Budgeting

There is not a one size fits all for budgets since it comes down to your personal priorities. The document linked on this page is available to help you plan and track expenses. Click “View Here” on the image below to open the Budget document. Then select “file” —> “make a copy” to edit it as you please. The document may also be exported to excel if that is a preferred format.

We recommend first ranking the expense categories in order of importance to you, the bride and groom. The ideal next step is to then do some research around the estimated costs of services and products. Enter your estimates in the “planned cost” column “D”. Once your planned cost estimates are all accounted for, you may then adjust the planned cost for each item in order to remain within your budget and make certain you allocate sufficient funds to what is important to you. Also note that it is highly likely there will be additional costs, outside of what is listed below. You may add rows or delete entire rows of the spreadsheet.

If the budgeting exercise above was not done together, it is highly recommended to have a date night to agree on the same allocations. It is important to share access to your budget with anyone contributing to the wedding or a key part of the planning process. Often times the budget is a guide and will change a bit as you actually make decisions. The document remains helpful to track expenses as they are made and document future payments that are scheduled for a later date.