Wedding is called the bride's day and so it is... But the white dress, the veil and flowers are for all of us. Friends and relatives will laugh and cry, eat and drink, rejoice and remember. Passers-by will see the bridal party, stop and smile. Strangers will read the wedding announcement with interest. Giddy children will dance around the floor. Everyone loves celebrating this beautiful ritual of hope, promise, love and commitment. Every wedding day belongs to the world...
Figuring out your wedding budget can be stressful, but don't worry. Whether you're dreaming of a lavish hotel affair or an intimate garden gathering, answering these questions will help you figure out what you have to spend to make it happen.
Who's Paying?
Talk to your families about who will pay for what: Some brides' families still pick up the entire tab, but more and more groom's families are participating too. How do you bring up the conversation? For many couples, talking to each family separately is the best way to have truly open discussions. When you do talk, here are strategies for determining your initial budget.
Ask both of your folks to commit to a specific monetary amount, and then add up all the contributions to create your real budget.
Alternatively, it may be easier to ask each set of parents to finance a particular aspect of the wedding such as the ceremony, honeymoon, or catering instead of just committing to certain amount of cash. Also please determine how much can both of you really contribute between now and the wedding.
How Much Do You Actually Need?
Just like buying shoes, dresses, or a pair of jeans, when it comes to financing a wedding, you should figure out how much you need to spend to get what you want. Set your expectations accordingly.
Here is a basic breakdown of what you can expect to pay:
Reception: 48%-50%
Ceremony: 2%-3%
Attire: 8%-10%
Flowers: 8%-10%
Entertainment/Music: 8%-10%
Photography/Videography: 10%-12%
Stationery: 2%-3%
Wedding Rings: 2%-3%
Parking/Transportation: 2%-3%
Gifts: 2%-3%
Miscellaneous: 8%
P/S:- To avoid stress, allot about 5% of your budget for contingency fund in case there are some last minute details you’ve overlook. If you're paying for your honeymoon yourselves, remember to budget for that as well.
How Much Can You Save?
As soon as you're engaged, start putting aside as much of your income as you can for the wedding. Saving 20% of your monthly income is good. Though it might be painful, remember your goal of having a beautiful and memorable wedding day! The longer your engagement, the more you'll be able to save. Try several ways to save and remember to make the most out of your money.
Etiquette tips for wedding guests:
First of all, remember that only special people are invited to be wedding guests. After all, guest lists are limited to a certain amount of people since the bride and groom, in most cases, have to pay for each and every person attending. Because of this, it's up to you as a guest to be mindful of the occasion and brush up on the proper etiquette. Failure to do so may not only result in your committing a major faux pas but may also be insulting to the happy couple.
It's easy being a guest in a wedding, right? All you have to do is show up and enjoy the occasion. Well, if that is what you have in mind, it is not quite right. There are a few rules to follow. Being a good guest doesn't apply only to the day of the wedding, either. It begins as soon as you receive an invitation.
Respond RVSP on time: Each invitation has an RSVP date. Because an accurate count is needed well before the date of the wedding, it wouldn't be proper to respond late, even if you don't plan to attend. Failure to respond in a timely manner is considered rude and disrespectful.
Don’t Bring Extra Guest without Informing the Couple: There are other things to note on the invitation. For instance, if you're allowed to bring a guest, this will be indicated as "and guest" next to your name on the envelope. (Most common is invitation for Mr. & Mrs.) If this isn't indicated, you should assume the host is requesting only the honour of your presence, means you alone and not that of your guest. It's very bad manners to show up at a wedding when you didn't RSVP for two people. This means the caterer will have to scramble to make sure they have enough meals, and the host will have to pay for that extra meal in cash right after the reception.
** In addition, if children are invited, this too will be noted on the invitation, either as "and family" next to your name on the envelope, or inside the invitation where children's names will be notated. If this isn't the case, assume you'll need to hire a baby sitter or start planning who to take care of the children when you’re at the wedding.
Send Gift: If you are unable to attend the wedding, it is still a proper etiquette to send gift. If you are attending, it's not necessary to bring the gift to the wedding. You can always send it ahead if you'd like. Gifts of money or gift certificates are generally given at the reception. Remember, if a gift is brought to the reception, that means someone has to bring it home. The bride and groom are most likely not going home straight from the reception as there are always the ‘after party’ so it might be better not to inconvenience anyone.
Ladies, DON’T wear White Please: When you're picking out your wedding day wardrobe, do try to be respectful to the bride and groom. Ladies! Please take note of this. Only a bride wears white to a wedding. For another guest (especially ladies) to show up in white is a total disrespectful, no matter how cute the dress is. Black is also considered disrespectful in some cultures. You'll want to make sure you're not wishing bad luck for the bride and groom. It's probably best to stumble on the side of caution and wear something a little more colourful. Also, be mindful of the ceremony's location. For instance, if held inside a church, it's considered disrespectful to bare ones shoulders or wear something considered rude.
