So your wedding budget is $10,000, $20,000 or maybe $30,000.  Doesn’t matter what your budget is, if you don’t have a plan for sticking to you budget having one really wont do anything but make you realize you have gone significantly over and there is no turning back. So how do you stay within your budget? Follow these guidelines when selecting and talking with your vendors, when making plans for your locations, and when deciding what is important to you.

Your wedding budget breakdown should follow into these percentages.

Favors 1%
Transportation 2%
Cake 2%
Ceremony Location 2%
Ceremony Music 2%
Invitations and Save-the-Dates 2%
Hair & Make-up 2%
Groom’s Formal wear 3%
Reception Music 4%
Videographer 5%
Dress 5%
Rehearsal Dinner 6%
Flowers 6%
Photographer 8%
Wedding Rings 8%
Reception 42%

As you can see a majority of your money will be going towards the reception. This includes food, location and drinks. When making plans make sure a majority goes in this direction. What is great about having a budget set is that it allows you to prioritize what is important to you. Lets say your budget is $20,000 and having a videographer is just not something that is important to you. That frees up $1,000 that you can spend elsewhere. Maybe it will allow for you to get those a little too expensive shoes that match just perfectly with your dress or perhaps now you can have a live band instead of a DJ. Its up to you but at least now you know where you can take that money from and focus it on the areas that will make your wedding more you.