Congratulations!  You are planning a wedding / birthday party / business event / basically any type of shindig you don’t normally do.

What do you do first?  Commit to a budget!  Even if you have no idea what anything actually costs, you likely have an idea as to what amount of money you feel comfortable spending.  And that is where you start!  For most people, their first budget is a draft that allows them to prioritize and set their expectations.  Even if you have overestimated or underestimated your first budget, you will quickly find how much things actually cost, what is important to you, and what you can scale back on.  If you have underestimated (which many people do) then you may consider the following:

• Re-style your event (2 hour cocktail party instead of a 5 hour party with dinner)
• Evaluate the bar situation (beer and wine only is a classy choice - you can even add in one signature cocktail)
• Change up the entertainment (DJ instead of 10 piece band)
• Location Location Location (a venue with a natural vibe can save you $$$ on decor)
• Add in more money (which is the obvious choice, but not typically the easiest)

These are just basics to get you started!  But think of your budget as your game plan (which sometimes needs to be flexible) and then the task of planning your event won’t be so daunting.

SmartBiz.com has a great article on cost saving tips - geared mostly towards corporate style functions but there are still great ideas!

Brides.com has a great tool for all you brides and you can even modify it for a non-wedding event!

Happy Planning!!