When you’re getting married, it’s all about details: schedules, contracts, accessories, and of course, your budget. You think you’ve carefully devised your spending plan, but costs seem to creep upward as you hire vendors, choose flowers, shop for décor, and order your attire. If these expenses surprise you, you’re not alone. Fortunately, you can fight back and stay within your wedding budget by following some sound budgeting advice.

We Spent How Much?

You’ve heard about the rising costs of weddings, but get ready for some major sticker shock. Wedding Wire’s 2019 Newlywed Report reveals that couples paid an average of $38,700 to tie the knot. The lion’s share of that, about $29,000, is spent only on the ceremony and reception. Engagement rings averaged about $5,000, and honeymoons priced out at around $4,500. All these figures may seem shocking, especially if you only expect to spend around $16,000 like most couples in the survey did.

Wait, Where Did All the Money Go?

These numbers didn’t originate in a vacuum, however. Wedding Wire’s report also mentions that the couples surveyed admitted underestimating their budgets by almost 45%. About a third of these couples concluded that their initial budgets weren’t realistic, but they’d created these budgets before researching average wedding vendor pricing in their area. Also, they selected upgrades and add-ons without counting the cost. Slowly, these extras accumulated until they’d spent far more than they’d planned.

What Do You Really Need?

Because your wedding involves both your emotions and your wallet, striking a balance between the two can be challenging. Don’t feel bad. That was also a common struggle for couples in the Wedding Wire survey. Around 28% confessed that they “fell in love” with extras, another 21% said they chose more upgrades, and 25% added custom or personalized elements. Some of those figures probably overlap, but they illustrate how challenging it can be to craft and stick with a budget.

After commiserating with these couples, you can refer to this data for guidance while you’re still in the planning process. In other words, decide your priorities early on and stick to them. A Practical Wedding’s Meg Keene offers excellent advice on how to prioritize, along with a planning worksheet to help you narrow down your “must-haves.” Once your priority list is complete, you have a better decision-making guide when shopping for vendors and services. It may also help you resist the temptation to choose extras and upgrades that are not in your budget.

Are There Other Ways To Cut Wedding Costs?

The Wedding Wire survey lists average expenses for several categories such as venues, catering, videography, stationery, and attire. These are good benchmarks, but Martha Stewart Weddings breaks down typical wedding costs by state. Your best bet is to research expenses in your specific region. Thumbtack and Wedding Wire may have ballpark figures on what items cost locally. Meanwhile, don’t overlook the hidden costs. A December 2017 Brides article stresses the importance of reading the fine print in your contracts to ensure you stay within your wedding budget.

Thinking about getting hitched in a cheaper location? That’s one possible strategy, but keep in mind that destination weddings usually have lower turnouts. The Knot estimates that guests pay $1,032 each to attend stateside destination nuptials. If you contribute anything toward their airfare and lodging, then you could end up spending almost as much as you would on a local wedding.

Can You Make Your Budget Work?

It’s surprising how little details add up to big bucks, especially when you’re planning a wedding. Developing unrealistic budgets and adding on unforeseen extras are two common problems. To combat both, information is your best resource. Knowing average vendor costs in your region and creating a list of priorities can help you stay within your wedding budget and keep your special day affordable.