This is one of the first things you have to decide upon. Much of your future planning depends on how much you have to spend. Costs can add up quickly so it is a good idea to get some prices before you start to make any hard and fast decisions. Allocate your funds in order of importance. If you do this you can decide where you can and cannot make adjustments. Each person has their own priorities when it comes to spending but it pays to look at the overall picture before setting your sights on an unnecessary extravagance, and if you can manage to fit it in, enjoy it, this is your special day after all.
Weddings come in all shapes and sizes, and careful planning and spending enables you to enjoy both the lead up to the big day and the wedding itself.

• Decide on your order of priorities.
• As soon as an engagement is announced, there must be a family discussion about how much money is going to be available. This will decide what style and size of the wedding; whether the guest list can be extended to include all work mates of the family, whether the reception will be at the Sheraton, local Mandir or on the back lawn.
• The number of guests defines the cost of the wedding.
• Both parties should get together and work out who is paying for the wedding.
• You must stick to your budget. If you want to spend more in one area, then cut back on another.
• Summer weddings are traditionally the most popular. That does not mean a wedding cannot be carried off successfully at other times of the year.
• The most expensive time to get married is Valentines Day or before Christmas when companies reserve most places for work parties.
• Write a list of all the goods and services you intend to buy and use.
• To choose the cheapest things is not necessarily a bad option or to choose the most expensive the best. Get at least 3 prices on each item and go with what feels right to you.
• Get several quotations for any service you may want to use, such as catering, photography or flowers. Look at them carefully, making sure you are comparing like with like.
• Always read the small print on any document you have to sign. The smaller the print, the more care you need to take.
• Borrow whatever you can- it is all part of the wedding tradition.
• Plan your wedding as far in advance as you can; you get more choice and better value for money.
• Work out your budget and keep tabs on everything you spend.
• Spread the load and enjoy buying a little over as long a period as possible; even so far as to stock mum’s freezer with ‘extras’.