sharing your budget

One thing I notice often at our initial consultations is that when asked “what is your budget,” couples look like a deer caught in the headlights. I can almost see it written across their faces, “Should we tell her? Will she charge us extra if we have a larger budget? Why does she need to know?” And many couples go with the standby of “We don’t really have a budget, we just want to make sure we don’t spend more than we should on anything.” And perhaps for some this is true (though I don’t recommend this, and that’s a whole other post!) but I suspect for most it is just fear of being taken advantage of.

I completely understand this apprehension couples feel. We have all been taken advantage of at one point or another, been overcharged for a service, or been mislead by a service provider. It’s easy to see why couples expect their vendors to take their budget and squeeze every penny out of it. However, you DO need to share this information with your vendors, and this is why: If they don’t know your budget you will waste a lot of time looking at options or coming up with proposals that are just plain out of your price range. Not only is it frustrating to lose your precious time, but it’s also frustrating to be shown something you may absolutely love that is out of your budget. And it can be tempting to go with that out-of-your-budget option once you fall in love with it!

So if you don’t have a wedding planner to give you referrals, take the time to get to know your vendors and book with someone you feel like you can trust. Check out online reviews, talk to friends or family or other venues or vendors. You need to trust your vendors and respect their expertise, before you can trust them with your budget. And if you don’t share your budget at your initial meeting, be sure to fill them in before you start making selections—it will be to both of your benefits to be on the same page and in the long run will help you get the most out of your budget!