contributions that have been committed to you by family, and how much you can feasibly save between now and your wedding day. That final figure should be the topmost amount you spend on your wedding. 
• Ensure you’ve accounted for “life as usual” in your everyday savings. While you may be able to curb your shopping habits and minimalise date nights until your wedding day, things like new car tyres, home repairs, and speeding tickets still pop up from time to time. Account for this, and have a little extra up your sleeve. That way if something unexpected happens, you won’t be stressed about losing wedding money to “life as usual” expenses. 
• Consider small areas you could DIY – just be sure that your DIY projects are actually going to save you money. Research and discover if it’s comparable to appoint a professional before embarking on any DIY projects. 

Image by Matt Rowe Photography

The post Wedding Budget Tracker appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

Whether you are planning your wedding in 3, 6, or 12-odd months, you will need to set yourself a budget and stick to it. That also means unless you are being given money from your parents for the entire wedding or you already have savings set aside for this purpose, you will need to start saving toot de suite!

Image by Andrea Sproxton Photography for The Bride’s Tree Magazine Volume 10. 

Set a budget

You won’t have to pay for everything straight up, so you have some time to get your finances in order. There are a few rules you will have to set yourself from the get-go.

1. When you know the final amount, stick to it and don’t try to add more – alter your choices instead.
2. If, once you have set your budget using our Budget Calculator, you decide you simply must spend more on a particular part of the wedding, know that amount then has to come off somewhere else and figure that out, reconciling your overall budget, before you sign on for anything outside the original plan.
3. Set yourself and your partner an amount to save each pay. Don’t deviate from that amount. Make sure it is realistic for you in the first place.

Drawing up a timeline

First, start at the end and work your way back. Work out when final balances need to be paid, and when deposits need to be paid.

If you are working to a really strict budget, simply start by paying only the minimum deposit up front, and bank as much savings as you can. Let it sit there earning interest and leave paying the balance until the very day it is due if you know you won’t be tempted to spend and if you know you have a good system to help you keep track of what’s due when. 

Keep a strict diary, and set yourself reminders in your phone or email system if you know these work better for you. Some vendors and suppliers have a waiting list and will let your booking go the very next day if you miss your final payment, so don’t miss out simply because of forgetfulness!

Try to organise your balances to be due at different times so you are not overloaded with all of your final payments at once. If you communicate with your vendors and suppliers, they may be flexible with due dates, or even arrange for smaller instalments to be made along the way if that is going to work better with your savings timeline.

If you think you will be tempted to dip into your wedding savings for other purposes, do the opposite and pay off different components of the wedding as soon as you can.

Know how much you’re going to need when, and up your savings any way you can if you need to in order to make your payments on time. 

Don’t lose your deposits! 

It’s important to be really sure you’re happy with your suppliers and their prices before you lock them in. Many wedding vendors when taking your booking reserve the entire day for you, leaving them unable to be available to other potential business. Some businesses reserve even more in preparation time for you. So if you decide to cancel, don’t be surprised if you discover that deposit you were told is non-refundable really isn’t going to be returned to you.

So is it fair to hold a deposit for work that isn’t completed? The simple answer is yes, but let me explain. When a  vendor books your wedding, they will typically continue to get enquiries for your wedding date, which they will be forced to turn down so they can focus solely on your wedding that week or day or portion of the day. If you cancel, depending on how much lead time you have given, that vendor may or may not have the opportunity to book other business for that day, which can affect their livelihood, or in the case of a larger business, their ability to provide work for their staff. 

Look at it this way – if your boss walked in and announced you were unexpectedly being sent on a week of compulsory unpaid leave, would that seem unfair to you? Would it put a dent in your finances? Would losing that income you were relying on affect you and your partner or family negatively? If you answered yes to any or all of the above, I think you see my point. 

Don’t be indecisive when it comes to booking professionals. Once you have made your choice and agreed to a quote, stick to it. Follow your savings timeline and your lush wedding will be at your fingertips before you know it! 

Check out our Savings Timeline and Budget Calculator printable planning tools. 

Find more helpful planning articles in our resource guide. 

The post Draw up a Wedding Savings Timeline appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

You won’t have to pay for everything straight up, so you have some time to get your finances in order. There are a few rules you will have to set yourself from the get-go.

1. When you know the final amount, stick to it and don’t try to add more – alter your choices instead.
2. If, once you have set your budget using our Budget Calculator, you decide you simply must allocate more on a particular part of the wedding, know that amount then has to come off somewhere else. Figure that out, reconciling your overall budget, before you sign on for anything outside the original plan.
3. Set yourself and your partner an amount to save each pay. Don’t deviate from that amount. Make sure it is realistic for you in the first place.

Drawing up a Timeline

First, start at the end and work your way back. Work out when final balances need to be paid, and when deposits need to be paid.

If you are working to a really strict budget, simply start by paying only the minimum deposit up front, and bank as much savings as you can. Let it sit there earning interest and leave paying the balance until the very day it is due.

Keep a strict diary, and set yourself reminders in your phone or email system if you know these work better for you. Some vendors and suppliers have a waiting list and will let your booking go the very next day if you miss your final payment, so don’t miss out simply because of forgetfulness!

Try to organise your balances to be due at different times so you are not overloaded with all of your final payments at once. If you communicate with your vendors and suppliers, they may be willing to allow a little extra time (within reason) if need be, or arrange for smaller instalments to be made along the way if that is going to work better with your savings timeline.

Know how much you’re going to need when, and up your savings any way you can if you need to in order to make your payments.

Thumbnail image by Emma Nayler Photographer. 

Check out our Savings Timeline and Budget Calculator printable planning tools.

More helpful wedding planning articles can be found in our categorised Resource Guide.

The post Wedding Savings Timeline appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

These days, weddings follow less of the old traditions, in favour of couples paving their own way. Family circumstances and finances are taken into account, and there are no hard and fast rules as to who pays.

Today we are sharing with you first the traditional ways of the past, as well as what is typical of today in relation to who foots the bill for weddings. At the end of the day, everyone's circumstances are different, but this is an interesting look at how things would transpire in times gone by. 

Gorgeous images by Sunshine Coast wedding photographer, Chesterton Smith Photography. 

WHO PAYS TRADITIONALLY

THE GROOM

Engagement ring

Bride’s wedding band

Rehearsal dinner

Transportation

Celebrant or Officiant

Ceremony – decorations, music and venue

Bride’s bouquet

Groomsmen’s gifts

Pageboy’s suit and accessories

Gift for his bride

Wedding night accommodation

Honeymoon

THE BRIDE

Bride’s hair and makeup

Bridesmaids’ hair and makeup

Bridesmaids’ gifts

Flowergirl’s dress and accessories

Groom’s wedding band

Gift for her groom

BRIDE AND GROOM

Wedding planner

Pre-marital counselling

Bombonnieres

Photographic prints for thank you presents and copies of video for family and thank you cards for wedding guests

Honeymoon spending money

THE BRIDE’S FAMILY

Newspaper announcement (a very cute tradition we think more should pay hommage to!)

Save the date cards, invitations and reply cards

Bride’s gown, veil, shoes and any accessories

Photographer’s fee

Videographer’s fee

Reception venue and decorations

Reception catering and drinks bar

Reception entertainment/music

Wedding cake

Thank you cards

THE GROOM’S FAMILY

Ceremony flowers

Bridesmaids bouquets

Groom’s  and groomsmen’s boutonnieres

THE WEDDING PARTY

Own attire and accessories

Hen’s Night and Buck’s Nights

Wedding Shower

Gifts for the Bride and Groom

WHO PAYS FOR WHAT – A MODERN VARIATION

Nowadays, there are many variables that are taken into account when figuring out who pays for what. Firstly, whether the couple have been living together for sometime, as this identifies the couple as a unit financially and therefore they will often take the bulk of the responsibility of the wedding costs, with families from both sides contributing what they can.

The financial position of the couple, and each side of the family, and any broken family situations are all considered in modern weddings. Below is an example of how many modern couples approach the who pays issue, while maintaining a level of tradition.

THE GROOM

Engagement ring

BRIDE AND GROOM

Wedding bands

Gifts for the wedding party

Bride’s hair and makeup

Bridesmaids’ hair and makeup

Bride’s gown, shoes and accessories

Suit hire for the groom

Brides and bridesmaids bouquets

Corsages and boutonnieres for wedding party and parents

Celebrant and ceremony fees

Transportation

Invitations, place settings, thank you cards, and any other stationery (eg. menus, save the date cards etc.)

Photographer and Videographer

Wedding cake

Bonbonnieres

THE BRIDE’S FAMILY

Newspaper announcement

Reception venue and food

Ceremony and reception flowers

THE GROOM’S FAMILY

Reception beverages

A contribution to other expenses incurred by the bride and groom or the bride’s family

THE WEDDING PARTY

Own attire and accessories

Hen’s Night and Buck’s Nights

Wedding Shower

Gifts for the Bride and Groom 

TRADITION IS OUT THE WINDOW

When it comes to paying for weddings, tradition really has gone by the wayside. There are no rules to follow, only fairness and personal circumstance to be taken into account. These days, the most practical thing to do is sit down with your families, either separately or together, find out what everyone can afford to contribute, and set in place a firm budget from there.

You can use our handy budget planning tools to get you started on the right track.

The post Who Pays For What? appeared first on The Bride's Tree.