Creating and Managing A Wedding Expense Spreadsheet
Let's be real, wedding planning is hard work. It might as well be a full-time job in itself, especially if you're not using a wedding planner! Many couples nowadays turn to budgeting spreadsheets in order to keep track of their spending, and we are here for it! Creating a spreadsheet for your wedding is an important step in planning your big day and one that should not be taken lightly.
How Do I Create and Manage My Wedding Expense Spreadsheet?
Keep things simple and outsource a free wedding day budgeting spreadsheet. These are primarily templates and you'll find yourself only using bits and pieces, but it's a lot faster than building one from scratch. When it comes to managing, it's all about diligence, taking your best guess, and noting when your estimates were wrong. Don't worry, you'll practically be your wedding day's accountant in no time!
Still haven't found the perfect venue? Come check out CLAY Venues!
Do I Need a Wedding Venue Spreadsheet?
Having a wedding venue spreadsheet could be very helpful during your wedding planning process. Many wedding venue spreadsheets consist of key factors you want to document that each venue has and more importantly, does not have. Having a collected and organized spreadsheet to document the wins and losses of a venue will help you and your partner feel good about choosing the right wedding venue for your special day.
Friendly reminder, make sure you book your wedding venue as soon as you can! Your budget, vendors, date, and location will all depend on the wedding venue you book. Come visit CLAY Venues and let’s get that main item checked off of your wedding to-do list!
Top 5 Questions to Ask Yourself When Setting Your Wedding Day Budget
If you're just starting your wedding day planning, we want to encourage you a little: YOU ROCK! What you're doing is crazy extensive and the reason why wedding planner positions exist. Take a deep breath and give yourself some grace, because you've got this! You also have the team here at CLAY Venues cheering you on and holding your hand as you figure out what questions to ask yourself when setting your wedding day budget. Here are a few examples:
1. How much can I realistically afford to spend?
This should come as a no-brainer but once you figure this realistic number out, you're smooth sailing. It's important to be brutally honest with yourself and your partner. Not everyone has outside financial help from relatives so the financial burden falls directly on the couples. Feeling confident about the overall price tag on your wedding will set you up for realistic vendors, decor, wedding dresses, and way fewer grey hairs if God forbid you accidentally go over your estimated unrealistic budget. Remember when all a wedding took was a dowery? Oh, how things have become so much more complicated!
2. What is the most important aspect of my wedding that I'm willing to invest in?
This is KEY! This is yours and your partner's wedding day, no one else! You should be able to call the shots of what percentage of the budget goes where. Are you guys absolute foodies with a flare for dramatics? Then maybe investing a little more budget in a plated dinner, waitstaff, and a killer food truck for late-night snacks. Or maybe you dreamed of walking down the aisle like a true princess with beds of flowers lined with candles as you meet eyes with your forever spouse-- a big chunk of your budget needs to be put aside for professional decorators and florists!
Our favorite investment that we recommend to brides is prioritizing the venue space. Everything will be built off of that one space, so make sure it's beautiful and exactly what you want! Come tour CLAY Venues and dream big with us, because we love dreaming with you!
There should be no judgment or shame in whatever you decide is your "non-negotiable." It's your day, own it! Just make sure you budget for it ahead of time. ;)
3. What are some ways I can save on costs?
After you come down to earth from dreaming big on your wedding day, you may need to ask yourself what are the things you can skimp on. There are a lot of small details that seem super important at first, but really they don't impact experience or bring joy to the point where they aren't worth the extra cash.
Many people find small DIY projects can help cut costs on smaller decor items or even party favors! There's nothing a little elbow grease and a sturdy printer can't achieve. We do recommend mixing DIY with polished though so your dream vision is cohesive and not all crafts. Another easy way to minimize overall cost is to opt-in for a cash bar as opposed to an open bar!
4. Are there any parts of my budget that can be broken down into smaller categories for easier tracking?
You may be thinking, look I've been planning for months I already have the big things planned, but I can't figure out realistic pricing for the small things like hair and makeup, and don't you worry, we got you!
We will use hair and makeup as an example: Say you have an estimated budget of $500 for hair and makeup, but is that including each of your bridesmaids and mothers of the bride or groom? What might be more helpful is narrowing down further sections of the general budget of "Hair and Makeup," and listing out each person who you plan to cover. Take that list to your stylists and have them list out price by price for each person, so you have the most accurate method of budgeting there is for a larger more detailed overarching category.
5. Are there any unexpected costs that I may need to factor into my budget?
This is a big one, and one we hate to remind you of... but it is extremely important. We recommend storing some money aside from your budget for emergencies, or miscalculations in your budget. For example, lots of people forget to budget tips to vendors! Having that money set aside leaves you feeling at ease knowing something would come up and when it did, you'd be ready! No unnecessary grey hairs on my watch!
What's the Best Way to Stay On-Top of Managing My Budgeting Spreadsheet?
One of our favorite ways to stay on top of managing your budgeting spreadsheet is over date night! That's right, date night! Get together with your partner and break down the nitty gritty as well as update the sheet with any new information regarding increases or decreases in the overall number. Set aside one night a week to update everything with your future spouse so you both are on the same page about important details.
Cheers to Wedding Planning and Budgeting!
At CLAY Venues, we understand that planning a budget can be overwhelming, but when done together as a team with you and your spouse, it's much more manageable! Organizing the details this way means that you'll have an easier time tracking finances as they come in and out of play. It also ensures that both you and your partner understand the ins and outs of your budget. Cheers to wedding planning and cheers to being one step closer to saying "I do!"
