How to Talk About Your Wedding Budget as a Couple
If we know one thing, planning a wedding is virtually impossible without establishing a budget. How else would you be able to make the important decisions that go into planning your big day? However, talking money isn’t usually a conversation many couples look forward to. Talking about the venue and what you’ll wear is much more enjoyable, but it’s necessary to talk. So we’ve gathered a few tips to make the talk more productive.
1.) Pick the right time. The best thing to do is schedule a specific time to discuss your wedding budget. It’s best to choose a relaxing time without distractions. Instead of talking while the Ravens are playing the Steelers, meet for coffee sometime during the day to hash out the details.
2.) Have two numbers in mind. A wedding budget is always flexible, hence the two separate guidelines. So the first should be your goal number. This is the amount you will attempt to stay close to. The second number should be the maximum amount you can spend. So maybe you’d like to wedding budget to be $25,000, but you know you absolutely cannot go over $22,000 without having some financial repercussions.
3.) Be prepared to compromise. Remember, this isn’t just about your wedding; it’s about your marriage and your future. As you know, life doesn’t stop after you get married. If you plan to buy a house, travel the world together, or even have kids someday. You will need money for all of these plans. If your main goal is to buy a $3,000 wedding dress, but your fiancé’s main goal is to pay off some student loan debt before buying a house, you might need to give a little.
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4.) Put it in writing. Working out a budget for your wedding is difficult when everything is conceptual. So instead, bring a pen and paper to the meeting. Writing down what you both agree and disagree on will help keep everything organized and give you an idea of how your budget breaks down. Once you see, in writing, you’ll be able to prioritize better which aspects of your wedding get more cash and which you might be able to do without.
5.) Don’t take it personally. If you and your fiancé could give each other the world, you probably would, but this is reality, and reality means someone has to say ‘no’ once in a while. So if your fiancé thinks paying $10,000 for a venue is too steep, it doesn’t mean they think you aren’t worth it; it just means they think paying $10,000 for a venue is too steep.
6.) Set up meetings. As you start signing contracts with vendors, make time to talk to each other to review the wedding budget. Communication is extremely important during wedding planning. The budget amounts may move around as you get pricing on items. Keep the communication open and honest. Remember, you BOTH are in this together.
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