Wedding Budgeting Tips Every Engaged Couple Should Know
Let’s be honest, wedding planning is exciting, but the budgeting part? Not quite as glamorous. If you’ve ever found yourself googling “How much should a wedding cost?” you’re not alone. But here’s the good news, with a clear plan and a few smart tips, your wedding can happen without draining your entire savings.
As professional wedding planners, we’ve helped countless of our couples stay on track (and stress-free!) when it comes to budgeting. Below, we’re sharing our top wedding budgeting tips to help you plan with confidence and prioritize what really matters to you.
Use a Budget Tracker as Your Guide
Before anything else, download or create a wedding budget tracker. It will help you keep everything in one place and ensure that you're sticking to realistic percentages for each category. Below is a general budgeting breakdown we like to share with our couples:
Venue - 20%
Food & Beverage - 23%
Photography/Videography - 10%
Planner - 10%
Florals & Decor - 10%
Entertainment - 7%
Attire - 5%
Invites & Stationery - 2%
Cake - 2%
Beauty - 2%
Transportation - 3%
Wedding Rings - 2%
Favors & Gifts - 2%
Extras/Emergency Fund - 2%
These percentages are flexible and will vary based on your overall guest count, your location, and what’s important to you as a couple. But they’re a great starting point to help you stay balanced.
Photographer: Hayley Ownbey
Don’t Blow Your Budget on the Venue
We know it’s tempting to go all-out for the perfect venue, but if you spend more than 20–25% of your total budget here, you might be left scrambling for the rest. Trust us, having a gorgeous venue is important, but not more important than having food, photography, or other essential vendors.
Sit Down & Rank Your Top 3 Priorities Together
One of the first things you should do as an engaged couple (after celebrating!) is sit down and choose your top three wedding day priorities. Maybe photography is #1 for you, or maybe you’ve always dreamed of a five-course dinner. Whatever it is, agree on it together as a couple and let those priorities guide your spending.
Know What You Can DIY
DIY can be a great way to save money, especially if you're working with a tighter budget. If hiring a stationery or signage vendor isn’t realistic, take advantage of free and user-friendly tools like Canva to design your own save-the-dates, invitations, signage, and more!
Looking for something a little more streamlined? Websites like Zola and Minted offer beautiful pre-designed templates where you can simply fill in your details. These options offer a polished look at a more affordable price point, perfect for couples who want style without the splurge.
Photographer: Hayley Ownbey
Repurpose Your Florals
Flowers are beautiful, but they can have a big price tag with them. If you're dedicating around 8% of your budget to florals and decor, you’ll want to make every stem count. One of the easiest ways to stretch your floral investment is by repurposing arrangements throughout the day.
For example, after the ceremony, place bridesmaid bouquets behind the cake for a meadow-like effect. Ceremony aisle markers can be transformed into reception centerpieces and bar arrangements. Maximizing your florals means less waste and more bang for your buck!
Bundle Catering & Bar for a Better Deal
Catering and bar packages often go hand-in-hand, and combining them under one vendor can help you avoid extra service or travel fees. Be sure to ask what’s included, and if there are any sneaky extras like cake-cutting fees or bartender hourly rates. Pro tip: if you're allowed to bring your own alcohol, that can save a lot, especially for beer and wine.
Consider Skipping Wedding Favors
Let’s be real, how many people actually keep wedding favors? If you’re trying to trim your budget, this is one of the easiest categories to cut. (It’s only about 2% of your budget anyway!) Remember, your guests are there for you, not the custom koozie or the candle with your signature wedding scent.
Photographer: Hayley Ownbey
Be Selective with Your Guest Count
We know this is a tough one. But each guest you invite impacts how much you spend on food, rentals, favors, seating, dinnerware and more. If your budget feels tight, reducing your guest list is one of the most effective ways to save.
Ask yourself: “Have I spoken to this person in the last year?” If the answer is no, maybe they don’t need a seat at your wedding. For more information about how guest count affects your wedding budget be sure to check out our blog post: How Your Guest Count Shapes Your Wedding Budget.
Sticking to a wedding budget doesn’t mean sacrificing your vision, it just means being intentional with every dollar. Use your tracker, prioritize what matters most to you as a couple, and don’t be afraid to cut the fluff.
At Before the Vows, we help all of our couples stay on track with their wedding budget. Every Month-of Coordination client receives a personalized wedding budget spreadsheet to help guide them during the planning process. And for our Full-Service Planning + Design clients, we take it a step further, working together to build and manage a budget from start to finish, from sourcing the right vendors to maximizing every dollar.
Interested in learning more? Reach out today to schedule your free 30-minute consultation call and find out which planning package is the perfect fit for you!
