Money Tip #2: Make a "Top 3 Must Haves" List

We like lists!

From finding the perfect dress and accessories, to matching shoes, bridesmaids dresses and groomsmen attire, what food you want to serve, what favours to give out, whether to have customized menus and so on, there are a thousand and one things a bride thinks about when dreaming up her perfect wedding. So what does one do when faced with dozens of vendors and a budget that is not in the millions?

I always advise couples to start with a list of the top 3 things they absolutely must have in their wedding. This is to help people figure out what is most important to them and what they want guests to take away with them at the end of the celebration, whether it is a custom-made wedding favour, or simply a feeling that they really enjoyed the fantastic food. With that in mind, it should be easier to know which areas you can save a few more dollars and which areas you can allow yourself to spend a little more if you really must.

If not sure how to prioritize to get only 3 things on that must have list, try thinking about why you are having the type of wedding that you are. Is it going to be a lavish wedding with over five hundred guests where most of the guests your parents’ friends/relatives/business associates? If so, it might be that showing off your family’s success may be most important that could translate into wanting to have a designer gown and choosing a top end hotel or caterer to showcase this. Alternatively, it may be that you are celebrating the merger of two different cultures and it is important for you to respect both. This would translate into having two ceremonies instead of one, meaning that you would need to consider spreading your finances to cover more events and foregoing those expensive customized table linens that you were eyeing. If you are a couple that loves to entertain, you might consider that your guests are most important and that they ought to leave your wedding feeling like they had a ball of time. This may translate to opting for your own selection of wines instead of using the standard wines that may come with your chosen menu package, having a DJ and a dance floor or even a professional emcee to interact with your guests. 

A top three list however, should never be an excuse to blow your budget into smithereens and just because you are dying to have a custom-made Vera Wang gown does not mean that you can realistically afford to. Instead, consider opting for a local gown designer who can reproduce something just as pretty (where you can expect to pay somewhere between $3000 to $7000 for a local designer as opposed to $15000 or more) and in return, cut back on having a live band at the reception. The list should help you remember what is important to you as a couple for your wedding so that you can make smart choices about to where to spend your money. 

Happy Planning!