Mia and Mason jointly agreed on a wedding budget of $35,000 because they wanted a beautiful and memorable wedding but small enough to afford. Having saved up for the big day and both the bride and the groom holding great careers, Mia and Mason agreed that it was a realistic budget. In the end, they spent $32,093 on their dream wedding. Both of them were responsible for paying for the wedding but Mia's parents were sweet enough to pay for the DJ while Mason's parents were also very kind in paying for the photography and videography. Mia and Mason never ask for help and they wanted to pay for the wedding themselves and to take on that responsibility so they would not burden their parents. Since Mason knew the chef at the venue, the couple was able to get a discounted rate on the buffet options. The venue and chef was also kind enough to include a small rehearsal dinner complimentary to the wedding package Mia and Mason selected. Since Mia's cousin was the officiant, the couple saved money on officiant fees. Mia also saved money in personally creating some of the decor used for the centerpieces and the cake table which affected the planning process to take extra time to create. They knew that somethings such as the decor needed to be handcrafted while the wedding rings were going to be expensive.
Another planning process aspect that was affected by this budget was the stationary elements. The couple did not want to focus the budget on the save-the-date notices, invitations, and thank-you notes so Mia looked for online deals and ways they can save the budget for more important things. Using Zazzle, Etsy, and Weddingomania, Mia was able to get a discount on a bundle of 100 stationary elements. Instead of hiring a calligrapher, her mom addressed all of the envelopes elegantly. As the hotel was Mia and Mason's dream wedding venue, the couple had to save money on the wedding aspects that were not as important such as the stationary elements and transportation since it was not needed as the ceremony and reception were at the same venue.