I never thought that creating financial plans would help me plan my wedding! I’ve been working on my wedding plans for the past nine months and knew planning a wedding would be a lot of work, but I was surprised by how much truly goes into it.
From creating and sticking to a budget, to enlisting a trusted advisor, financial planning and wedding planning have some similarities worth noting! Here are the three big things that have helped me successfully plan for the big day:
1) Create—and Stick to—a Wedding Budget
Ask yourself: How much can I/we afford to spend? Figure out how much you are willing to spend on things related to your wedding, such as the officiant and bridesmaids' gifts. Shop around for services to find prices that will fit comfortably into your budget.
2) Start Early and Prioritize
Once I set my budget, it was time to plan the rest. At first, I thought I might have been starting the planning too early, as a year seemed like more than enough time for me to plan everything. As I started to research the vendors and everything else that goes into a wedding, I was incredibly pleased I started a year beforehand and didn’t wait until six to nine months out! Right after the engagement, I was careful to book the busiest vendors first, including the church, photographer, and officiant. I wrote down everything I needed to accomplish and divided it between time frames, importance/urgencies, and sectors.
As I was assembling the information, I realized this process wasn’t that different from creating a financial plan. When I start a financial plan for my clients, I want to make sure I’m focusing on their most important and pressing goals and addressing any conflicts or issues. I then review goals, time frames, and all other needs as we work together to create the financial plan.
3) Obtain Help
This last bit is true in financial planning and wedding planning: you need someone in your corner. My personal attendant helped me realize that although I had already checked 40-plus to-dos off my list, there were some smaller items I needed to consider that weren’t on my original list. I was a bit shocked (and nervous) at first that I had missed them but was grateful she had valuable years of experience that ultimately saved me time and money.
My attendant is my trusted advisor–she reviewed my wedding goals and helped me adjust my plans, much like I help clients plan for their short-term cash needs or large anticipated expenses. She and I discussed my goals and time frames regarding the wedding, and she helped me fill in the gaps–much like I do for clients each year during their annual reviews.
No Need to Worry
I’m happy that my organization and financial planning skills helped me manage the wedding planning process. Once the connection between the two was pointed out, I smiled and was delighted with the overlap. While the planning for our big day is nowhere near finished, I am relieved to be on track and that there is no need to worry. I’ve had a lot of fun preparing everything; however, I’m also ready for August 26!