Weddings in Cartagena-- the budget discussion

 This is an article that pretty much reflects the importance of thinking about a realistic budget. Many brides struggle with the question of what is the ideal budget for a wedding in Cartagena.  what is a realistic budget?

A budget is:

• A study of the range of what wedding products and services cost in your area, balanced against your tastes, inspirations and fantasies.
• Factored by the number of guests you choose to invite.

 Here is the full article for reference on the topic for the USA. However, the categorization for Cartagena in terms of money brackets is certainly lower. A nice wedding in Cartagena starts at a budget of $12,000-15,000 depending on the number of guests. A fantastic event will require a budget of $25,000-$35,000 on average depending on the event and number of guests. For events with a large number of  guests a fantastic event could range between $30,000-$50,000. Certainly, the number of guests, the type of vendors you choose, the decor style, etc.. have a great impact on the final budget and quality of the event.

Yes, there are always ways to prioritize a budget or work around it but those initial targets give you a realistic first comparison of what to expect for Cartagena.

USA: Wedding Planning Budgets -www.brides.com

So, at the risk of being more precise, I’ll break it down from my experience. Wedding Budgets:

•  Low Budget Bride (Budget: $5000 – $14,999) Has the resources, but will have to make some tough decisions on the reception. The big conundrum is whether to economize across the board or cut in specific areas, and not others.
• Statistically Average Bride: (Budget: $15,000 – $34,999) Has the resources to do a nice job on the reception. Her biggest decision should be ‘How many guests can we invite to have a nice reception?’
• High Budget Bride (Budget: $35,000 – $60,000): Has more than enough money to do great things. Her biggest challenge is not to make bad choices among wedding vendors, irrespective of money.
• Luxury Bride (Budget: more than $60,000): She wants to be best options for a wedding and there is not reason to hold back.

A budget is not:

• … is not throwing a dart at a target.
• … budget is not the total amount in the parent’s bank account or your bank account.
• … budget is not what one or more girlfriends spent on their wedding.
• … is not necessarily what you see on Platinum Weddings or Get Married TV (those are inspirations)

A line budget item is not:

• “I only have $750 left for videography. Will you take that?”
• “Oh, my third cousin, Oscar, is going to take the photos.”

A budget is:

• $1 Million
• $50,000
• $25,000
• $7,500
• $3,000

Budget does not necessarily mean low budget. A budget can be…

• A specific dollar amount or less
• A specific dollar amount or more
• A range from $X to $Y (this is the preferred budget)
• Money is no object (must be the truth)

The Wedding Report publishes ongoing data about spending in the wedding industry. It consistently reports that brides spend close to 50% more than they had budgeted for the wedding, with an average wedding expense running  just under $30,000. This shows a major discrepancy between the original money allotted, from reality of their desires.
I would assert the reason for this is that their original money allotment was not a budget at all. It was dart throwing at a bank book. It is important to therefore, educate the brides on realistic goals based on their dreams, goals and desires for their wedding day.