The Budgetarian Wedding

𝟭𝟮+ 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼

1. 𝙄𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙮 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙚𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙩-𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙨.
Sit down with your partner to discuss how you both visualize your ideal wedding. Together, list down your negotiables and non-negotiables when it comes to planning your big day.
Do you want a specific church for your ceremony? Or hold the reception during sunset? Is good food (and perhaps an open bar) important to you?

Whatever your priorities are, make sure you’re on the same page.

2. 𝙎𝙚𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙪𝙙𝙜𝙚𝙩.
Before you work out your budget, decide who will pay for the wedding. You may prefer to do it on your own as a couple. One or both of your families may want to contribute or fully pay for all expenses.

Based on what you’ve discussed in the previous step, set a budget range that you’re comfortable spending on your wedding.

Create a table that breaks down your estimated costs. Better do it on a spreadsheet like Excel or Google Docs, so you can track and adjust your budget as you go along.

3. 𝘾𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨.
Have several dates as options because the final wedding date may change depending on the availability of your preferred venue and important guests.

Your budget also affects the choice of your wedding date. For example, having it on a weekday instead of a weekend will reduce the number of guests who will attend. Consider also off-peak wedding months to further cut down costs.

4. 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙩 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙪𝙚𝙨.
Search for a church for your ceremony and then look for reception venues near the church. Ideally, the venue for your reception is near the church, so you and your guests won’t have to travel far after the ceremony.

5. 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙘𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙪𝙚.
Before you start finding suppliers, make a reservation with a church first. Everything else will follow.

If you wish to get married in a popular church like the Manila Cathedral, you have to book it at least a year in advance.

Once you’ve secured your church, book the hotel or restaurant you’ve chosen for your reception.

6. 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙨
Create a list of wedding services you need. Most weddings in the Philippines require the services of these suppliers:

Wedding planner/coordinator
Event stylist and florist
Photographer and videographer
Cake supplier
Hairstylist and makeup artist
DJ/live band
Host/emcee
Wedding invitation supplier

Check out blogs and online forums to find possible suppliers for your wedding. Also, attend wedding fairs to canvas and compare rates of different suppliers. Ask for recommendations from your married friends, too.

Start contacting the suppliers on your list and asking for quotations and availability on your wedding date.

7. 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙬𝙚𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙧/𝙘𝙤𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧.
The planner or coordinator should be the first supplier you’ll hire before everyone else.

You have two choices: full-service wedding planner and on-the-day (OTD) coordinator.

A full planning service provides assistance during the entire wedding planning process, which is ideal for couples based abroad. If you’d like to be hands-on with your wedding preps, then an OTD coordinator is a more sensible choice.

8. 𝘾𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 (𝙤𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡).
If you’re having an overseas or destination wedding, give your guests an early heads-up by sending out save-the-dates once you’ve booked your venue.i