How to Make a Wedding Budget as a Broke Millennial

Getting engaged begins an exciting and romantic journey. You’ll celebrate with friends and family before planning your big day, but it’s challenging to make decisions without a firm budget. Budgeting becomes even more impossible when you don’t have much to spend. This guide explains how to make a wedding budget as a broke millennial so you don’t have to cut corners to have your dream ceremony.

1. Start a Spreadsheet

Figuring out how much you’ll spend on your wedding is only the first step in creating a budget. You’ll have to divide your maximum spending amount between vendors and the many different parts of your wedding day. Start a spreadsheet and keep track of every deposit deadline and purchase. You’ll never worry about accidentally overspending if you have receipts for everything.

2. Keep Your Guest List Small

Your guest list will determine if your initial wedding budget is more than enough or not big enough. Adding even ten extra people will require more rented seating, extra meals and a bigger venue. Make a list that includes your immediate family members or friends, then add a column for people you hope can attend. Use the first list to create your initial budget and make invitations for everyone else if you can afford to increase your spending.

3. Use Heirloom Jewelry

Your engagement ring and wedding band are some of the most costly purchases for engaged couples. Several factors play into jewelry appraisals and could make a ring more expensive, like:

• The jewelry’s weight
• The market price
• The stone’s clarity

Rings and other accessories with higher prices are an investment, but they might not be something you can afford until later in life. Using heirloom jewelry will add meaning to your final wedding look and save money for other parts of your ceremony.

4. Look for Used Decor

Your dream wedding decor may become more expensive than you realized. Creating centerpieces for a 100-person reception or decorating a historic home with flower bouquets isn’t very budget-friendly. Instead, look for used decor online by checking out virtual thrift stores and marketplaces. You’ll score great deals on hardly used supplies from other weddings or bulk discounts you can’t find in traditional shops.

5. Make DIY Supplies

Millennial brides often make their wedding supplies to reduce their budget. Getting faux flowers on sale at a craft store and binding them together with twine will eliminate the need for a costly florist and temporary arrangements. You could even bake your cake and decorate it the night before your wedding as a final pre-wedding celebration. Whether you make candles from scratch or sew your dress, you’ll save money any time you don’t need a vendor.

Make a Wedding Budget Today

Now that you know how to make a wedding budget as a broke millennial, start a helpful spreadsheet today. Determine how much you can save before your big day, how many people you’ll invite and what you’ll leave to the experts. No matter how you spend your savings, you’ll know you divided it wisely to create the ultimate wedding.

Author Bio

Cora Gold’s passion is to inspire others to live a happy, healthful, and mindful life through her words on Revivalist – wholeheartedly convincing them that everyday moments are worth celebrating. Cora has spent 5+ years writing for numerous lifestyle sites – hence her sincere love for both life and the beauty of style in all things. Keep up with Cora on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook.