How to Create a Wedding Budget Spreadsheet

Tap to Read ➤ Ashwini Kulkarni Sule

A wedding budget spreadsheet is a great idea to maintain your wedding budget. Here are a few tips on making one.

Budget is a key factor that might influence your wedding planning. You often plan a wedding budget and ask your wedding planner to adhere to it. However, if you are planning your own wedding, you might be tempted to surpass your budget.

Hence, it is imperative that you create a wedding budget spreadsheet that would comprise of all likely expenses and your budget for the same.

How to Create Wedding Budget Spreadsheet

The procedure for creating a spreadsheet is simple, go to Microsoft Excel and say new document. You can either create one single spreadsheet for all the expenses or you can divide it into sections, each for a major expense.

Important Items on the spreadsheet

Ceremony/Reception

✔ Ceremony Location Fees ✔ Officiant's Fee or Donation ✔ Room/Hall Fees ✔ Tables and Chairs ✔ Food and drinks ✔ Cake ✔ Linens ✔ Service Fee ✔ Staff and Gratuities ✔ Other decor and Rentals

Wedding Dresses

✔ Bridal Trousseau ✔ Tuxedos ✔ Headpiece, Veil ✔ Jewelry (other than rings) ✔ Shoes ✔ Garter ✔ Hosiery ✔ Accessories

Floral Decorations

✔ Bouquets ✔ Boutonnières ✔ Corsages ✔ Ceremony Flowers ✔ Reception Flowers ✔ Table Centerpieces ✔ Bows for Church Pews ✔ Cake Table ✔ Candles and Lighting ✔ Balloons

Wedding Photography

✔ Wedding Photographer ✔ Formals ✔ Candids ✔ Extra Prints ✔ Photo Albums ✔ Videography ✔ Video/DVD Copies

Music

✔ DJ's ✔ Band/Musicians for Ceremony ✔ Band/Musicians for Reception

Stationery

✔ Wedding Invitations ✔ Save-the-Date Cards ✔ RSVP Cards and Stamps ✔ Programs ✔ Personal Stationery ✔ Calligraphy ✔ Thank You Cards ✔ Guest Book ✔ Reception Napkins ✔ Matchbooks

Wedding Rings

✔ Bride's Wedding Ring ✔ Groom's Wedding Ring

Wedding Gifts

✔ Wedding Favors ✔ Bridesmaids Gifts ✔ Gifts for the Groomsmen ✔ Gifts for the Parents ✔ Readers/Other Participants ✔ Gifts for Each Other

Transportation

✔ Transportation to Ceremony ✔ Transportation to Reception ✔ Guests Transportation ✔ Limousines ✔ Trolleys ✔ Parking ✔ Taxis

Miscellaneous

✔ Wedding Coordinator ✔ Rehearsal Dinner ✔ Engagement Party ✔ Showers ✔ Salon Appointments ✔ Bachelor/ette Parties ✔ Brunch ✔ Hotel Rooms ✔ Marriage License ✔ Taxes and Tips

Once you are done with putting down all the items in their corresponding cells, the next step is to get an estimated cost for each item. Write this estimated cost against each item, in the second column. Get several printouts of this spreadsheet and take one along whenever you go shopping. This will help you stick to your budget.

Do not forget to update the spreadsheet, whenever you shop for your wedding. This will give you an idea if you have surpassed your budget, so that you can make necessary arrangements. Have a running tally at the bottom of each section on the spreadsheet and a total tally at the bottom of the spreadsheet.

The templates for wedding budget spreadsheet are readily available on the Internet in printable versions. You can simply take a printout and enter your expenses. But, the flip side is that you won't be able to make updates on such templates. Hence, it is always good to make your own personalized spreadsheet.