The start of your planning journey is incredibly exciting. Filled with champagne, pictures of the ring, friends and family - it's a wonderful time. One thing that is slightly less excitable, however, is your wedding budget. Making a wedding budget spreadsheet is a tried and tested godsend when it comes to keeping track of your cash. Spreadsheets allow you to see how much money you are allocating where, which is always important. It also means you have a tangible list of things you might want on your big day. If you, like me, love a good checklist, then this article is certainly going to be helpful. Today, we'll be breaking down the different wedding categories where you'll be spending your budget. Of course, everybody, and every wedding, is different. This is by no means a list of things you categorically have to include on your big day, it's just a guide if you're feeling a little lost. We've also got a downloadable, printable spreadsheet PDF, so you can physically write and tick things off as you go. So, shall we?

Wedding budget spreadsheet - from dresses to decor, tablescapes to transport, and shoes to stationery! 

Fashion

First things first, fashion. Depending on you and your partner's personal styles, this is going to look different for different people. If you're a bride, you may opt for the classic wedding dress. This could have been passed down through the generations, or you might want to buy a new one. Or buy one second-hand (please welcome to the stage, Recycle My Wedding). Maybe you want a bridal suit, or jeans and a top. Whatever you fancy, pop down how much it's going to cost. The fashion category also consists of things like your evening outfit, shoes, lingerie, jewellery, accessories, bridesmaid dresses, groom outfits, groomsmen outfits, etc. You can find the full list in the downloadable PDF. 

Photography and videography - wedding budget spreadsheet

Wedding photography and videography are important aspects of your day. If it wasn't for them, Rock My Wedding would be quite a blank website indeed. Photography and videography capture your day, your memories, and tells a story like nothing else. You can then send these photos and videos on to your friends and family, those who couldn't be there, and have these memories living in your home for the rest of your lives. Isn't that beautiful? Yes, yes it is. It's not as simple as just getting a photographer and videographer, though. You need to think about engagement sessions, whether you want a second photographer, booking wedding prints and if you want a wedding album. 

Flowers

Next up, we've got flowers. Flowers have been a pretty crucial part of the bridal look and the whole wedding since the ancient Romans. Symbolising fidelity, fertility and new beginnings back then, now we keep them around mainly because they're just so darn pretty. Flowers add beauty, life and vibrancy to any ceremony. And there are a lot of ways you can have them on display. Bridal bouquets, bridesmaids bouquets, buttonholes, centrepieces, alter/aisle flowers, decorative flowers, thank you flowers, and more. Whether you're opting for dried flowers, preserved flowers, fresh flowers, wildflowers or something else - note it down under the flowers section on the PDF. 

Decor

Decorations are important at weddings. They set the ambience of the day, and can really tie together a theme. Accentuating the venue and ceremony, decor is a matter of personal style. Decor is all the little things that make up the environment of your big day, setting the mood, and creating the atmosphere you want. When thinking about decor, you should think about your wedding ceremony, the drinks reception, the wedding breakfast, the evening reception, the general venue, and your guest book. If you want to cut down on spending, you could always opt for second-hand decor, too. As we keep saying (and will continue to say!), your wedding is just that - yours. Do whatever you want, and spend as much as you want. This is just a rough guide. 

Entertainment

Whilst your wedding is about you and your partner, it is important to think about your guests, too. By that, we mean keeping them entertained. That's why entertainment plays a part in the wedding budget spreadsheet. Incorporating entertainment that will entice your guests to indulge in every aspect of your celebration is the goal. And, of course, you want entertainment that represents you as a couple, and that you'll enjoy. Whether that's live music, acoustic music, a DJ, a photo booth, wedding games, or something else. Or all of the above!

Food and drink - wedding budget spreadsheet

As well as keeping them entertained, you'll want to keep yourself and your guests well-fed. No one wants to go hungry at a wedding! At least, I certainly don't. Food and drink will impact the rest of your reception. Your guests will be talking about it, it will get people feeling full of food and love alike, and remember; hungry people don't dance. So if you want people heading to the dance floor, get some good food in them. The kind of food is, of course, entirely up to you. If you want a four-course meal, fantastic. Cocktails for days? Splendid. Fancy a festival-type food truck situation? Excellent. Cheese tower? Sensational. Things to keep in mind when planning your food and drink are canapes, cocktail hour, wedding breakfast, wedding cake, wedding toast drinks, an open bar, buffet/evening snacks, and wedding favours. 

Venue

You knew this one was coming. Your venue! Of course, the venue part of your wedding is fairly crucial. A wedding has to take place somewhere. Where - now that's up to you. But it is definitely not something you want to forget when wedding planning. Your wedding venue not only needs to be able to accommodate you and your guests, but it also should create an atmosphere that fits with your theme and style. You could go for a barn, a country house, a glasshouse, something more unusual... The world is your venue-shaped oyster. There are a lot of things to remember when it comes to your venue, so having a list of questions for your venues is vital when you go and look at them. Here are some things to consider, though; the venue itself, overnight accommodation, in-house catering, in-house bar, the rehearsal dinner, and late license fees. 

Stationery

Wedding stationery lets your guests know what to expect - both before, during and after the wedding. It communicates fairly vital information, like where the event is taking place, when it's starting, what time certain events are happening (i.e. the ceremony, the meal, the dancing), and it shares information about you as a couple. Not to mention, stationery is just beautiful to look at, and if you're feeling sustainable, you can keep your signs/invites/menus as keepsakes in your home for years to come. Things to remember when it comes to stationery are; save the dates, invitations/RSVP cards, order of service, menus, table name signs, table plans, name place cards, general signage, thank you cards, and stamps. Never forget stamps!

Beauty

You are going to look beautiful at your wedding. There's no doubt about that. But that doesn't mean you can't get a little help, especially if, like me, it sometimes looks like you did your eyeliner in the dark after seventeen glasses of champagne. An integral part of your day, wedding makeup artists and hair stylists make you look your absolute best before the ceremony, saving you a lot of time and stress. They also set the tone for your reception. Things to consider under the beauty section of this wedding budget spreadsheet are; bride hair trial and hair, bridesmaid hair trial and hair, bride makeup trial and makeup, haircuts, and other beauty treatments. By this, we mean things like a cheeky fake tan, teeth whitening, etc. Whatever floats your beauty boat. 

Transport - wedding budget spreadsheet

Getting to and from your venue is important, is it not? We'll answer for you - yes it is. Therefore, wedding transport is important, too. And it's not just you as a couple you have to think about - your guests will want to get between sites/places easily. Especially if some of those guests are wearing 6-inch stilettos (I'm talking to you, uncle Steve). You need to think about the bride's transport to the venue, the bridesmaid's transport to the venue, the groom and groomsmen's transport to the venue, the bride and groom transport exit, and guest transport. I've now said transport so much the word has lost all meaning. Even so, transport is important - and knowing how much it will cost you is vital, too. 

Other

Rounding off our wedding budget spreadsheet categories, we've got the good old 'other', or miscellaneous, if you will. Without wanting to sound like a broken record, everyone is different, and so are their weddings. So that means there was always going to be things we didn't include in the spreadsheet - because, sadly, we're not omnipresent. We are working on that though. Whether you're planning a honeymoon, your celebrant, need a marriage license, want help from a planner/stylist, or anything else - this is where you put that info. We've also left a few blank spaces for you, so you can fill in anything else specific to your wedding.

Once you've filled out your spreadsheet, your wedding budget will seem a lot more manageable

Hopefully, you are now feeling more confident about both your budgeting and spreadsheeting abilities. As we've said maybe 46 times in this article alone, everyone's wedding is different, and people will prioritise certain elements of their wedding more than others will. That's ok! This is just a rough guide to help you out, taking into consideration the weddings we've seen over the years. And trust us - that's a lot. If you want to start saving some cash for your big day, then our article on how to save for your wedding is a good place to start. And if you're wondering how far in advance you should book things like, say, your wedding venue, we have that covered too.