Before the wedding

HE FINALLY PROPOSED!!! 

Congratulations, girl. He finally got around to getting on his knees (physically or figuratively) and asked you to marry him by offering to buy a HDB flat with you or *eyes gleam* that diamond ring you've been hankering for. Now's the time really get down to planning your long-awaited fairy-tale wedding. 

*Cue soundtrack interruption*

 Whoa, wait just a minute. You didn't just think you can get away with planning a wedding without a budget, did you? Unless you're filthy rich or sponsored, there's no way any person can plan an extravagant wedding and get away debt-free. Trust me, studies have shown that financial problems are a major contributing factor to marriage breakdown. Don't narrow your lifetime commitment to that one single day. 

The wedding is just but the beginning to a lifetime. Celebrate it well and wisely and you would have built a solid foundation to last you for the rest of your marriage. :-)

Okies, so the first thing you have to do is set a budget. Determine how much you can afford to spend and stick to that budget as much as possible. Of course, there will be situations popping up where it's impossible for you to stick to your budget. BUT having a budget means you can monitor your spending the smart recessionista way instead of having money leak out uncontrollably. 

Treat your wedding like any big-ticket item. Sit down and discuss with your partner just what you're willing to splurge on or compromise. Do up a list so you won't get sidetracked by unnecessary tag-ons that will increase your overall bill. 

Be prepared to negotiate for items not found in your various packages. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT, anyhow settle for whatever items you're offered. Any savvy recessionista knows that to get what she wants, she has to ask for it. Shave off any items you don't need and ask for another quotation. OR negotiate for something else you need. You may think it's unglam to haggle like a market housewife but you'll thank me for it when it comes to totaling up the bills. Little things can add up to quite a significant amount.

To help you along with your wedding preparations,here's a wedding budget list that you can print for your reference. Use it to indicate your budget and actual expense, which in turn helps to keep your feet on the ground. If you have a more comprehensive checklist you would like to share, do email me at  lilian.writes[at]gmail.com. :-)

Wondering how to shave unnecessary add-ons or negotiate for a better deal? Wo Yao Jie Hun Le has a detailed explanation on how to cut costs. =3

Love,
Lilian