Money is cited as one of the most common causes of conflict in relationships, and communication around the topic of money can be stressful, especially for couples who are planning their weddings. 

With the national average wedding cost now coming in at over $33,000, successfully negotiating with your wedding vendors is more important than ever to make sure you get your dream wedding without breaking your budget or breaking your engagement off over money arguments! 

Lisa Mitchell, Communications Expert & Founder of Power Body Language, shares three tactics when creating a wedding budget with your significant other: 

Tactic 1: Create a budget with your partner Before you start meeting with vendors 
Having an open and honest conversation around your wedding budget before you start falling in love with floral arrangements and wedding cakes can help make decision making easier and keep the feeling of partnership intact throughout the process. Once you’ve clearly established your budget and agree to stick with it, you know exactly how to frame the conversation with vendors and that clarity can help you get what you want at the price that fits your budget. 

Tactic 2: Present a united front when negotiating with vendors 
It needs to be clear that you’re both sticking to your budget and that you have a very clear idea of what you want and doing so with a united front makes it more likely that you’ll be successful in negotiating your teams. If one partner appears to be checked out of the process, seems indifferent, or is voicing contradicting wants and budget numbers, you lose leverage and the vendor can exploit that opportunity to sway you in a different direction that could result in breaking in your budget or an argument on your drive home. 

Tactic 3: Don’t be afraid to ask! 
If you see a way that a vendor could add value without adding a lot of cost to the budget, don’t be afraid to ask for it!  Most vendors really do want to go above and beyond to make their clients experience great and if there’s something that would put a vendor at the top of your list without sending your budget over the top, speak up and ask for it. Be reasonable and realistic with your request of course, but spend some time on framing a compelling reason why they should want to provide it to you or how you can help add value to their business in return. Maybe it’s making a referral or leaving a glowing review on a wedding site, or letting them market their business at the reception venue. Get creative and find a win/win offer that gets you more of what you want while also making it worthwhile for the vendor to consider your request. 

Effective communication, both with your partner and with your vendors, can help you get the wedding experience you want and do so within your budget and with far less stress! 

For more information, visit www.powerbodylanguage.com, or connect with Lisa on Instagram: @lisamitchellindy.