Making Your

Money Count

We paid all of the costs for our wedding out-of-pocket as a couple and double-downed on our habit of living off of the following adaptation from the Dave Ramsey handbook.

I can’t tell you what sacrifices to make; everyone’s financial situation is a bit different. But here are a few concrete examples of things we did to make the most of our resources:

How else do people pay for 

weddings?

If you set a budget for groceries, keep to it. If you need more room, use manufacturer and store coupons to get more bang for your buck. Food is one place where people overspend and there are no refunds available for buyer’s remorse.

Stick to a budget.

Either we put our own hand to our hair or we skipped services altogether and it helped keep more money in the bank that ultimately went to bigger payments on student loans or into our wedding savings account.

Space out must-have services.

We didn’t forgo restaurant meals altogether, nor did we go without buying everything we wanted… we simply were a bit more discerning in our choices.

I had tons of items in my home that I no longer needed but were in great condition. Plus, with the merging of our households, I had more leeway to get rid of things I’d ultimately no longer need. I managed to get instant cash by selling things on Craigslist.

Sell useful items you no longer need.

Just as recommended above, sell what you don’t need.  After the wedding is over, utilize craigslist or other avenues to recoup your expenses (provided the condition of the items is still good).  We did this with our vases and a few other odds and ends.

Wherever possible, buy wedding items that can be repurposed or sold.

I think it goes without saying that THE number one budget savvy principle to live by is… to make your money count!

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