The Budget

Bride or Beggar?

Money can be an uncomfortable subject. Unfortunately, your wedding budget needs to be one of the first decisions made once your're engaged because it is the determining factor for the shape, size and fanfare of your wedding. I will agree, gracefully asking your parents to contribute financially to wedding expenses can be a little awkward - especially when on average, couples that have their wedding in Yakima spend between $16,786 and $27,976 (Cost of Wedding).  It can be even more nerve racking if your parents have not said a word about making any contributions. Naturally, you do not want to be in limbo wondering how much you will be able to spend on your wedding, so the sooner you do ask, the easier it will be to start your planning. 

But, before you actually beg for money, take a second to think about your parents financial situation. If you and your fiancé make a combined $180,000 but your Dad scrapes by as a plumber, does it make sense to even ask? If thats the case, it may be a better idea to ask for one symbolic financial gesture so that he is filled with pride but not left in the poorhouse: “Dad, it would mean the world to us if you could take care of the cake” Use your judgment when talking money

"When you do get together with your mom and dad, let them know the type of wedding you envision, how much you think it will cost and what you and your fiancé can afford to spend. Ask your parents if they had planned to help out in any way. And make sure they understand that your intention is not to embarrass or pressure them, but to determine if you need to alter your plans to accommodate a smaller (or maybe even larger!) budget. How they respond depends upon their financial status and personal beliefs. Let them know that any amount offered is appreciated." (via Bridal Guide)

Phew. The awkward conversation is over and you have a wedding budget - now what? 

1. Make a priority list of which wedding elements are most important to you (for example : catering, gown, and/or photography). It's so worth it to create a good, flexible budget that keeps you reined in, yet still able to spend a little more than you planned for here and there without a ton of guilt. The best budgets are just there to guide you, not make you feel guilty or stressed...they're designed to keep you from losing control.


2. One helpful tool I found is The Knot's online budgeter. I plugged in my wedding budget and a rough estimate of how many guests I thought we may be inviting - and poof! I had a wedding budget, broken down by item. For me, this was a great frame of reference when vendor and venue shopping. I tweaked the amounts here and there according to our priorities,  but the budgeter tool was a fantastic starting point. I then made my own excel spreadsheet with The Knot estimates and started on to wedding task #2 - The Venue and The Date.