Budgeting Basics Before You Book a Single Vendor

The single biggest budgeting mistake couples make is booking their favourite vendor before they know their real total number, and building the rest of the wedding around whatever's left.

Start with a hard total: what you and your partner (and any contributing family) can genuinely put toward this, without debt you'll regret later. Write that number down before you look at a single venue.

Then split it roughly by category: venue and catering usually take the largest share (often 40-50% combined), followed by photography/videography, attire, décor/flowers, entertainment, and a miscellaneous buffer (aim for at least 5-10% of the total, since something unplanned always comes up).

Book in priority order, not availability order: decide which 2-3 things matter most to you as a couple (great photos? incredible food? a specific venue?) and protect that budget first. Let the categories you care less about flex to whatever's left.

Track everything in one place as you book, so you always know your real remaining balance rather than an optimistic guess.

Good Wedding's Smart Budget Planner can give you a personalised starting breakdown based on your guest count, city, and priorities. A good first step before you start reaching out to vendors.