Miss to Mrs: Wedding Goals, Pt. 3
Goal #3: Stay within budget!
The U.S. average cost of a wedding last year was 30k. The average cost of a wedding in the Bay Area was 40-45k (depending on the source). We worked within that range (U.S. AND Bay Area averages) just so we’re realistic about the cost. I can happily say that we successfully worked within our budget and even came out on top. I know that’s a lot of money anyway and that’s not to be taken lightly in this economy but both Rob and I agree wholeheartedly that it was worth it.
Rob’s mom generously helped us out for most of it, so we did not go into much debt at all. I was able to cut out a lot of the cost by DIYing things and negotiating with our venders to get the most value out of the money we spent. That said, the two things I’m glad we splurged on so far are our photographer Junshien and our venue Nestldown. We hired a videographer at the last minute and he may be part of this list but I won’t know until we get our wedding video. The one indispensable book I found to help save me money on the wedding was the Bridal Bargains book by Denise and Alan Fields. Here is their website. I recommend this book to anyone who has a budget to stick to but don’t want to serve turkey sandwiches at their reception (unless that’s your thing *shrugs*). I wish I found it early on in our planning because we could’ve saved even more!
