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3 Wedding Budget Steps Every Couple Has To Know

Before you do ANY wedding planning you must must must set your budget. Have a look at our 3 steps to setting your budget and learn why they are so important.

1. What can you spend?

Recent statistics show that the average spend of a New Zealand wedding is $30,000! Imagine all you could do with that money, a deposit for a house, a fabulous holiday, a great start to your retirement fund? So that is why the first thing I like to ask my brides is how much do you realistically want to spend on your wedding?

It’s all very well to want a huge extravagant wedding but is it viable for you and your future as a married couple? It is important to consider how you are going to pay for your wedding and what you want for your immediate future. Have you saved all the money for your wedding? Is your family contributing? Do you already own a house? Are you thinking of starting a family soon?

Don’t get me wrong I love the big extravagant wedding but every couple needs to ask themselves these questions before deciding what their wedding budget will be. Starting a marriage with debt or financial troubles will not help you as a couple. We’ve all heard of the “buying champagne on a beer budget” saying. Don’t let that be you.

2. Break it down

Breaking down a budget can seem like an impossible and daunting task for a bride. Wedding planners can do this so quickly because we know the industry. We know what the costs are and what is realistic so as a new bride you could easily break down your budget incorrectly and end up with a nasty surprise when you realise your cake will cost three times as much as you budgeted.

There is hope yet though, the internet is an excellent tool for wedding planning. There is just so much out there but be careful. You will find many budget breakdowns online but only take them as a guide because every supplier is different and every area is different.

You then need to contact a possible supplier and get a rough quote, some of your supplier websites such as venues may have price-lists so you can use those, for others such as caterers we would suggest to contact them directly as there are so many variations. Consider hiring a planner to help you do this if you don’t have enough time. Our cheapest wedding package includes a budget breakdown, click here for more information.

This step may take some time but will be well worth it.

3.  Expect it to change!

Your wedding will likely go over budget. As you go through the planning process you will see things that become ‘must haves,’ and you will come across things you don’t want to comprise on.

Vendors may try to upsell you, they may have a valid reason why so hear them out but always consider your budget first. Make sure you have the extra funds to cover these  unforeseeable's when first setting your budget.

Most couples find they go 10-15% over budget.


Remember that suppliers in the wedding industry are normally there for love of the job. By all means ask them how you can cut costs by swapping salads with your caterer or having your wedding on a different day to get a cheaper rate at your venue but expect to get what you pay for. Beware of unusually cheap vendors. We recommend researching and comparing costs to ensure you are not being overcharged but understand that some things will cost more than you expect, for example cakes are ridiculously expensive but rightly so, the quality ingredients and the hours it takes to create these masterpieces warrants the price.

Happy planning!


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Top 5 Tips on Selecting your Guest List for your Wedding

Writing a guest list for your wedding is a difficult task at best but these top 5 tips will help you with this important process. Understand that this is one of the biggest headaches for couples so you are not alone. Many couples have regrets about either inviting too many and going over budget or not inviting all their loved ones to share in their special day so do think carefully.

1. Getting Started

As soon as you’ve begun your wedding plans start writing your guest list. We suggest writing down everyone you know, friends and family, co-workers, acquaintances. Look through your address book, your phone and your facebook. Ask your parents if they would like anyone to come, old family friend’s maybe. This list will chop and change throughout your planning process. You will find that over the months you will suddenly remember someone and add them on, you many even make new friends. Once you have a basic list go through and put a tick next to all the guests you would like to invite. You can also make columns with headers such as ‘ceremony only,’ ‘full wedding,’ ‘bridal party.’ Have a count and review your budget, does it allow for this many guests? Would I like to increase my budget or cull my list? Are these people likely to be in my life in 5 years time? Have I spoken to these people in the last 6 months?
  

2. Venue

Of course your venue will tell you the maximum numbers for their capacity but there are a few other questions you need to ask. Most venues have a minimum requirement also; make sure you know what it is. If their requirement is minimum 80 and you’ve invited only 75 guests, you could be paying for the extra 5 seats. You also want to ask how many guests does the venue sit comfortably and how many guests per table. The venue may say it can seat 200 but that may mean they can squash in 200 and be able to sit 180 comfortably. There’s nothing worse than being a guest sitting shoulder to shoulder with someone you may not know very well and not having enough room to walk between the tables.

  

3. Save the date

As soon as you have finalised your list in terms of who you are inviting send you’re ‘save the dates.’ Save the date cards have become so popular and these days with the busy lives we all lead they are invaluable to guests. Most couples are inviting guests from other cities and from overseas and for these people ‘save the dates’ are very helpful in both budgeting for their trip and booking flights and accommodation and also arranging time off work.  You can set up a wedding website, a facebook page, you can even send emails or cards by the old fashioned snail mail to do this.

 

4. Declines

Of course you will get some guests that can’t make it, in most situations that will be 15-30% of invitees but you can’t count on that, they may all come! As a general rule the smaller amount of guests you invite the higher percentage will actually attend, this is because it will be family and close friends. The same goes the opposite way, if you have invited 350 guests, many of them may be co-workers or acquaintances that will decline your invitation and that percentage could be higher. If you are having a destination wedding this could also affect your guest list but never count on your invitees declining.

 

5. Children

A controversial question many couples struggle with is ‘should we invite children?’ The best way to deal with this is to either say yes or no and make no exceptions, you may want to have ‘sorry no children’ printed on the invitations so it’s clear and your guests understand they are not singled out. Usually you will be charged half price for kids with your caterer but it is still an added cost. Children can make the day magical, their laughter and cute ways make guests enjoy the day but they can also cry and become tired. You need to ask yourself, ‘what kind of day do I want?’

 

Don’t forget

You may need to take into account feeding your celebrant, your photographer, the band or anyone else that may be at your wedding providing services for an extended period of time and through dinner. Consider if you want these people eating out back in the kitchen (which may be cheaper with your caterer) or if you want them seated with your guests.


Good luck!!


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Wedding- who pays for what?

There are no hard and fast rules as to who pays for what these days but it is a question that comes up regularly. Traditionally The Father of the Bride was responsible for paying for the wedding, now either sets of parents and/or the couple choose to share the expenses.

Below is the Traditional way to split the costs...

The Bride’s Family    Wedding Gown & Accessories

Bridesmaids Bouquets             

                        Grandmother Corsages             

Flowers for Decorations          

Altar Baskets/Arches                  

Canopy/Carpet               

Kneeling Bench/Candelabras            

Hired Items                      

Invitations                      

Wedding Programmes          

Napkins                     

Church Fee                       

Musicians                   

Reception Hall              

Caterers             

Photography                      

Videographer                     

Orchestra/Band/DJ                

Wedding Cake                

Wedding Favours                  

Rice Bags                   

Wedding Breakfast                

Bridal Brunch               

The Bride              Wedding gift for Groom           

Grooms Wedding Ring         

Bridesmaids Gift                 

Bridesmaid Luncheon

The Groom’s Family    Grooms Cake                      

Rehearsal Dinner                 

The Groom              Brides Wedding Ring              

Wedding Gift for Bride           

Groomsmen & Usher Gifts          

Brides Bouquet              

Mothers Corsages                 

Grooms Boutonnieres              

Groomsmen Boutonnieres           

Ushers Boutonnieres              

Marriages License                

Officiate Fee                    

Limousine Service           

Honeymoon Arrangements      

Best Man               Best Man Attire   

         

Best Man/Groomsmen    Bachelor Party

                  

Groomsmen              Groomsman Attire            

Matron of Honour       Matron of Honour Gown       

Maid of Honour         Maid of Honour Gown    

Bridesmaids            Bridesmaids Gowns           

Usher                   Ushers Attire               

We hope you found this blog informative, please visit our website and happy planning!


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Wedding favor idea- home-made affordable paper hearts

Do you remember making folded paper hearts in high school to pass notes around to your friends? 

I know a lot of brides like little extras, especially if they are cheap to do and personal. I thought the other day about these paper hearts I used to know how to fold and went Googling, I found many tutorials on how to fold these cute paper hearts and got to work. Check out this great blog I found on how to fold paper hearts.

How to use these paper hearts in your wedding or event

• Choose what colour and style you want. What is your theme? Would you like to do a coloured heart to match your centrepiece flowers? or Will you use a patterned paper, maybe one with a vintage print or other pattern that fits with your theme. I used newspaper which I glued to the back of my paper.

• Print a quote, saying or poem on the reverse side of the paper. Maybe you would like to leave a note to say 'thanks for joining us on our special day' or a copy of a reading you had in your ceremony. Maybe a joke or funny fact about the two of you. If each guest at the table has a different quote etc they can share amoungst themselves and it can be a great icebreaker.  I printed 4 to an A4 page. This makes a nice small heart but you can do any size you like.  

• Place on each guests plate, against their glass or in their favor bag/box depending on when you would like them to open them, perhaps not till they get home and open their favor bag.

• It's also a good tip to have a few 'moles' in the crowd. A select few that know your plan and can encourage people to open up their hearts by opening theirs. Your guests may think they are just decorative and not open them at all!

I hope you enjoyed this idea. Happy planning!

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What are my responsibilities in the wedding?

I thought I would carry on from my last post a bit and talk about the traditional responsibilities of those involved in a wedding.The modern day wedding may differ somewhat but some traditions still stick...

Responsibilities of the Mother of the Groom

It is sometimes hard for Mothers of the Groom to understand what their responsibilities are and some mothers also want to be careful not to step on the mother of the Bride's toes.

• It is customary for the grooms Mother to call the Bride’s Mother to express her happiness of the upcoming nuptials or to informally invite her to dinner.
• The Grooms Mother must provide a guest list to the couple in a timely manner and to be appropriate in the number of guests she invites.
• The Bride’s Mother will be the first to choose her Gown for the Wedding, the Grooms Mother must then choose a Gown that complements the Mother of the Bride and the Bridesmaids without matching them.
• It is the responsibility of the Grooms Parents to host the Rehearsal Dinner no matter how informal or elaborate they choose.
• Traditionally the Mother of the Groom is escorted into the Church by a family member whether it be the Groom himself, Groomsmen or Usher. She will be seated on the right hand side, front pew with husband in tow.
• Candles may be lit at the Altar prior to the Bridal party entering; both the Mother of the Bride and the Mother of the Groom can be involved in this.
• The Grooms Mother also stands in the receiving line at the reception, greeting guests. She would be placed between the Bride and her Mother.

Responsibilities of the Mother of the Bride

The Brides Mothers main responsibilities are to see that the Brides wishes for her day are carried out. The Mother of the Bride is essentially the hostess for the event.

• In the event that the Mother of the Groom does not make contact then she may.
• She will help the Bride with choosing her dress.
• See to the invitations and Guest List.
• Choose her gown for the wedding and notify the grooms Mother of it's colours/style.
• Organize the receiving line at the Reception.
• Candles may be lit at the Altar prior to the Bridal party entering, both the Mother of the Bride and the Mother of the Groom can be involved in this.
• Co-ordinate with the Maid of Honour.

Responsibilities of the Maid of Honour

The Maid of Honour is generally a close friend or family member of the Bride and traditionally follows the Bride and helps her through the entire process. Her duties include...

• To attend all parties thrown by or for the Bride and Groom.
• Be sure to keep in contact with Bridesmaids to make sure they keep their appointments.
• Arrange for rose petals to be showered over the Bride and Groom as they leave the Ceremony.
• Help the Bride and Bridesmaids with getting ready on the day.
• Assist the bride with her train during the Ceremony.
• Hold the Brides Bouquet during the Ceremony and in the Receiving line.
• Help the Photographer identify the members of the bridal party for photos.
• Witness the Ceremony and sign the Marriage Certificate.
• Stand at the Grooms left with Bridesmaids to the right in the Receiving Line.
• With the Best Man, help the Bride and Groom depart.
• Take the Brides gown to the cleaners or her home whichever she wishes.

Responsibilities of the Best Man

The responsibility of the Best Man is to be the Grooms ‘wing man.’ To guide him through the wedding day, make sure he is in the right place at the right time.

• Collect the Officiator's fee from the Groom to pass on following the ceremony.
• Help the Groom dress on the day.
• Make sure travel arrangements are set.
• The Best Man rides to the church with the Groom.
• To organize the ushers on the day.
• Check the men’s boutonnieres– left lapel/stem down.
• Be first to the Reception to welcome the Bride and Groom.
• The Best Man makes the first toast/speech to the groom.
• The Best Man acts as the host bringing the guests together and making them feel welcome.
• He should dance with the Bride and both mothers.
• Return the Grooms Tuxedo or Suit to the appropriate place.
• To witness and sign the Marriage License.

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Old Wedding Customs and Traditions

I love traditions! I am constantly thinking of my own life and what new customs and traditions I can create for my family. I'm also interested in how traditions began which is what this blog is about. There are many old customs and traditions in the modern day wedding, some of which are derived from strange origins. I hope you enjoy reading about them!


The Brides Handkerchief
The Brides handkerchief came from early farmers that believed the bride’s tears on her wedding day bought good luck and rains for their crops. The hanky can be passed down throughout generations to dab away the tears of happiness.


The Honeymoon
In ancient times when men were ready for marriage they would take a women against her will to a hiding place. While the moon went through the stages (about 30 days) he drank a brew made from honey. Hence the word honeymoon.


Why do the Attendants dress alike?
The attendants all dressed alike on the day of the wedding so that the Bride and Groom blended in. This was in fear that someone may spot them and put a curse on them.


Why does the Bride wear white?
The colour white has been a symbol of celebration, happiness, joy and purity.


Why does the Bride carry flowers?
Flowers of all types have been chosen by many due to their symbolic meaning. For example; Ancient brides carried herbs as a symbol of fidelity, Greek brides carried ivy as a symbol of never-ending love.


The Wedding Cake
In early Roman times a thin loaf was broken over the Brides head at the close of the ceremony. The wheat symbolises fertility and the guests would eat the crumbs for good luck.


Why carry the Bride across the Threshold?
In early times the Bride was carried as she would not step into the Grooms abode willingly. It has also been believed that the Groom carries the Bride to protect her from demons as she entered the Grooms home.


Throwing Rice?
The throwing of rice over the couple has always been symbolic of prosperity and good luck.


Giving the Bride away?
In early times fathers would literally give their daughter away usually in exchange for monetary gain. Today it has been taken to be symbolic of support and love.


The Engagement Ring
The engagement ring was known as the betrothal ring and was used not only as a partial payment for the bride as well as a symbol of the Grooms intentions. The diamond, first found in Medieval Italy was chosen because of its hardness which symbolised enduring love.


Why the third finger-left hand?
It has been believed that there was a vein that led from that finger straight to the heart although this has now been found not to be true.


Why a Wedding ring?
The circle of the ring symbolises a never ending love.


Why does the Bride wear a veil?
The veil is traditionally white but in ancient Greece it was yellow, in Ancient Rome it was red. Traditionally it has been said it was bad luck for the Groom to see the Bride before the Ceremony. In old days of marriage the couple rarely saw each other during courtship so the lifting of the veil symbolises male dominance. If the bride lifts the veil she is showing independence.


Wedding Dance
The Bride and Groom are the first to take to the dance floor dancing to their choice of song. The Father of the Bride then cuts in and the Groom asks the Bride’s Mother to dance. The Grooms Father then cuts in to dance with the Bride and the Groom with his Mother. The Best Man will then ask for a dance with the Bride and the Groom will then dance with the Maid or Matron of Honour. The entire Bridal Party then join in on the dance floor and followed by the guests.


The Grooms Cake
The Grooms cake is a small cake served at the wedding reception. The idea is to give a piece of cake to young unmarried woman so they can take it home and place it under their pillow. The old wives tale says they will marry whomever they dream of that night.


Thanks for reading, if you like this post please leave us a comment. If you have an upcoming wedding, join our free email newsletter, details on our website www.envyevents.co.nz  


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