Let’s be real—talking about money isn’t the most exciting part of wedding planning, but it’s the key to setting realistic goals and avoiding financial stress down the road. So, where do you start?

Click here to listen to me break this down on Instagram Reels! 

Step 1: Set Your Overall Budget

A good rule of thumb is to spend no more than 10% of your combined income on your wedding. My husband and I took this seriously—we sat down, listed all our savings accounts, and discussed how much cash we could comfortably allocate. Since we had extra savings built up over the years, we decided to stretch our budget to 15% of our income to give ourselves more flexibility.

Step 2: Break It Down by Category

Once you determine the total budget, it’s time to divide it up. The three biggest expenses typically look like this:

• 50% – Venue & Catering 🍽️
• 12% – Photography & Videography 📸
• 10% – Attire (Wedding Dress, Suit/Tux, Accessories, etc.) 👗

Having these percentages in mind is especially helpful when shopping for your wedding dress—it’s so easy to fall in love with a gown and accidentally overspend if you don’t set a firm budget beforehand! Shop wedding dresses under $1000 with Afarose Bridal!

Step 3: Expect the Unexpected

No matter how well you plan, unexpected costs will pop up—trust me on this one. We ended up spending an extra $2,000 on last-minute necessities like heat stands, parking, and small upgrades that made a big difference on our wedding day. So, leave some wiggle room in your budget!

What we learned:

Wedding budgeting doesn’t have to be overwhelming—break it down step by step, stay flexible, and plan for surprises. Most importantly, focus on what truly matters to you as a couple.

Did you find this helpful? Let me know in the comments, and follow @loveafarose for more wedding planning tips! 💍✨