So you’re planning a wedding to celebrate the love and commitment between you and your partner. This is a beautiful thing, but in a lot of cases, your focus is on everyone else. In fact, it wouldn’t be too surprising if you forgot about your own needs when counting heads and factoring in costs.
It’s important not to forget that this is your day! While you may consider all the usual costs, such as hair, makeup and clothing, make sure you include you and your partner in the catering numbers and travel costs, as well as your guests.
It’s unlikely you’ll end up without a seat on the day, but last minute additions to your guest list, even if, after some shuffling, it turns out to be yourself, could come at a premium! We’ve therefore explored some of the key considerations that are often overlooked on your big day below:
Thank You Gifts
It’s customary to leave small gifts or “favours” on the tables for your wedding guests, but it’s also common courtesy to give your maid of honour and best man something to show your appreciation for their hard work. They’ve probably played a part in organising the wedding, or perhaps the hen or stag do. In addition to this, many people get their parents a gift as a sign of gratitude. Bridesmaids, groomsmen, ushers, flower girls and page boys shouldn’t necessarily be forgotten about either.
However, if money is tight, you shouldn’t feel obliged to spend a lot. Part of the gift, for each of these individuals, is the honour of being an important person in the wedding party, after all! You can always try and make things by hand, in order to save money, such as candles or soaps.
So that you are confident that you’ve considered everyone, you can find a thorough breakdown of the members of the wedding party you may want to get gifts for on The Gift Experience website. This site also offers lots of suggestions for what you may want to buy.
Transportation
You’ve got the venue, the beautiful clothes, all the RSVPs … but how are you getting to the actual wedding? Do you want to turn up in a classic car, a horse and carriage, or simply walk to the venue?
Your guests will usually sort out their own transportation costs, but how you get there is another example of how you could forget about yourself in the planning!
You may be used to just driving yourself everywhere, but may not wish to turn up to your own wedding in an old banger…
Particularly if you want to make a statement entrance, transportation for the bride and groom can be a large expense. So make sure you factor these costs into your wedding budget – hiring a vehicle last minute can be even more expensive!
For more information about the types of transportation you might want to think about, Bridebook can be a helpful resource.
Forgotten Food
On the day of your wedding, you’ll likely be surrounded by people running around like headless chickens… That is, if you aren’t doing the running yourself! It’s easy to panic on such an important day, as you just want everything to go to plan!
Hopefully, you won’t be panicking too much, but regardless of how flustered you get, it’s important to factor in things such as when and how you’re going to eat. This doesn’t just mean the wedding breakfast or buffet either. You’ll also need to make sure there’s enough prepared food for you and your bridesmaids or groomsmen to snack on as you get ready, or you might risk a dramatic faint up the aisle. Either that or the celebratory champagne could go straight to your head!
Some other grumbling stomachs that you’ll have to factor into your budget plans are those of the people you’ve hired for the day. They might not be having the lavish meal that you’ve splurged on for your guests, but they will need some sustenance. The wedding band or DJ, as well as your photographer will likely need feeding. This is one of the most commonly forgotten wedding expenses, so check their contracts to make sure you know what’s expected of you.
We all know that weddings can be expensive, especially with these overlooked costs. Don’t get caught out – find a short term loan with My Financial Broker by applying online today.