Whether you’re planning a wedding for yourself, your children, or close family members, the entire process is both exciting and frustrating. It’s exciting because you’re looking forward to a happy occasion, but the cost of wedding-related expenses can cause stress and frustration.

If you’re planning a wedding anytime soon, here are some effective tips for keeping the budget under control:

1. Plan Everything in Advance – Think long-term when it comes to wedding expenses as well as funding. It’s essential to make your bookings as early as possible to maximize your savings and get the best deals. You should also have started saving and investing money long before the wedding, but you can use a loan for marriage if you haven’t done that. Make sure to apply early and shop around for the best interest rates.
2. Itemize Your Wedding Budget – Rather than just setting a total wedding budget and hoping it will cover everything, break it down into specific segments. Then, prioritize these and allocate a percentage of your budget to them. Be realistic about what is important. For instance, avoid cutting costs on food to spend more on decor like inexpensive table runners. Guests will remember a great meal in the years to come, not the kind of lighting you chose for the venue!
3. Choose a Budgeting System – There are plenty of wedding websites, apps, and tools that can help you plan and stick to your budget. You can use these to decide how much to allocate for the venue, food, and entertainment, keep track of advances and payments you’ve already made, and set reminders for pending expenses, due dates, etc. Using the right budget system for your needs makes planning a wedding much easier.
4. Be Aware of Hidden Costs – Unplanned expenses, hidden costs, and extras are all part and parcel of wedding planning. If you know in advance what these might be, you can avoid rude shocks later!

Some typical examples of hidden wedding costs include:

• Postage for invites, RSVPs, etc.
• Dress, makeup and hair trials
• Pre-wedding demos for music or decor
• Overtime charges for caterers, DJs, photographers and other vendors
• Tips for serving staff and valets
• Decor or menu changes

5. Plan a Financial Safety Net – No matter how well you plan wedding expenses, there will always be something unexpected you need to deal with. We mentioned hidden costs above, but you may also find that something costs more than you expected, or face last-minute emergencies. If your budget does not have wiggle room, apply for a credit card or personal loan for marriage, so you have additional funds available if needed.

There are plenty of ways to save money while planning a wedding, and a wedding loan is a great solution if your personal savings are limited. It can help make the wedding of your dreams a reality today, and you can pay for it later in easy-to-handle installments!

Author bio:

Shiv Nanda is a financial analyst who currently lives in Bangalore (refusing to acknowledge the name change) and works with MoneyTap. Shiv is a true finance geek, and his friends love that. They always rely on him for advice on their investment choices, budgeting skills, personal financial matters and when they want to get a loan. He has made it his life’s mission to help and educate people on various financial topics, so email him your questions at shiv@moneytap.com.