Setting the budget makes a lot of brides cringe. Brides don't want to start their planning with limitations, but limits are good and we run into them in every aspect of life. Budgeting doesn't have to be a burden--it can build relationships with the people you will be spending a lot of time (the rest of your life) with.
Start the Conversation as a Couple
The rest of your life will be spent communicating with your groom. When you begin planning your budget, the conversation should start between the two of you as a couple. Starting out on the same page will lay the foundation for the rest of the communication throughout your planning process and into your marriage. This is also a good time to discuss who pays for what.
Keep the Family in Mind
Engagement involves a lot of communication. This is a very special time to open up the communication between the bride and groom's families. Tradition states that the financial responsibility falls on the bride's family, but there are several groom's parents or even other special family members who may want to contribute. Make sure everyone knows the plan, and make it a time to let your families work together.
It's Your Day, But It's a Gift
Every bride deserves a day that is completely unique to her. Sometimes, whoever graciously gives to the wedding budget wants to have a say in what the bride wants. When I speak at Wedding Festivals, I tell mothers to turn to their daughter and tell the bride it's her day. After that, I also tell the brides to look at their mothers and tell them thank you. Weddings are a gracious, expensive gift. While every bride wants her day to be perfect, it's important to keep in mind that it's also a privilege.
Budgeting isn't about crunching numbers; it's about planning intentionally and working together.
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