Course Catalog / BMU 108 / Lesson 1 of 5

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BMU 108

Warm up

1. Think of a big purchase you made. Did you pick the price first, or the thing first?

See the answer

Picking the price first is the habit this lesson builds.

Why this matters

A wedding can be a joyful day and a big bill. Many couples shop first and add up the cost later. By then, deposits are paid and the plan is hard to change.

This course flips the order. You set your number first. Then every choice has to fit inside it. You finish with a one page Wedding Money Plan you can share with your partner and your family.

Start with what you already do

You already plan with a limit. When you shop for groceries with $100, you choose what matters and skip the rest.

Common belief: A real wedding has to cost a lot.

What is actually true: A wedding costs what you decide it costs. Your number comes from what you have and what you can save, not from what other people spend.

Key words

budget

A plan for how much you will spend and on what.

buffer

Money you set aside for costs you did not expect.

confirmed gift

Money a family member has promised, with the amount and date clear.

priority

A part of the day that matters most to you.

What this course is and is not

Short explanation

Your wedding number has three parts. Add them up. Then hold some back for surprises. What is left is the amount you plan with.

Part 1: Money you have now

Count only money set aside for the wedding. Do not count your emergency fund or rent money.

Part 2: Money you can save before the date

Use a budget worksheet, like the free CFPB monthly budget worksheet, to see what you can save each month. Multiply that by the months left. Be honest. A number you cannot keep up will not help.

Part 3: Confirmed gifts

If family wants to help, ask for the amount and when it will come. Count it only when it is clear. A maybe is not money yet.

Hold back a buffer

Costs grow. Fees, extra guests, and small changes add up. This course suggests holding back 10% as a buffer. That number is a course rule of thumb, not an official rule. Pick what fits you.

Rank your top three

List what matters most to the two of you. Maybe it is food, music, and having grandparents there. Your top three get money first. Everything else gets what is left.

Text version of this figure

• 1. Have now: Wedding money only. Not rent or emergency money.
• 2. Add: can save: Monthly saving times months left.
• 3. Add: confirmed gifts: Clear amount and date only.
• 4. Take off a buffer: Course rule of thumb: 10%.
• Made up example: $4,000 plus $7,200 plus $800 is $12,000. Minus a $1,200 buffer, plan with $10,800.

Worked example: Find a made up couple's number

Dana and Sam are a made up couple. Their date is 12 months away.

Part	Model	Why it works
Have now	$4,000 in a wedding savings account	Only wedding money. The emergency fund stays separate.
Can save	$600 a month for 12 months is $7,200	From their budget worksheet, so they can keep it up.
Confirmed gifts	$800 from an aunt, in March	Amount and date are clear.
Total	$4,000 + $7,200 + $800 = $12,000	Their full number.
Buffer	10% of $12,000 is $1,200	Held back for surprises.
Plan with	$10,800	Every choice has to fit inside this.
Top three	Food, music, and a nearby place so older relatives can come	These get money first.

Practice: Find the number

A made up couple has $2,500 saved. They can save $400 a month for 10 months. A parent promised $1,000 by June. What is their full number, and what do they plan with after a 10% buffer?

Check your practice: feedback

Full number: $2,500 + $4,000 + $1,000 = $7,500.

Buffer: 10% of $7,500 is $750.

Plan with: $6,750.

Common mistakes

• Shopping before you set the number. Prices you see first start to feel normal. Set the number first.
• Counting a maybe gift. Count gifts only when the amount and date are clear.
• Using emergency money. Keep your emergency fund for emergencies.

Check your understanding

Take it as many times as you like. Pick an answer, then open the feedback.

1. Which money belongs in a wedding number?

1. A gift with a set amount and date.
2. Your rent money for next month.
3. A gift a cousin said might happen.

See the answer and feedback

A is correct. Right. Count gifts only when they are clear.

B: Rent money is not wedding money. Review Part 1.

C: A maybe is not money yet. Review Part 3.

2. A couple can save $300 a month for 8 months. How much is that?

1. $300
2. $2,400
3. $3,800

See the answer and feedback

B is correct. Right. $300 times 8 is $2,400.

A: That is one month. Review Part 2.

C: Multiply $300 by 8. Review Part 2.

3. Why hold back a buffer?

1. So the venue can charge more.
2. Because a bigger budget looks better.
3. To cover fees and changes you did not plan for.

See the answer and feedback

C is correct. Right. Surprises are normal. The buffer pays for them.

A: The buffer is for you, not the venue. Review Hold back a buffer.

B: The goal is a plan that works. Review Hold back a buffer.

Next up

Next you will fit your guest list and your timeline to your number. Lesson 2: Guest list math and your timeline. BMU 108 is part of BMU All Access. All Access is $9.99 a month and gives you unlimited access to the course catalog. Sign up free as a Founding Member to continue. Public enrollment opens Nov 9, 2026.

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