Every budget has a number and a priority list. Agree on both before you book a single vendor and every decision afterwards becomes simpler.
Spend on what you will see forever
Photography and the venue shape every memory and every photo. They are rarely the place to cut corners.
Save where guests will not notice
A smaller cake with a sheet cake in the kitchen, seasonal flowers, and a shorter evening bar all save money without changing how the day feels.
Keep ten percent aside
There is always something: an extra hour of music, a rain plan, a last-minute guest. A contingency means it is a decision, not a panic.
