Planning your wedding is one of the most exciting journeys you can take with your partner, but it often comes with a challenging question: How do you budget for your dream day? With so many elements to consider—from your officiant to the venue, and from photography to entertainment—the costs can add up quickly.  This week, we asked one of our favorite wedding friendors, Emily and Mike Weber, owners of the beautiful venue The Gardens Of Weber Manor, to share some budgeting tips when planning a wedding since they celebrated their own a little over a year ago.  

Understanding Your Wedding Budget

For most couples, coming up with a wedding budget is the first step when planning their big day. To be realistic, there are must haves and on the other hand, nice to haves. Prioritize what is most important for you as a couple and based on this, start creating your budget and allocating percentages to spend from that budget. This percentage of your total budget includes several key elements like the venue fee (if separate from the reception), officiant fees, and any particular decor or rentals for the ceremony space.

Elements to budget for a wedding could be:

• Officiant and Ceremony 

• Reception: venue, catering, cake, decor and rentals 

• Photography and/or videography

• Reception entertainment: music/mc

• Wedding rings and wedding attire 

• Stationery, favors, and gifts

• Transportation 

Emily recommends having a deep conversation with your future vendors and requesting transparent pricing. "A lot of vendors advertise base pricing but won't include in the initial quote add-ons (that are sometimes essential), setup/breakdown fees, mandatory tips, service charges, or travel fees." she says. Then, it's easier to compare wedding providers and avoid any surprises down the line.

Pro Tip: Many times, vendors offer additional services that can be offered at reduced rates since you are already a client. For example, maybe the venue has an all-inclusive option where the catering and cake are part of the package. Or maybe the photographer also offers a photobooth option, making things more convenient.

Allocating Budget for the Ceremony

Nothing holds more significance than the ceremony itself, where the essence of your love and commitment is celebrated. Every detail counts when budgeting for your ceremony, from the seating arrangements to the floral decorations. How many guests will you have? Will you have a live musician? The key idea is to prioritize and decide what aspects of the ceremony are most important to you. For example, you can have dual-purpose decor; items used in the ceremony can later enhance your reception venue. Or consider using seasonal or local flowers. Just make sure the ceremony feels personal and genuine. This leads us to one of the most crucial decisions: choosing your officiant.

Personalizing your Wedding Ceremony

For many couples, part of their wedding budget is set aside to find the officiant who fits their style and who can tailor their ceremony to what they want and need. The cost of hiring a professional officiant can really differ, depending on their experience, how much they're in demand, and what they offer. Having an experienced wedding officiant leading your ceremony can really help you relax and enjoy your big day. The officiant brings out the deep meaning of your love in every word they say. That's why picking the right officiant is one of the smartest choices you can make when planning your wedding. Factors that might affect their pricing may include travel expenses, and any additional services like rehearsals and vow writing sessions.

Budgeting wisely doesn’t mean cutting down on all things beautiful; it means making informed choices that enhance the significance of your day. So, dive into your planning with this guide, knowing that every decision is a building block toward a ceremony that perfectly encapsulates your relationship. Your wedding ceremony is a profound expression of your union, and how you budget for this moment will set the precedence for the rest of your celebrations. We can certainly assist you in planning your ceremony, let’s talk about your wedding vision, just fill the form below.