Setting a Budget

After you decide on the type of wedding, you'll need to figure out exactly how you're going to afford it. The amount you allocate will help you determine the number of guests you can invite, the location of your reception, the food you will choose, the number of photographs you will have taken, the flowers to order, and just about every other element of the celebration.

There are two ways of setting a budget. The first is to determine the amount of money that's available right now. This will include any money that you and your fiance may have saved for the event, as well as any contributions that you're expecting. For instance, you might know exactly how much your parents have saved in your wedding fund. The total amount of these resources is your budget.

If there's no wedding fund, but you're pretty sure your parents will want to chip in and help defray the cost of the whole shindig, try tallying up the cost of your ideal wedding before asking for financial assistance. You may find that you'll get a better response if you have an estimate to present to your parents, rather than just asking for a contribution.

You'll need to do your homework. If you have friends who have been married recently, don't be shy about asking them how much they paid for things. Most newlyweds are happy to pass on the wisdom they gained from going through the wedding-planning experience.

One you've consulted your friends, pick up the phone. Call several reception sites and caterers and ask for their wedding menus to get an estimate of the per-person rates. Be sure to ask about any additional fees they may charge (such as rental fees, setup fees, gratuity , corkage, or cake-cutting fees).Do the same with photographers, limousine services, videographers, and any other service you my want.

Once you have the paperwork, you can insert cost ranges into the budget to give you a "cheapest to costliest" scenario. Then, it's off to the parents to ask the big money  question......