Wedding Planning: How to Budget Thoughtfully >> Advice by an Alternative Wedding Photographer
Weddings can be an EXPENSIVE adventure. Come to think of it, weddings can be extortionate, if you allow them to be. Even those of you planning a stripped down, DIY affair, will still find that it comes at a COST.
This is thought-provoking because what matters most about your wedding day is the very thing that money can't buy. LOVE.
I'm not saying there's anything wrong with wedding associated expenditure. I'm married. I get it. We all find INEXPRESSIBLE JOY in our experiences of love so why not CELEBRATE it? In fact, why not celebrate in style? Surely love is cause enough to loosen the purse strings.
It's just, in the midst of your wedding planning, remember that what matters most is the UNQUANTIFIABLE. The PLEASURE you've found in each other. Nothing else.
If you're not a couple who can do it all, be SELECTIVE. Don't shy away from SCRUTINISING your expenditure. AVOID getting carried away in a haphazard spending frenzy. Instead, ask yourself how ESSENTIAL the non-essential spend is. Are the 150 pairs of flip flops for dancing adding significant value to the overall success of your day? Do you really need to splash out on those cute miniature bottles of Gin as favours for your guests? Can you do without the disposable cameras for the evening reception?
Oftentimes, couples direct their diminishing budget into areas they think they should rather than what is right for them.
Try to FOCUS on the areas that are REFLECTIVE of you. If you're foodies, make sure your catering is top notch. If style and clothing are part of your identity, go crazy with your outfits. In NARROWING down your spend, you'll find it easier to INVEST in the areas that really matter.
It goes without saying that photography is a deserving area of investment. Think about it. After your cake has been eaten, your flowers have withered, your outfits are placed on their respective hangers, your photographs will be one of the FEW TANGIBLE reminders to speak of the tears, laughter, unexpected moments and promises you made on your wedding day.
They will mark the BEGINNING of a marriage.
A FAMILY.
A LEGACY.
They will OUTLIVE you and I.
Invest well in this area. You won't REGRET it.
Groom helps his new wife put her wedding shoes on at The Flodigarry, Skye.