Budgets And the Art of Being A Wedding Planner

My big news? Look who’s got a regular gig guest-blogging on Broke-Ass Bride – ME!!! Every Friday, I’ll bring you a little slice of wedding planning saving saavy. This week is about invitations, and between you and me, I have no idea what next week’s post is going to be about, yet. Which is part of the adventure, right?

Oh, but tax week has been causing a little bit of havoc in Wedding World. Your budget, my budget, my budget is none of your business, etc. Petit Chablis had a great post yesterday about how folks to tend to make wedding budgets a morality issue. But what’s my stance, you know, as a wedding planner, on wedding budgets, you ask? How do I approach the subject with the couples I work with? Glad you asked.

My goal, as a wedding planner, is to give you the wedding you want to have. If you have to stick to a budget, then I’m going to help you stick to that budget, and I will give you a breakdown of what that budget looks like, so you know what should go where. But this also means that, from time to time, I might need to talk you off a cliff. Like, suggesting that instead of buying a dress for $4,000, maybe you can get it pre-owned for half that. Or, instead of having a full bar, why not just serve a specialty cocktail and wine? And, if you absolutely insist on something that’s going to potentially bitch-slap your budget, then I’ll find ways for you to stay on track anyway. It’s your wedding, and ultimately, you can do what you want. It is, and has always been, your choice. There is this feeling that that the Wedding Industrial Complex’s tagline is, “No, you HAVE to have [insert traditional wedding miscellania here]!” I’m not that girl. You don’t have to have anything. You don’t want to send out invites? Okay, there’s an alternative for that. You don’t want cake? Welcome to a growing trend. My job is to make whatever you want or don’t want work for you.

I know, it sounds great, right? Here’s the problem: Realistically…gah..if your wedding falls into that 15k and under range, you really can’t afford full wedding planning services. Or, at least not mine, unless you’re willing to add my fees on top of it. And, really, my conscience isn’t going to allow me to recommend that in your budget range. Again, I am NOT THAT GIRL. Plus, brides in psychic conflict really aren’t that much fun to work with, you know? And some people that I’ve met with have actually gotten upset with me because they couldn’t afford me, but that’s another blog post.

But I want to help, and I enjoy helping, which is why I came up with the Recession Bride’s Workshop last year, and the Charmed Consultations (hour long consultations where we talk about whatever is bugging you about your wedding), and really, re-instated the wedding planning half-way house known as the Sterling Service. If you want to work with me, you’ve got options. But don’t underestimate your ability to find what you need on your own, either.

See you at the end of the aisle,

Liz Coopersmith
Silver Charm Events