Weddings represent the culmination of a loving relationship and the start of a long and happy life together in wedded bliss. After the successful proposal and engagement festivities, couples start diving into planning the details of their Big Day that things can quickly become complicated. As the couples start planning and researching items on their list like wedding venues, marriage licenses, catering, and more, what do weddings cost on average for couples? The short and sweet answer is—it depends.

What To Expect When You’re Planning A Wedding

While most couples jumping into wedding planning have no concrete number representing the final total, they find an expected range to see where their dream wedding can fall into. When planning the best wedding day possible, couples need to focus on specific areas to ensure their special day meets their expectations. Before you and your partner dive into the weeds, you need to establish one thing first and foremost —your budget. 

Set A Budget And Stick To It

Your wedding budget will help you know where you want to funnel the majority of your money, where you can cut back, and how to add to the budget without things getting out of hand. Try to keep your budget within your means, so the costs don’t wind up putting your newly formed family too deep into debt. Have a number in mind that you and your partner are comfortable with, and work the big day around that number. 

With your wedding budget set, it’s time to start ticking off items on your wedding planning checklist and see how it cuts into your budget. Some of these items might include entertainment, catering options, and plenty of other intangibles to make your special day one to remember.

Hiring A Wedding Planner

While you and your partner might believe you can save by taking on the lion’s share of the planning duties yourself, a wedding planner can prove to be a worthwhile investment. While an experienced wedding planner can take up on average 1,500 dollars of your budget, they more than make up that investment with the amount of anxiety they take off your plate. 

An experienced wedding planner has been through the process before and knows the how’s and why’s to make your day the best it can be. If you try to handle all of the little details on your own, the chances increase that the anxiety can become overwhelming. 

Pick Your Venue

Your venue may wind up being the most significant drain on your wedding budget. If you’re set on having your number one choice for the venue, you can potentially look at putting down a hefty deposit to ensure you get the wedding date you want. However, as with most meticulously planned events, there is always room for something to go wrong. 

Having backup venues lined up if your first choice falls through shows good foresight and allows you and your planner some latitude with the budget. If your backup venues come in at a lower cost than your first choice, you can always funnel the extra funds into where you think you need it. 

Taking Care Of The Dress and Wedding Party

Picking out what you, your spouse, and the wedding party wear can quickly eat away at your budget. You want everyone in your party to look their best, so deciding where to get the bridesmaid’s dresses, the suits, and ultimately the wedding dress can significantly impact the total cost of your wedding. 

The attire is always an area of the planning where people tend not to want to take budget away from to keep costs down. Brides and grooms want their special day to be as magical and impressive as possible, and to help achieve that feeling; they want to be dressed as beautifully as possible. 

Know Your Vendors

Wedding vendors represent a large chunk of your wedding budget, and for good reason. Vendors range from the florist, photographers, videographers, entertainment, and so on, each element making up what makes the occasion so special. As you work with your wedding planner to figure out what kind of vendors you want to hire for the wedding, knowing how big you want the event to feel will impact how much each vendor will ultimately cost.

A Meal To Remember 

Food is often one the most essential things people remember about the weddings they attend. Memories of perfectly cooked steak, crab cakes, and side dishes, along with meat-free menu options, will be right there next to the dance floor after the bride walks down the aisle. So ensuring that you put the right amount of money into your budget for the rehearsal dinner and the reception are critical components of your wedding and how much it will ultimately cost. 

Choosing an experienced caterer to help handle the food for your wedding can help ensure your wedding guests enjoy one of the best meals of their lives. A wedding catering service in Bucks County, like Catering By Mario’s, can help you plan out your perfect wedding day and ensure the menu is top-notch. 

What To Do If You Go Over Budget?

Your budget represents what you and your future spouse are comfortable paying for your special day. Deciding whether to go over your budget for the big day or not is a decision left in your hands. If you go over budget without trying to trim the budget elsewhere, you have to be ready to live with the accrued debt. 

However, if you do a deep dive into your budget and find areas where you can trim some of the excess budget, you can reign in your spending and still maintain your dream wedding. Seeing if you can make homemade wedding decorations or finding a suitable but non-premium package can help you save money where you can and maintain the big party feel. 

Find The Right Event Planning Company

When it comes to planning your wedding day, you need to have the right team by your side to help guide you through to the end of the aisle. Catering By Mario’s offers our clients an expert wedding caterer, exquisite ballrooms for your receptions, and a robust wedding planning service to ensure your day goes off without a hitch!

In addition to our wedding day services, we also provide our clients with the best corporate caterers in Montgomery County, PA! Contact our team to get started planning your special day immediately!