Money is a sore subject, and it can be awkward to talk about. But in order to have your dream wedding, you most likely need to have some of those talks. Here are some tips we’ve picked up over the years in the industry that can help you afford your dream wedding without putting you into debt!

Game-Changing Apps
CLARITY– This is an app we personally use that we highly recommend. It tracks your spending in categories (so you can see firsthand how expensive that coffee habit is), allows you to unsubscribe to monthly charges that you don’t need right within the app, AND you can ask it to take money out of your bank account to put into a savings account every month. An added bonus: it’ll email you when you’ve been spending more than usual, so you can keep yourself accountable.

QAPITAL– This app focuses on passive saving. You link the app to a debit card, and every time you use it, it will round up to the nearest dollar amount, and deposit the difference into a savings account. You can even set it to round up to higher denominations to save faster, and it’s something you won’t even notice. SCORE.

*Disclaimer- We are not affiliated with either of these apps, and we are not being paid to promote them. We just believe in them and think they are an awesome way to track and save your hard-earned money!*

Prioritize
What is most important to you? If you could only hire 3 vendors for your wedding without money being an issue, who would you hire? For example, if photos are number one for you, consider reaching out to photographers for their style, experience, and overall vibe, and go with the one you LOVE and can’t imagine not having at your wedding. If they come in higher than you expected to spend in that field, that’s okay!! Find other areas that you can save some money or use the above apps to help boost your savings, and challenge yourself to no fast food for the month. There is always a way! We recommend sitting down with your fiancé to discuss your joint priorities, and then going into those searches with this mindset. Changing & Rearranging
If you do find yourself choosing your favorite vendors and then rearranging your budget, here are a few tips you can consider in order to cut costs elsewhere in your budget.

• Find a wedding dress at a consignment store (like Almond Tree in Tempe) or wait for a sample sale and get very steep discounts on a dress that is like new, and perfect for you!
• Check and make sure you understand ALL the fees and extra charges that come with your venue, before you book it. For instance, they may allow you to bring in outside catering, but they still charge so much for napkins, water, and dishware rentals that you might as well just go with them for catering. Catching these little details early on will help you avoid spending more than you expected with any vendor.
• Bundle services with the same company. There are quite a few wedding planners/stylists who also offer beautiful floral design, and it is typically less expensive to hire somebody who does both. Same goes for photo & video, or hair & makeup.
• Evaluate whether each tradition or expense is something you actually want. It’s really easy to get swept up into “traditional” aspects of your wedding, but ultimately it should be a party about your relationship and new marriage. So if getting a toss bouquet seems cheesy to you, or you don’t feel the need to have a large wedding party, then don’t! It’s your day, and your priorities are the most important. Plus, those little details really add up!

The biggest thing for you and your honey to remember is that your wedding day is a celebration of you two. It’s an opportunity for your loved ones to show their support and be there with you on one of the biggest days of your lives together. You don’t get married every day, so treat yourself to everything you want and more, and use these tips to fund it without breaking the bank.

You deserve this, babe!