The most important part about planning for a wedding is making sure that you have a budget in place that you can adhere to. When planning a wedding, it can be easy to let the costs get away from you and you may soon realize that you have used up more of your budget than you had originally planned. So how do you shop for the things you need for your wedding while staying conscious of the price? We have some tips and tricks to make sure you stay within your budget.
Inquire About Bulk Pricing
Some companies are willing to offer bulk discounts if you are buying lots of a certain item. It is worth it to ask before deciding to purchase if they will in fact give you a discount, or give you the contact information of someone who may be able to help you with bulk ordering. This can help you get decor pieces, favors, napkins, candles and much more.
Let Vendors Know Your Budget
When shopping for a wedding dress, for example, it is alright to let the salesperson know that you have a specific budget in mind. That way they will be able to pick out dresses that you are looking for that are in your price range. There is nothing worse than falling in love with a dress only to find out that it is way out of your budget. In order to avoid getting in that situation, rely on the salesperson to be honest with the prices of the dress, but always double check to make sure.
Keep a Tally of all Wedding Purchases
Even using a simple sheet that is created in a word program or something like google documents, you will be able to keep an accurate total of your budget. The best way to do this is to start out with your final budget (example: $25,000) and subtract money every time you book a service or vendor for your wedding. This may seem tedious but it will keep you on track and let you know if you have saved money on one item that you may be able to spend a little extra on something else.
Timing and Location
Knowing when and where to shop are both vital elements to staying on budget when shopping for your wedding, and they are determined by the type of items for which you are shopping. If you are shopping for sparklers for weddings, you should try your local fireworks store right after the summer holidays have concluded. If you are looking for napkins or other basic supplies, you should try your local party store right after a holiday such as Easter or Valentine’s Day to get the best deals. Usually stores are clearing out their inventory at some point during the year, so targeting when that will be based on the items you need for your wedding can really help you stay on budget.