Unless you’ve been involved with planning a wedding recently you will probably be surprised by what things cost. Here are some things to help get you started.

1. Decide on how much you are able to spend on your wedding.

2. Get rough estimates on the cost of items and services. Many gay couples suffer wedding sticker shock. $25 for food per guest? $2000 to hire a photographer?! Trust me – it’s better to know what things cost before you make a single purchase. This will help you determine what portion of your overall budget you want to devote toward certain items.

3. Set your priorities. Pick the top 2 things that are most important to you. Pick the 2 least important items.

4. Redo your budget based on your estimates and your priorities.

TIP #1: Save while you plan. Don’t forget that you can save money while you a planning your wedding. The suggestions below are based on a commitment ceremony 6 months away.

1. Cutout 1 coffee purchased outside the home. $2.50 a cup 5 days a week for 6 months = over $300 savings
2. Cutout eating in restaurants once a week. $35 to eat out verses $15 for a meal made at home each week saves nearly $500!