Wedding budgets – Feeling overwhelmed

Hooray! You’ve just got engaged and after the initial excitement fades out and the reality of planning a wedding kicks in, you’ll no doubt wonder what this dream wedding is going to cost. Questions will flood your mind, and you’ll probably be left feeling slightly overwhelmed and maybe even a little lost.  Where do you start? What venues are in your budget? How many people should you invite and even if you invite folks from back home, do you think they will even come? How long do I need to plan one of the most important events of my life? Oh my gosh… it’s exhausting just thinking about it.
Let me just tell you now that it’s totally normal to feel like this. All you need to do is take it day by day and be organised. If you’re a busy bee then hire a planner, or someone like myself to help with decor and styling. Offloading some of you’re ‘to-do’ list will make life that little bit easier.
It’s OK to feel overwhelmed. It’s normal and every bride goes through it. Remember you’re not alone in this bride-to-be boat. One of the main reasons why I’m writing this blog today is because I get asked more often than not… ‘How much should I spend on my wedding?” It’s a tough question because every venue has a different way of pricing (usually a minimum spend, or cost per person per head) and depending on your theme or style your decor could cost you as little as AED 15,000 to AED150,000. So it’s hard to know what to expect or what to budget for.

Here are a few tips to help set budgets…
Music & Entertainment.
Entertainment is something I don’t really get involved in when helping brides plan their decor, bu I do know that depending on what you want you could be spending between AED 3000- AED 20,000 for a band or Sax player or a DJ.
Photography & Videography
For a really good photographer you should expect to pay a minimum of AED 8,000. That’s for your basic package and probably 6-8 hours. The photographers listed on MLW are of all different styles and I know some charge more than others. This is the one thing I wouldn’t cut back on. Having a good photographer, and someone you like is so important because after your wedding all that’s left are happy memories and photos from your wonderful wedding day. I would suggest picking a photographer you like, if you get on well and feel relaxed around them then chances are you’ll be happy on your wedding day. (Because you will be spending the day with them and all your loved ones of course)
Venues
Finding a venue is number one on the to-do list. Without the venue you can’t confirm a date, and without a date you can’t really do much else in terms of planning. When you contact a venue ask for their packages and menu prices. This will help give you an idea of how much you need to spend her guest. Be clear about what you want, your number of guests and suggested dates. The more info you provide them, the better!
Makeup & Hair
The Fabulous makeup and hair stylists listed with MLW don’t charge more than AED 2000- 3000 for hair and makeup. This is a pretty standard rate, and I know my lovely vendors do a fab job, so why pay more?
Flowers & Decor
Now this can really vary from style to style. Flower centerpieces will vary but on average I would suggest a minimum spend of AED 300 per table if you want something pretty and simple. For taller and fuller arrangements, you could spend around AED 500 plus but it really depends on what flowers you’re using and the qty. I would suggest emailing florists, and when you do be very clearer about what you want. Set a budget and give them a realistic idea of what you like. As for furniture, shop around but remember the cheapest doesn’t always mean the best. Work with people you like and trust, I promise it will make you’re planning process so much better. I’ve learned from experience 🙂
If you’re looking for trusted vendors, don’t forget to check out my vendor pages… there are loads of lovelies who can help you plan your big day!
Back soon…