The average cost for a 150 person wedding is $20K-$24K in Rhode Island.  How do you plan to come up with that kind of cash?  If you think you’ll make back in gifts what you’ll spend on the wedding, think again. You and your fiancé should establish how much you can save to determine how much you will be able to afford on wedding costs. Decide who is paying/contributing for each aspect, like parents for example, and how much, in order to calculate the total amount available for expenses.  Once you set the budget, put together a wedding worksheet to help you track costs of the itemized products and services you’ll need to purchase.  Download a free copy of the On-line RI Wedding Guide handbook for helpful articles and budget worksheets you can use right now. 

With spending on the reception site, photographer, disc jockey, and other wedding professionals, it may seem like there’s no way to stay within budget.  Many websites offer tips on how to reduce costs and save on some of these items by doing DIY invites, favors and other projects, holding receptions on a Friday or Sunday, during off season or in the morning or afternoon rather than evening, etc., and the list goes on.  Those are great suggestions that can save you a lot of money but here are some practical tips for getting the most out of your money no matter what your budget.

Get more than one price quote - Invest some time to shop around to get the best prices available.  With outlet stores, online shopping, and wholesale clubs, in addition to traditional retail outlets, more competition means better prices for the consumer.

Negotiate whenever possible – If you’ve gotten several price quotes but are still favoring the higher priced vendor, ask if they’d be willing to match the lower competitor price. It doesn’t hurt to ask for a lower price.  The worse that could happen is the vendor says no. 

Prioritize your wants but be flexible with your ideas – There will most likely be a few things on your must have list but for some of the other items, if you can get a great deal on a product that is similar to what you want but next exactly, go for it.

Depending on where you live, your budgeted amount can get you a little or a lot.  You need to decide what’s most important to you and what you can do without.  By keeping track of your spending and staying within your budget, you can throw a great event without breaking the bank.