We can all agree that many Americans are facing economic hardships these days. Whether it’s because of a job loss or demotion, financial uncertainty or simply limited income, everyone is becoming more and more cautious with their budgets. This is true especially when it comes to spending hard-earned money on your venue, vendors and services for an upcoming wedding. Most of us in the real world can’t afford an outrageous “money-is-no-object” wedding with the best of everything. That doesn’t mean you can’t still have the wedding of your dreams!  You just have to adapt to “economic reality”.  It’s entirely possible to stick to a realistic budget if you carefully prioritize your expenses based on what is most important to you.  You’ll find that every wedding budget contains some things you really need to be top quality and some things you don’t really need, but “want”, but can actually do without.

If you ask a dozen engaged couples to name and prioritize the most important expenditures for their wedding, chances are their answers will vary greatly. No two weddings are the same and they shouldn’t be. Some couples believe that the food is the most important factor for the success of their day since it is often the greatest expense at a wedding. Others might feel that they want every single one of their guests dancing at their wedding all night, so their DJ or band is their highest priority. Another couple might place more of their focus on socializing with family and friends so that both food and entertainment are less important to them than a convenient location, and impressive flowers, centerpieces, and uplighting. Whatever your focus, you should adjust your budget so that you spend more on the things that are the most important to you, rather than try to include the best of every category and exhaust the budget early on.

Putting a priority list together for a wedding might not be the easiest if you don’t have one “must-have”. A lot of times, brides and grooms who are on a strict budget still think of every expenditure as being of equal importance to the final outcome of the day. Some couples make the mistake of looking for the lowest prices, but end up with a “cheap” product or service that has a negative impact on their wedding as a whole.  Your best bet is to do your homework and research reputable companies with great revues that you believe will give you the most bang for your buck.  Keep in mind that good companies understand that you have many expenditures to juggle and, within reason, are willing to help you if you are on a budget.

Whatever your focus or whatever aspect of the wedding you feel is most important in making your “perfect day”, make sure you prioritize your vendor choices so that the services you value most were given the highest budget allotments! Top-rated vendors who are aware that their service was your first priority will try even harder to make your wedding vision come true. Regardless of your budget, planning a wedding should be fun and stress-free and prioritizing your wedding expenses by importance will only make things easier on you and your fiance.