On Budget and Priorities

Before we decided on our wedding date, we first sat down, discussed and agreed upon our target budget. I know for a fact this has been a boon of existence for many couples and I kind of understand why. We tend to under-budget when we plan for something because it makes it easier to organize or even think about the event when we “feel” like we can afford it.

But I’m a realist, and a practical person at best. I learned my lesson the hard way never to underestimate my taste. So as much as I want to lean towards making it seem like we’re going to have a cheaper wedding, I can’t. I don’t want to fool the fiancé into thinking he’s going to shell out just this amount of money when he actually needs to work harder! Hahaha! Okay, I’m bad.

So, even before we decided on a date, I already made a checklist and a chart of the things we need to pay for the wedding, which I will share here because I think every bride needs to know the ins and outs of her upcoming nuptials. Also, it’s always nice to be prepared for the expenses, so we don’t get the shock of our lives when the due dates come.

ITEMS	PRICE	DOWN	BALANCE
Lourdes Church	P20,000
Hill Creek Gardens	P316,850
Video / photo coverage	P160,000
Wedding rings	P65,000
Wedding gown	P75,000
Groom suit	P20,000
Accessories	P10,000
Wedding coordinator (OTD)	P25,000
HMUA	P25,000
Flowers	P35,000
Band / DJ	P20,000
Lights & sounds	P20,000
Projector	P7,000
Extra electricity	P5,000
Fireworks	P17,000
Crew meals	P7,500 (for 25 pax)
Bridal car	P7,000
Souvenirs (Photobooth)	P10,000
Invitations	P25,000
Entourage	P15,000
Gifts for entourage	P10,000
Gifts for principal sponsors (2 pairs)	P10,000
Stylist (if needed)	P77,000
Dessert buffet	P10,000
Kiddie meals	P500/pax

Some couples tend to decide on their motif and theme first before discussing the budget. Well, that’s okay for people who have the cash to burn. But for us mortal folks, I always believe discussing about the money matter first will go a long way toward a harmonious wedding planning period.

Here is the initial chart I made about my expected expenses for our wedding. This is a wedding in Tagaytay City, so prices may be a little steep. I already included some elbow room for out-of-town fees. I don’t want to be burdened by a P10,000 OOT fee after my reception. I kind of decided to pay off all my dues, except for the photo and video, before the wedding date itself. It’ll make it easier for me to enjoy the day when I know all the dues have been settled.

So there, try and talk about the nitty-gritty of the wedding expenses. As much as we would like to think a wedding is not about the money, the reality is it is (unless, of course, you will invite no one, and you don’t plan to buy yourselves rings too). It is impossible to talk about getting married without discussing how much it would cost you.

And promise, you wouldn’t want to spend the next few months arguing and haggling about how much you’re shelling out for the wedding. That’s really the first thing on my mind: to get the wedding budget off the table. I want it a close topic by the time I start planning our wedding (of course, when it comes to money, nothing is really final, but I know you get my drift).