Conquer Your Wedding Budget in 5 Simple Steps

1. Focus on the Marriage: Your wedding is about your marriage, not how much money you spend on your wedding. Take a deep breath and remember that you can plan a deeply meaningful wedding on your budget.
2. THE BIGGEST SECRET - PRIORITIZE: Make a list of the 3 most important [budget related] elements of your wedding, and have your fiancé do the same. Talk through each must-have element and come to a consensus on what's most important to both of you. Then allocate funds accordingly!
3. Set a Maximum Spend, Then Take it Down a Notch: With your fiance, determine the maximum dollar amount you want to spend, then set your wedding budget 20% below that max. Be absolutely disciplined to sticking to that 20% lower number, since a few incidentals and surprises will make that 20% disappear in no time.
4. Use a Priority-Based Budget Planner Tool: Check out the priority-based budget planner spreadsheet I created just for you! It’s a fantastic tool you can access from any computer or smartphone, and it's totally customizable to fit your wedding needs and budget.
5. Once You've Prioritized, Allocate the Budget: AFTER prioritizing items and BEFORE shopping, allocate chunks of your total budget to individual items.
Follow these five principles and budgeting won’t be your  wedding planning stressor!