Planning a wedding is all about choices; and any wedding vendor who wants to sell you something will try to be one of those choices. But there’s simply no way to fulfill your every fantasy without an unlimited budget, and most couples don’t have that luxury. Here’s how to get the maximum bang for your limited bucks.
Prioritize. Decide what you absolutely must have. Some couples will want to splurge on an expensive band or orchestra; others will want to use their décor to create a virtual wonderland, or serve a meal that will leave mouths watering for years. Knowing what’s most important to you will make it easier to give up those things that are less vital.
A memorable venue. Banquet halls and hotels provide many of the necessities of a successful wedding, like tables, chairs, flatware, glasses, a dance floor, food, liquor and so forth. Museums, arboretums, barns, conservatories and other creative venues can provide memorable atmosphere and save you a fortune on décor. Add the cost of the venue to the cost of decorating it and providing your wedding meal and a place to dance, and you’ll have a good base price from which to work.
Great pictures. Unless you want your wedding memories to be just fleeting nodes of thought, you’ll want to record your special day in stunning images or video. And you’ll need a professional who’s done a few hundred or a few thousand weddings, and knows how to capture those special moments that will make you smile as you relive those great memories again and again.
An epic soundtrack. Anyone can have music at a wedding. Just turn on the radio. If that’s how you want your guests to remember you, go for it! But if you want a truly memorable experience that will set the proper mood and send your guests home with memories of a great time on the dance floor, you’ll need a professional entertainer with plenty of experience in selecting music everyone knows and loves — and DANCES to! A professional DJ also doubles as your MC and field general, to ensure that all of your vendors are working in concert to ensure a smooth evening.
A great stylist. Professionally styled hair and makeup will make you look your absolute best, and it’ll do wonders for your confidence. Don’t scrimp on your looks.
Now add the sizzle. Now that you have the essentials covered, perhaps you’d like to add dazzling uplighting to your room, or a fun photo booth, or a memorable dessert table, or any number of other things to create your WOW factor. You want things that will make your wedding uniquely yours. Fourth Estate Audio can help, with our special report “37 Easy and Powerful Ways to WOW Your Wedding Guests.” It’s available as a free premium for our clients.
Where else do you want to splurge? Dazzling invitations? A stunning bouquet? Personalized wedding favors? The possibilities are endless; but these things come after you’ve built your wedding to fit your budget. Finally…
A wedding planner or coordinator. Before you start thinking that a planner is an extra expense, consider that an experienced planner can help you get great pricing and extra perks on your wedding basics, and still have money left over to create a magical atmosphere and keep your celebration on time, while you simply relax and savor the moment.
Budgeting your wedding realistically will help you put on a celebration that is truly worthy of your awesomeness, and create memories that will last a lifetime, without leaving you to pay off your wedding bills for a lifetime.
© Fourth Estate Audio, 2017 – Jay Congdon is president of Fourth Estate Audio, a professional Chicago DJ and Chicago Wedding DJ company.
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