Top 7 wedding necessity check list

Wedding budgeting - PART II

Budgeting for a wedding is commonly the hardest part for most couples. The figures will constantly change throughout the entire planning process. Budgeting is important because generally when you put a price on something, it helps narrow down your options and zero in on decisions. There are just so many options in the market on every aspect of a wedding that many couples end up getting more confused  after doing their research than before.

In Part I, we've talked about the reception cost that will generally take up 50% of the overall wedding cost. Here, I'll break down what the other 50% is made out of, which will cover more of wedding necessities than anything else.

	Description	Cost Per Unit	Units	Estimated Cost	Percentage
1	Reception/Banquet			40,000.00	50%
	Food	200.00	200	40,000.00	50.00%
2	Attire			10,050.00	13%
	Gowns	2,500.00	2	5,000.00	6.25%
	Bridal shoes	150.00	2	300.00	0.38%
	Suits	2,000.00	2	4,000.00	5.00%
	Groom's shoes	150.00	1	150.00	0.19%
	Bridesmaid dresses	200.00	3	600.00	0.75%
3	Beauty			1,200.00	2%
	Bridal makeup + hair do	1,200.00	1	1,200.00	1.50%
4	Flowers & Décor			7,200.00	9%
	Personal flowers	1,200.00	1	1,200.00	1.50%
	Event décor	6,000.00	1	6,000.00	7.50%
5	Favours			1,000.00	1%
	Favours	5.00	200	1,000.00	1.25%
6	Stationery			850.00	1%
	Invitations & ceremony programme	5.00	150	750.00	0.94%
	Guest Book	100.00	1	100.00	0.13%
7	Photography & Videography			15,000.00	19%
	Pre-wedding	5,000.00	1	5,000.00	6.25%
	Actual day photography	5,000.00	1	5,000.00	6.25%
	Actual day videography	5,000.00	1	5,000.00	6.25%
8	Miscellaneous			5,000.00	6%
	Wedding band	5,000.00	1	5,000.00	6.25%
	Estimated Cost Total			80,000.00	100%

** Figures above are the average prices (MYR) in the market as of 2011.

As you can see, photography and videography is the next highest percentage to spend on. This is because photos and videos will capture moments and memories that'll last through generations. It will indeed be money well-invested in.

The percentage column should give you an idea on how much to spend on each component. Stay flexible in adjusting the amounts a little, but you may use the percentage as a guideline.

Happy planning!