Houston Wedding Planning: Budget First for the Perfect Wedding

Texas Weddings and Parties

PURPLE PENELOPE PARTY PLANNER

Purple Penelope Plans Perfect Parties and Weddings

BUDGET FOR THE PERFECT WEDDING

www.PurplePenelope.com

For the Perfect Wedding, Budget First

Even a trip-to-the-courthouse wedding requires budget planning. Will you wear an old dress in your closet or will you buy something special? Will you let him wear jeans and a sports coat, or does he have to buy a suit? What kind of rings will you exchange? How much does a wedding license cost? What do you have to do to get one? How much does a blood test cost? If you're going to a justice of the peace, how much do they charge? How much does it all cost? How much do you have? How much can you borrow? Now, you're budgeting!

Once you decide to have more than a quick trip to the courthouse, wedding expenses can add up quickly. It has been traditional for the bride's family to shoulder the financial obligations for a wedding, because traditionally, the bride was chattel, just another mouth to feed unless the parents could shift that burden to a husband.

But women aren't so traditional anymore -- they have jobs as well as all the traditional roles -- and some weddings cost more than many bride's families can afford. So, it's becoming common for the groom's family to bare an equal portion of the financial obligations. And couples whose parents aren't willing to wait on replacing the old clunker or postpone retirement have to figure out how to pay for their weddings without condemning themselves to a future of poverty.

So in planning your big day, make the first step a heart-to-heart talk with all the people you expect to pay the piper's and the caterer's bill. Then, with a realistic estimate of the available money number in hand, sit down to some serious budget planning.

When shopping, compare prices on everything. A designer gown may cost thousands in a fancy shop, but just a few hundred dollars at an online store or a local discount warehouse.

Make "package plan" arrangements, almost always the less expensive way to go. If you rent the cathedral for an afternoon ceremony, see if you can't also rent the church reception hall to say hello to guest who might not be invited to a post-wedding dinner of close family and friends. Before you jump to the conclusion that a tent in the back yard is the best you can afford, shop around. A tent rental cost money. The tables and chairs rental cost money. Decorating the yard yourself costs money. If it rains, the ground will get soggy and so will the bide, bridesmaids, groom, groomsmen, family and guests! A total package at a restaurant or bridal B&B may be cheaper approach and you're perfect day won't get rained out.

Always include the cost of any deposits that are required on all party rental items and the total amount of refund you might get back (we say might, because sometimes items are damaged or disappear). Whether it is a small or large celebration, many of the same expenses will be incurred. It's the multiplication factor that gets you into trouble. Flowers for the bride and bridesmaids may be affordable, but lush arrangements at every guest table will bust the bank.

Often, guest entertainment is the largest wedding expense. Food at a reception can range anywhere from less than $50 per person for a catered snack and beverage buffet affair to several hundred dollars per person at a sit-down dinner. The price per person depends on food and beverage selection, your location, and your caterer. The number of guest determine the final bill. As to caterers, shop around. It's great to a top chef oversee your affair, but many small restaurants offer catering service -- or will if you just ask. If you enjoy the food at the little mom and pop hole-in-the-wall place down the street, ask if they would be interested in catering your party. And don't forget the buffet places -- they're use to feeding large crowds on a tight budget!

In your budget planning, consider everything. Instead of one lump sum for the gown, consider the cost of the bridal gown and the veil and the gloves and the shoes and the foundation garments, and the other items of clothing -- not just the gown price. Simple is often elegant. Simple is often less expensive. Consider the cost of the bride's maids' attire. Consider the groom and the grooms' men attire. Consider the mother of the bride, the mother of the groom, the father of the bride, the father of the groom, the flower girl, the this, and the that! Consider the cost of the rings, the cost of the marriage license, the clergy fee, the flowers, the decorations, the limo, the attendants gifts, the honeymoon and travel expenses. Then add up all those numbers.

After you think about these costs a moment, consider how little you will be paying a wedding planner to help you figure out how to shave the costs so you can have your dream wedding on a budget you can afford. If you need more help with your wedding budget planning, contact PURPLE PENELOPE PARTY PLANNER.

Article copyright 2005 by Purple Penelope. All Rights Reserved.