Your wedding is probably the most expensive party you’ll ever throw as a couple, and thinking about the cost can be scary. It’s easy to say you’ll do some things yourself, or you’ll stick to a budget, but you actually need to find realistic ways to pay for your wedding.
It might be difficult but it’s not impossible; this is what you should do:
Do the math
(Photo: Ethel Curbow)
Take your time to create a wedding budget together. Make sure your numbers are realistic; ask real vendors their current prices if possible. You can divide the amount you arrive at by the number of months you have before the wedding. You and your fiance can work towards saving that amount every month: e.g. a budget of 2 million Naira divided by 10 months will give you #200,000 for every month. If it’s still too scary, you can increase the number of months before the wedding.
Cut down some expenses
(Photo: Pinterest via Business Ideas)
If you have some luxuries that you can do without for a couple of months, cut them out for a while. We’re not saying that you should pause your life or not enjoy yourself, but the things you can do without can be your little sacrifice towards an awesome wedding. You can cut down on stuff like your monthly dress shopping, eating out, etc.
Monthly contribution groups
If you’re part of a monthly contribution group (or ajo), you can plan to collect your money during your wedding month or a few months before. If you aren’t, but you have access to one, you can join for the same purpose. The bulk of the money will help you to pay for some essential wedding services.
Money saving platforms
(Photo: Financial Times)
If you’re an impulsive buyer, it means that cutting back on some expenses might not actually help you save money because you’ll just find a way to spend it somewhere else. You need to find creative ways to save by using apps or bank options or getting a group of friends to save with you.
Ask for help
(Photo: Nigeria Galleria)
There’s nothing wrong with asking for help. You can ask your parents for help or you can use vendors that are close to you and ask for discounts. That way, your entire budget becomes lower and the amount of money left to save is reduced.
To help even more, here are some things that no one tells you about wedding planning.
Featured image: @VecomaWeddings via Instagram.
