Days 17 and 18: The Budget and the Bachelorette
PIN IT!
So for those who don’t know me very well, the person to the right of me is my very best friend. We have been partners in crime for 19 years. Yes, 19 whole years she has been by my side. Through thick and thin, trials and tribulations, this girl has stood by me, no matter what predicament I found myself in. [I was quite the trouble maker in my youth]. She has been there for me through every heartbreak, every move, every fight and every cry, and through all of this, never gave up on me, or our friendship. I know friends like her come once in a lifetime, and I will cherish her friendship until my lifetime is over. With that being said, this weekend is a big one for her. It’s her bachelorette party! We’ve been planning for over 3 months and it’s finally here! I’m so happy I get to spend this weekend with her as she celebrates “her last single girls weekend” and I know she’ll be doing the same for me when my party rolls around in less than a year! So I will be out-of-pocket this weekend and won’t have any new posts until Monday, but don’t worry, they will be great and I’ll be sure to post some fantastic photos from the weekend.
Besides prepping for the madness that is sure to ensue this weekend, I have also been completing a major mini-lution. One which involves my wedding budget [which is a word I’ve become all too familiar with lately!]
Speaking of my wedding, I will soon be adding a wedding blog to this blog as a new category, so all of my friends, family and followers can keep up with my wedding planning adventures and get a first hand look at what it’s like to plan a wedding in Charleston. Should be a mix of comedy and tragedy, but none-the-less, will be interesting. I plan on “unleashing” on Monday 🙂
Days 17 and 18: Talking out a budget for the wedding
The cost of the wedding cake…
…the gown…
…the venue…
…the flowers…
…the food and…
..the beverages…
Add up very quickly and if you aren’t careful, you will find yourself completely broke and needing to sell your house to the wedding planner as collateral.
So establishing a budget BEFORE you start swiping the card is a definite MUST in wedding planning. As much as I want a perfect, fairy tale wedding in Charleston in a $25,000 dress, I think I’d like to have somewhere to live and put my rice cookers and bread makers after the whole shi-bang is over with a little bit more. My mother and father have not formally talked it over with his mother and father, but Elliot and I have talked about it in a bit more detail. [Which is why this mini-lution is a 2 day thing!] Granted the whole budget is not finalized until our parents have agreed, it’s very important that Elliot and I have an idea to how much we think should be spent out of their pockets and how much we are going to be spending out of ours. Both him and I are going to be saving heavily until March 26th so we can help ease the pain of how much we think this wedding will cost. I am aiming to contribute up to $3,500 and he is most likely going to be contributing a lot more. [Darn student loans!] We also have spoken, in-depth, with a few of the venues who have also given us proposals estimating costs. Although one of them is very steep, we are working with them to see if we can reduce that cost at all. So we have talked about it, which is not easy for him and I, since financially we are on opposite sides of the spectrum [oil and water!] and it hasn’t been the smoothest of all our conversations, but we’re getting there. We at least were able to agree on a ball park figure and our contributions, so we are making headway. As soon as we talk to the parental units we will have a more etched in stone outline for how much we need to save and how much they can spend. Money is an awkward, tough subject for many, so if you are in the same boat as I, approach the subject with high sensitivity and make sure to listen before you interject. Especially since we are in a recession, try your best to listen to what they say before you voice your concerns.
Another great piece of advice I read regarding a budget is to map it out. Whether it be on Excel, Power Point, Word, a pencil and pad or even a post-it, you need to have a visual of your budget. [This is something to consider even before you talk to the parents, as it gives them some real numbers to look at versus just estimates]. I’ve already began an Excel document that Elliot and I will finalize before we talk to our parents, and will adjust as our parents give us their realistic budget. For a few examples on how to set this up, see the photos below. Outlining a budget is never as easy as it should be and it really needs to involve both the bride and the groom. Even if you two are polar opposites [hello, my fiance and I] it’s a definite must and can avert serious arguments that might arise later due to money.
I know this process is not going to be easy, all I can hope for is that we don’t end up at each other’s throats!
I love…weekends with the girls!
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