Weddings count as the most memorable times in people’s lives. Many people dream of their big wedding day, complete with beautiful flowers, relatives from all over, and glossy photos to capture the event. However, all these wedding trappings cost money. Veering off budget is the quickest way to ruin the wedding spirit as well as the wallet. Here are some tips on how to stay on budget on your special day.

Know Where the Money Goes

Before any checks are written, a couple should sit down and hash out a budget.Brides.com provides a rough estimate of wedding costs, with the food and the venue taking up nearly 45 percent of the budget.

The Knot suggests that couples think about ways to lessen expenditures like food and venue. Clearly, a catered, sit-down dinner costs more than an intimate serve-yourself tea in the afternoon in your parents’ backyard. The trick is for the soon-to-be-marrieds to decide where they most want to spend their money.

The number of guests you plan on inviting will influence the decisions you make in regards to both of these factors. The more people you invite, the more food you’ll need and the bigger space you require. Therefore, it’s helpful to have the guest list handy as you plan your budget.

Prioritize

You want your great Aunt Millie to come. Your mother wants Great Aunt Millie’s whole family to attend, including six cousins you’ve never met before. Such is the nature of figuring out the priorities of your wedding. However, doing so ensures that you stay on track financially. If you’re set on a big wedding in terms of attendance, think about ways you can cut back such as buying the food and flowers wholesale and making them yourself or have a talented friend do it. If you can’t imagine not having a wedding video to watch later, then consider a cheaper food or venue option. Once you know what’s most important to you and where you can cut expenses, you’re better able to stay on budget.

Write It Down

After you and your intended have a chance to decide what you can’t live without for your wedding, make sure you write down your wedding budget. This keeps you on track and your priorities in front of you when you feel like you’re wavering. This also helps you stick with your boundaries when someone you know wants to “add just one more person” to the guest list or when your grandma insists that the wedding guests be taken out for a morning-after breakfast at the local gourmet restaurant.

Conclusion

Many ways exist that help you save money on your wedding budget. Part of the fear that people have when it comes to sticking to a budget is that their wedding will look like a budget wedding. However, by taking steps like going with a cheaper venue, asking family and friends to help you, and keeping your guest list small, you’ll be able to enjoy your special day without worrying about whether you broke the bank. And without worrying about looking like you’re having a budget wedding.