Lately I have been planning my own wedding and believe me, things cost money. It is really a great idea to have a budget to help you decide on how much you want to spend on different things; from the cake to the venue, from the flowers to the dress. Even with a budget, sometimes things cost a little more than you expected. I had a basic budget or idea of what I wanted to spend on different things, but after careful planning, cost seemed to go beyond my plans. So I looked around and found people I knew that were talented that could give me a helping hand. For example, my friends knew of cake decorators that would give me an affordable cake. My cousins were talented at different things such as catering, taking photos, playing music and singing, so they gave me a great price. I understand there are things you don't want to skimp on, for example my dress had to be elegant and fashionable. But paying 5,000 on a cake was a little more than I wanted to spend. So I found my perfect cake on Pinterest and showed the picture to my cake decorator.
Whatever you decide on, keep in mind the budget will be hard to stick by, but there are always ways to save money in different areas of the wedding. I know my vendor charges less on weekdays instead of the weekend. Asking people you know to help, can save you hundreds, so don't be afraid to ask for help.