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You've got the gorgeous engagement ring—now it's time to get planning, right? Slow down, bride-to-be. When you're newly engaged, it's easy to start dreaming about every wedding detail, but there's one major item on your to-do list that you need to address before all others: your wedding budget.
We know, we know... figuring out how much you can spend on each item for your big day isn't the best part of wedding planning, but it is the most necessary. After all, nailing down that number will ultimately guide every other choice you make, and help you prioritize what's really important to you and your groom.
To help you figure out that magic number, we consulted New York wedding planner and founder of Daughter of Design, Annie Lee, for her top budget creation tips. From figuring out the average number American couples spend (last year it was $23,883!) to nailing down prioritizing tactics and the order in which you should book your vendors, we've got you—and that daunting excel spreadsheet waiting to be filled out—covered.