5 Ways to Plan a Wedding on a Budget in Pittsburgh

One of the first steps in planning your wedding is deciding on a wedding budget. This process is the least exciting part of planning your wedding but is a very necessary step in making important decisions regarding your wedding. Deciding on a budget will help control costs that can very quickly spiral out of control if you let them. Luckily, we have five ways to help plan your wedding in Pittsburgh on a budget.

1.  Do not spend any money until you have a set budget

It is very tempting to start booking vendors, shop for décor, and decide what food options you want for your wedding as soon as you get engaged. It is very important that you do not do this until you have decided on a budget for your wedding. This is important because without a budget you cannot dictate what you can spend on all facets of your wedding. A purchase can be very tempting, but if it does not fit your budget, you will be forced to sacrifice other elements of your wedding because you overspent before determining a budget. Before doing or buying anything for your wedding, decide on a budget and where that budget will be spent.

2.  Estimate your guest list

For the most part, a wedding’s cost is determined by the number of guests that will be at the wedding. More guests at your wedding mean you will need a larger venue, more chairs, and more tables to seat all your guests comfortably. A larger guest list also means you will need more food, drinks, and cake to serve all your guests. These costs can add up very quickly if you let them, so the easiest way to cut costs on your wedding day is to shorten your guest list. There are many benefits to having a small wedding, some of them being that you can have your wedding in a more unique venue, and you can very easily fit your wedding into your budget.

3.  Consider what type of wedding you want

Determining what style of wedding you want to have can give you a more accurate estimate of how much your wedding is going to cost. Your wedding style, venue, time of day, and even time of year are all determining factors in how much your wedding will cost. For example, having your wedding on a Saturday is going to be much more expensive than having your wedding on a Friday or a Sunday. Having your wedding during very popular months like June and October can be much more expensive than having your wedding in January. These are very important questions to ask yourself because if you are set on a venue then that can help determine when you can have your wedding. If you have an outdoor venue for your wedding, then you are most likely not going to have your wedding in January. If you have an indoor venue, then these decisions could be easier to make and save you some money.

4.  Do your research

The average cost of a wedding in the United States is just under $34,000, while the average cost of a wedding in Pittsburgh is a little higher at $36,000. Remember that these prices are averages and can vary widely based on state, guest count, style, venue, and several other factors. To avoid overspending on your wedding day it is important to do some research before committing to anything. You can start by researching the average costs of florists, photographers, venues, and more in the Pittsburgh area. You can ask your friends and family members what they spent on their wedding days and ask if they have any recommendations on any of these services or venues in the area. Being informed about standard prices in the area will help have realistic expectations on how much you are going to need to spend and how your wedding will fit into your budget.

5.  Organize your spending and do not forget about hidden costs

Organizing your spending is one of the best things you can do when planning your wedding on a budget. By having a record of all the expenses you’ve paid, you can easily track how much of your budget you have spent and how much you have left to be spent. If you do not organize your spending it can be very easy to go over your budget because you had no idea how much money you still had to spend. This is a very common problem but a very easy one to fix. To start you can download apps that can organize your spending and consistently update your budget based on how much you have already spent. Be sure to enter every expense into your budget tracker, no matter the price because even the small expenses can add up very quickly if you do not keep track of your spending. Be sure to save receipts and record every purchase you make to know exactly where your money is going. Make sure you do not forget about hidden costs such as cake cutting fees, marriage license fees, and last-minute purchases the week of the wedding. As we said earlier, these fees can add up quickly and put you over your budget if you are not careful.

Be sure to keep these tips in mind when planning your wedding so that you can save yourself some money while still having the wedding of your dreams.