One of the biggest stressors when it comes to wedding planning is how much it can cost! Expenses can add up quickly, and it can become very easy to spend too much on your wedding. But there are a few easy ways to make (and stick to) your wedding budget!

Have an open discussion with everyone involved in budgeting for your wedding.

Talking about money is never fun, but it’s really important to lay out the expectations everyone has from the start. If your parents are helping pay for the wedding, talk with them about how much they are able and willing to spend. This is the most important part of figuring out how much to spend! Once you have that nailed down, it’s time to prioritize the big expenses.

Decide what’s most important to you on your wedding day and budget accordingly.

What is the one thing that you definitely don’t want to lower your standards for when it comes to your wedding? Is it the venue you’ve always been dreaming of, or the dress? As a wedding photographer, I have to suggest that documenting your wedding day with quality photography and videography would be at the top of my suggested list. The reason being is that the only thing that you’ll have to remember the most important day of your life is your photos and videos. Everything else only lasts for that day, or perhaps a week or two afterward. Even your dress will most likely go into storage.

Once you’ve prioritized your wedding expenses, it’s time to set your wedding budget for each item and come up with ways to save on the less important stuff.

Wedding Budget Percentages

Here’s a breakdown of the typical percentages of wedding expenses in Utah by percentage of the total budget:

Now you’ve got a great resource for setting and sticking to your wedding budget. Keep your eye out for future posts on how to save on wedding expenses!