Step 7-Wedding Dress Fun

Completing the first six steps feels really good, does it not?  And now you've been engaged for at least a little while..has it truly sunk in yet? Still looking at your ring every five seconds to each time be taken back by the beauty of it...and to make sure it's still there?  I know I am! Well now, lets start digging into the things that can get a little more crazy and take a lot of time to think about and prep for...

7) Wedding dress shopping!

In my eyes, it's never to soon to start looking and at least getting an idea of what you want in your perfect wedding dress! But now that you're engaged, it's time to get serious. All of us girls know that the dress is one of the most important factors, so I'm going to break this down into a few parts to hopefully make this process a little easier for you!

           a) If you haven't already, set a price range for yourself before you do anything! Trust me! Once you start looking/trying on those beautiful dresses, it could become very easy to let yourself spend more then you were wanting!

           b) Whether you're completely ready to start shopping or not, at least go out and try on a dress so you know what size you are and can go from there! However, keep in mind the time it takes for alterations, but only if you feel those will have to be made. They can take up to a couple of weeks depending, especially if you're short like me!

           c) Decide how important the dress is to you and if you want to buy it brand new, used, or rent it.  Obviously everyone is different so everyone's going to have different preferences. If you want a dress brand new, go for it! However remember your budget and keep in mind what you are going to do with the dress after. If you are ok with buying a used dress or renting one, I think this is a great way to still get a beautiful  dress and save some money! Feel free to click on my wedding dress page to find some great places to buy new or used dresses, as well as rent!

           d) Once you decide to go out and start looking, make sure to always take someone with you! A lot of times others will notice things that you may not about the dress! If you're ready to buy, make sure you've tried on different styles, so that in the end your mind is made up! You'd hate to end up spending more later if you decided you want something different.

          e) For those who feel comfortable, try and negotiate the price...sometimes you can work out an even better deal!

Step 6- Budgeting

Well, now that you've done the basic things to get the ball rolling, it's time to attack the not so fun part....Budgeting! Budgeting can be one of the hardest parts of wedding planning and cause some of the most stress! Since this blog is titled Reasonably priced Lds weddings, I will look at ways that will fit just this as well as give suggestions on how to go about it.

6) Budgeting:

For everyone, finances are different and that's ok! One thing I like to try to remember is the true importance of that wedding day. In the end, you will be married to the one you love, so how big the party was, how many people came, or  how bad the decorations turned out wont really matter! We all want things to look nice and have a few things happen that mean a lot to us though. So here are a few suggestions on how to go about creating a budget with your fiance:

 

   a) Talk to both parents and decide if the traditional ways are going to be followed as far as who pays for what. If not, discuss how they would like to go about it. If things are going to be non-traditional, I would suggest getting a $ amount from both sides of the family so you know what you are going to be working with.

       b) Before you start spending the allotted amount, sit down with your fiancé and make a list of things that will be needed for the wedding, as well as some upfront expenditures you will have as a new married couple (car payment, house bill, school, phone bill, etc). This may help you budget out how you want to spend the money, and possibly help you try and save money to put towards those upfront bills that you will have to start paying as newlyweds!

      c) If you feel comfortable, I would now suggest that you and your fiancé share with each other your individual finances. One thing I have found super helpful here is also creating a projected idea of how much money you will have by the time you get married. Dont forget to factor in your current expenses, along with your paychecks. This is a great time to also create a monthly budget, seperate from wedding stuff, to help you save money.

    d)  Now I would suggest making 3 individual google docs/spreadsheets for all of this that you and your fiancé can both share and have to refer to.  One, for all the things you need to buy for the wedding as well as upfront costs and your projected alloted amount for each. The second, for all the things you do buy along with their cost so you can check and make sure you are staying within your budget. Third,  individual spreadsheets of your daily/monthly expenditures and gains to keep an idea of how much money you will have in the bank by the time you get married.
     

        

First Five Steps to Planning Your Wedding

Trying to figure out when and how your going to do everything can be extremely overwhelming! At least it has been for me! So I figured to help you get started I would post an outline that I've made. You may want to add a few things for yourself depending on how you are doing your wedding, but this is more of the basic first steps to start thinking about.

1) Change your Facebook, Myspace, etc.. status! Everyone wants to hear the good news!

2) Talk with your fiancé and decide the location (city, state) and time of your wedding.  Remember to keep in mind those who you wish to attend and how they will get there. Don't forget to call the Temple to make sure it is available!

3) Spread the word (via Facebook event, Tweet, Myspace, etc...)! Everyone will start asking for details so this will be the easiest way to tell everyone at once! I would also include a sentence stating an address for those who cant come, so they can send cards to you, if they so choose.

4) Sit down and decide who you and your fiancé want as your bridesmaids and groomsman. I will mention this again later, but I suggest to start thinking about if you are going to pay for their outfits/ties or if you will be having them pay. This could effect the number of each you want.

5) Pick style and colors you are wanting for your wedding. This will help you pick a dress, bridesmaids outfits, ties and other little things along the way. Keep in mind the season and photos.

Welcome To My Blog!

Getting married can be a stressful thing! There is so much to think about and it can all cost so much! My hopes for this blog is to help women be able to plan their wedding and keep it within their budgets. I hope this blog can be a source for you to come to for all your needs and questions! I will do my best to find great deals for you and provide a wide variety of options for you to look at! If you know of anyone who is a photographer, makes announcements, sells wedding dresses, etc. for a reasonable price, please contact me and let me know! I would love to add them to my site for others to see and use! I am currently in the Provo, UT area, so most of the people I advertize will be from Utah.  However, I hope to expand over time! My hope is that at least the advice and tidbits can be found helpful to those outside of Utah!

                                                                     About Me:

To tell you a little about myself, my name is Kris and I am 21 years old. I will be getting married in April!! My fiancé and I met in Provo, Utah back in August and as they say, the rest is history! I have a lot of hopes and dreams for this blog and am so excited to start it! I've had this idea for quite a while, but haven't put it into play till now.  Getting married myself, I'm starting to realize just how costly weddings can be! So if you are like me and like to find the good deals without having to cut to many corners, then hopefully this blog will be helpful for you!!