Combat Wedding Day Bills with a Budget

Money is one of the top things married couples fight about. As wedding day bills loom, finances can be a source of strife for engaged couples as well, especially since they face the prospect of merging their money after marriage. With all the other stresses associated with planning a wedding, engaged couples should act preemptively to minimize conflict over money.

Consider the following wedding planning tips to ensure money woes won’t overshadow your wedding day:

Establish a budget. Budgeting is a reality for wedding planning. Returning from a blissful honeymoon to a stack of unpaid wedding bills could damage your credit standing and your relationship. When creating a budget, evaluate all the possible sources of funding for your wedding. Traditionally, the bride’s family incurred the brunt of wedding day expenses, however, many couples now foot the entire bill for their weddings. The lucky ones may draw some financial support from either or both sets of parents. Determine how much you will need to put into the budget.

Prioritize wedding day items. Prioritize what you can and cannot live without. Are you willing to buy a bargain dress, or borrow someone else’s dress, in order to spend more on food? Can you make do with a disc jockey rather than a band to spare money for the honeymoon? Can you forego the memory of an ice sculpture? A less formal wedding is a more affordable wedding. If you simply cannot part with any wedding day dreams, consider financing part of the cost of your wedding.

Plan the honeymoon. Let’s face it, the best part of planning a wedding is planning the honeymoon. Consider using frequent flyer miles to save money on airline tickets, or check airfares for departures out of nearby, smaller cities. Or, look for package deals that include plane tickets, hotel and food instead of purchasing these items separately. Make sure you notify the hotel that you’re honeymooners – this often results in fun perks like chilled champagne or free upgrades.