Wedding Budget Calculator

Weddings are memorable occasions - one where a couple takes the vows to start a new life together. It is an occasion for friends and family of the couple to get together and make it a special day for them. An average wedding costs between $12,000 to $19,000. Take a look at our wedding budget planner. You can plan out the various expenditures carefully by using online wedding budget calculators. If you are planning a wedding on a low budget, we provide you useful tips that can help you cut down the wedding costs.

Wedding Budget

When planning out your wedding budget, there are many things to keep in mind. The location and time of the year is critical in the planning for the wedding ceremony. The weather conditions will play a role in deciding the decorations, transportation, wedding dress and other activities for the guests. The traditional custom was for the bride's family to pay for the entire wedding but these days it is being shared with the groom's family.

Many a time, the bride and groom pay for the entire wedding themselves. It is not prudent for the young couple to get into debt at the start of their married life. They can plan a low budget wedding - one that will be a perfect start for a lifetime ahead but one that will also allow the couple to save for other essentials.

Low Budget Wedding Plan

Weddings can be expensive affairs. But you can plan a low budget wedding and still have a great party and memorable day. Prudent planning can keep your wedding budget under control. If you are planning a wedding on a budget, take a few tips to keep the expenses from mounting out of control:

• An off-season wedding can bring down your wedding budget considerably. You might be able to pick up better deals on services. The wedding seasons tend to see higher prices for limousine rentals, florists and venues.
  
  
• Shop wisely at budget stores that can provide you with candles, lights and other wedding items for table centerpieces and wedding accessories.
  
  
• Choose your location with care when planning a low budget wedding. You can have a wonderful wedding party in a house, be it yours or your friends'. Try looking for local churches or public gardens.
  
  
• Decorations can be an expensive affair at weddings. Plan your decorations carefully so as to avoid ostentation. In fact, you can plan the decoration keeping in mind the location of the wedding party.
  
  
• Select flowers that are in season. Avoid orchids and roses if you are planning a wedding on a low budget. Opt instead for traditional daisies, carnations, chrysanthemums, baby's breath and gladiolus.
  
  
• Enlist the support of family and friends - you can rent out, borrow or make as many items as possible.
  
  
• For a low budget wedding, you can order a small wedding cake for the display. A large sheet cake can be used to cut and serve the guests. Many tiered cakes with elaborate decorations are expensive.
  
  
• A buffet will work out cheaper than a sit down meal. You can consider buying the drinks and wine yourself. Purchase your liquor from wholesalers.
  
  
• Keep your guest list small if you are planning a wedding on a budget.
  
  
• Make use of online wedding budget calculators to help you plan out your expenditure wisely.
  
  
• Compare and settle on a suitable photography deal that will be cost effective.
  
  
• Use silk or dried flowers instead of fresh ones in table centerpieces.
  

Wedding Budget Plan

Catering costs form the bulk of the wedding reception costs. Typically a wedding budget plan is divided as follows:

• Reception (45%)
  
• Transportation (5%)
  
• Entertainment (10%)
  
• Flowers (10%)
  
• Attire (10%)
  
• Photography (10%)
  
• Others (10%)

Wedding Budget Calculator

Wedding budget calculators and planners are user-friendly software packages that help you track various expenditure items. This aids planning of services and ensuring adherence to budgets. From creating labels for your wedding invitations to charting out seating arrangements, you can utilize wedding budget planners.

Various items of expenditure for weddings are listed out category wise in a wedding budget calculator. You can enter your estimated total budget along with number of guests and it can help you plan out category-wise spending plans. Some of the areas of wedding budget planning:

• Wedding Cake
  
• Bridal Attire
  
• Groom's Attire
  
• Caterer
  
• Wedding invitations
  
• Formal portraits, videography and party photography, wedding album
  
• Music
  
• Bouquets, flowers for the wedding and corsages and boutonnieres
  
• Transportation
  
• Rental equipment
  

Other items that need to be planned for in a wedding budget - Bachelors party, Bridesmaids' luncheon, Out of town guests' transportation and rehearsal dinner. Do not forget specialty linen, chair covers, wedding rings and wedding gifts when planning the wedding budget.

Budget Wedding Dress

If you are planning a wedding on a budget, opt for a wedding gown that is simpler and not extravagant. You can get carried away by the fine wedding dresses and accessories available these days but remember that it will be cheaper to create one than buy one from a designer store. You can get a plain white dress and embellish it to look unique. Bridal stores and department stores offer clearance gowns but you will need to scout around for a good buy.

A wedding dress made of synthetic fabrics can cost about $500 whereas one in silk can cost around $2000 to $4000. Simpler styles cost relatively lesser than ones with beads, lace and other embellishments. You can consider borrowing your mother's wedding dress. Other than the bridal gown, you need to budget for veil or headpiece, lingerie, shoes, gloves and jewelry. Keep in mind the expenses for makeup.

Budget Wedding Invitation

Wedding invitations can set you back considerably. Stationery for wedding invitations can range from the simple to the exotic. If you go in for exclusive lettering, your wedding invitations and other stationery such as response cards and informal thank-you notes will push up your wedding budget.

A great tip is to have your reception information added on the ceremony invitation to eliminate the expense of the reception card. Do- it-yourself wedding invitations can add a personalized touch, besides saving on costs. If you are placing an order for wedding invitations, consider thermograph prints that are economical as compared to engraved lettering.