Wedding Budgets: Where to Splurge

Everyone has a budget, and weddings are not immune to that. With skyrocketing costs in the wedding industry combined with a weak economy, today's brides (and grooms) want the best value for their money. To that end, I'm going to detail what's worth splurging on and what you can scale back on or eliminate altogether.

 

DISCLAIMER: These opinions are my own and are subjective to my own preferences and budget. Your priorities may be different, and that's okay! 

 

1. Photography. I cannot say this enough: do not skimp on photography. I could (and probably will) write an entire post on the importance of wedding photography, but like everyone says, your photos are your memories of one of the most important days of your life, preserved for the rest of time. This is no time to take a chance on someone who's never shot a wedding. If your pictures are terrible -or worse, LOST- there is no do-over. Do it right the first time and hire a proven professional. 

Speaking of photography: all photos by Melissa Manzione.

The color, the sharpness, the posing - ugh, I just love it. Melissa did a wonderful job!

2. The DJ. This guy (or girl) probably doesn't comprise much of your wedding budget, but the DJ alone can make or break a reception. Mispronounced names, mic feedback during toasts, inappropriate commentary, and poor song selections can instantly kill the otherwise good vibe of a wedding reception. Hire a great one who will keep the party going without putting the spotlight on himself.

A great DJ (and liquid courage) keeps the dance floor packed!

 

3. Alterations. I know what you're thinking - don't I mean the dress? Nope, and here's why: no one looks good in ill-fitting clothing. NO ONE. So if you blow your whole attire budget on the dress alone, you may be in for a shock when you try it on for the first time. Before committing to a dress, ask to speak to a seamstress about typical alterations associated with that style. As a good rule of thumb: lace, v-necks, and keyhole backs will need LOTS of tweaking (not that I know from experience...!). You'll feel like a million bucks if you're wearing something that fits properly. 

A lot of work went into that keyhole back. 

1. Anything that adds to the comfort of your guests. I know that's broad, but it's intentional. At the end of the day, your wedding ceremony is all about you and your fiance, but your reception is all about your guests. An open bar (in some form), great food, popular music, delicious cake, a photobooth, etc. all add to your guests enjoying themselves at your wedding. Of course, we're all limited by our budgets. So when making choices about where to spend the wedding budget, ask yourself: will my guests enjoy this? As long as you're doing the best that you can to take your guests' comfort into consideration, a great wedding can be thrown on any budget.

Next up, where to save money in the budget!