What Budget for My Wedding? This is one of the first questions most couples face shortly after deciding to get married. In this article, we aim to provide you with some insights into how to approach your wedding budget.
What Budget for your Wedding – The Impossible Question
Yes, the title of this section might leave you puzzled… In our opinion, anyone who can tell you precisely how much your wedding will cost is probably a fortune-teller. There are simply too many factors at play when it comes to a wedding budget to accurately determine its exact amount.
Why Do We Say This?
Because a wedding budget is influenced by several important criteria. Here are a few examples:
- The size of the wedding – The number of guests will significantly impact the wedding budget.
- The type of venue chosen – It’s clear that a wedding in a community hall will have a vastly different cost compared to one held in a castle.
- The wedding location – Depending on whether you plan to marry in France or abroad, the budget can vary greatly.
- The season or day selected – The time of year and even the specific day of the week can result in different costs.
- What you include in the wedding budget – Some couples include the wedding dress, the honeymoon, guest accommodation, etc. While these are all matters of definition, they can have a huge impact on the final figures.
It’s therefore essential to compare like with like. For instance, at the Château, we sometimes have couples who primarily choose based on price. However, when it comes to wedding venue rentals, factors like what’s included, the quality of services, and the overall standard make comparing venues based solely on price highly misleading.
How to Budget for Your Wedding
My advice for determining your wedding budget is to start with what you truly want.
To do this, consider the key elements of your wedding:
- Who do you want to invite?
- What style of venue do you envision?
- What services are most important to you?
From there, visit two or three venues and ask them for guidance. For example, we assist our couples extensively. We know the rates of all types of wedding vendors. Based on the couple’s preferences, we can provide an estimate for their dream wedding. Then it’s up to them to decide if it fits their budget or not.
At the same time, you should already have a rough idea of how much money you can allocate to your wedding. This will help you focus your ideas.
Start with Your Dream Wedding
At Château La Beaumetane, we believe it’s important to start with your dream wedding and work from there. Adjustments can always be made to increase or decrease certain expenses.
However, two key points should be emphasized:
- Unless it’s a very small wedding, the catering will likely be the biggest expense. Therefore, the number of guests is one of the most fundamental factors to consider when budgeting for your wedding.
- Regardless of what you choose, it’s likely your budget will need to be increased. Couples often aim for a minimal budget, but I always recommend planning generously. That way, if unexpected costs arise, you’re prepared, and if not, you’ll have extra funds for an even more beautiful honeymoon. 😊
