This post may contain affiliate links, which means I'll receive a commission if you purchase through my links at no extra cost. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read the full disclosure policy for more information.
Pin for later. Follow on Pinterest.
INTRODUCTION
I love the fall! Fall is a season full of excitement—pumpkin spice, cozy sweaters, and the changing colors add enchantment to the year, especially during the wedding season. However, don’t forget to check your finances while planning your fall wedding. A fall financial check-in is a perfect time to prepare for the wedding and create a solid financial foundation for your future. Here are some practical tips for your wedding and financial planning to help you build wealth beyond the wedding.
1. REVIEW UPCOMING EXPENSES FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Fall brings extra spending on holidays, cozy getaways, and wedding details. When planning your elegant fall wedding, thinking ahead about your finances will give you more control and calm.
PLAN FOR THE HOLIDAYS WITH A BUDGET
For this fall financial check-in, create a budget for gifts, food, and travel plans. Be realistic about what you can afford for your wedding, future finances, and upcoming holidays. People pleasing will wreck your finances if you buy gifts on credit cards while trying to plan your wedding. Let other people know that you are planning a wedding and they will understand if you cannot travel this year or buy many gifts.
Get creative instead. Consider making gifts, writing meaningful letters, or getting unique gifts on Etsy. Try saving more money for your wedding by cutting subscriptions and meal planning with excellent services like the $5 meal plan or Ibotta to help save money on groceries. Make more money for your wedding or holidays by driving for Uber, taking surveys with Swagbucks, or asking for a raise at work. Saving or making more money for your wedding can help you enjoy the season and improve your finances this upcoming holiday season.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HOLIDAY SALES
The fall season is packed with holiday sales, including Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and year-end clearance sales. Use couponing sites like Honey and cash rebate sites like Rakuten to save money while shopping online. Often, Rakuten will increase the cashback percentage you receive on purchases during holiday sales so you can save even more money. For more on Rakuten, check out my review here. Shop strategically for holiday gifts and wedding-related items, such as decor, bridesmaids' gifts, or even your honeymoon.
PLAN OUT YOUR TRAVEL FOR THE SEASON
Whether for the holidays or your honeymoon, use this fall financial check-in to talk with your partner about your finances for the upcoming holidays and where you want to focus your money for traveling. Do you want a romantic fall honeymoon and stay local for the holidays? If you make your travel plans early, you can save money on last-minute flights or hotel prices.
2. LOOK AT YOUR WEDDING & NEWLYWED FINANCES
Your wedding is one of the most significant events of your life, but it’s just one step in your financial journey. Your finances during the fall season will help you plan for your wedding and set up your finances for success. Here’s how to enjoy your big day without losing sight of your long-term financial goals.
CHECK-IN WITH YOUR WEDDING BUDGET
How is your wedding budget going? If you are like most people (including myself), the wedding you’ve planned is slowly busting your budget. It’s ok, it happens, and it doesn’t mean anything is going wrong. During this fall financial check-in, adjust and create a wedding budget that supports your finances. Can you trim the guest list? Do you need to adjust your wedding reception food options? Set boundaries, get creative, and consider what you need to change with your wedding spending to help your finances.
If you need more assistance, a wedding planner can help you maximize your dollars and create the wedding of your dreams. Wedding planning sites like The Knot also have a budget tracking feature to help you monitor your expenses.
TALK ABOUT MONEY WITH YOUR PARTNER
If you are single, engaged, or recently married, you will have a partner influenced by your money choices. Talking about money with your partner can be challenging, but money talks are as crucial as picking the wedding venue. Discuss your financial future as a couple, start a money date, and discuss topics like wedding spending, joint accounts, and spending habits. The sooner you get into a money routine with your partner, the easier it is to plan a wedding and the holidays. If you have trouble talking about money due to past experiences, consider hiring a financial therapist or money coach to guide you and your partner through these conversations.
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR REGISTRY
If you are planning an Autumn wedding or just starting your wedding planning, your wedding registry can help support your future. There are several great ways a fall wedding registry can help set up your home and finances for the future, from getting holiday décor to gift cards for your favorite stores to creating a cash fund to help you pay off debt. Review your wedding registry and make intentional choices to help support your future and finances.
3. EXAMINE YOUR CURRENT FINANCES FOR THE FALL
Even though you are excited about planning a wedding and the upcoming holidays, don’t forget to evaluate your current finances. A fall financial check-in is an excellent opportunity to check how well you’ve stuck to your budget or what you need to do to improve.
REASSESS YOUR BUDGET
Use this fall financial check-in to see if your current budget works for you and your goals. Are you spending more on wedding prep than you thought? Is debt adding up for you? Do you need to make adjustments to your budget so that you are saving more? Adjust if needed, and celebrate small wins like hitting savings goals.
For more ideas on how to budget, pay off debt, and improve your finances, check out our Resource and Suggested Reading page for more money ideas to educate, empower, and encourage you to build wealth beyond the wedding. You can also reach out to a friend who is good with money, read blogs, listen to audiobooks, or talk to a financial coach or certified financial planner for more personal guidance with money.
TRACK YOUR EXPENSES
Tracking your expenses opens your eyes to your spending habits and what you value. Do you value traveling or buying things on Amazon? Do you want a meaningful wedding or continue eating out every night with drinks, wondering where your money is going? By tracking your expenses, you can start changing your spending so that your money is intentionally working for you and your future goals. Several apps, like Simplifi, can help you track your money so that you spend more intentionally on the wedding and life you hope for.
In addition to spending intentionally, tracking your spending can reveal ways to save money. Do you want to spend $1000 on groceries and $500 on eating out, or would you prefer to save $500/mo for your wedding? Can you go without a house cleaner for a few months to save money? What about lowering your phone bill or auto insurance? Cutting out some purchases or subscriptions can free up more money for your savings and investing goals. Need help with finding ways to cut subscriptions besides tracking your expenses? Try Rocket Money, which can help find unused subscriptions or help negotiate for lower insurance rates.
AVOID CREDIT CARD DEBT
Wedding costs and holiday shopping can tempt you to rely on credit cards to get what you want. However, you eventually need to pay for these expenses, and the more debt you accrue, the more money you will have to shift from your goals toward the debt. And if you rely on debt to fund your wedding or your holidays, it won’t be a great start to your new life together. It may hurt to cut back and say no to yourself or others now, but you are doing it to say “yes” to your future financial freedom.
Another reason to avoid debt is that it worsens your net worth. Your net worth is all your assets (income, savings, investments, house, cars, etc) minus your liabilities (debt, bills, mortgage, taxes, etc). The more positive your net worth is, the better off you are financially. If you want to improve your net worth, you either increase your assets or decrease your liabilities, such as debt. The more credit card debt or loans you have, the lower your net worth will be and the worse you are financially, which can put even more stress on you for the holidays.
Avoid accruing more debt and devise a debt payoff plan. I used Dave Ramsey’s books and the snowball method to help me get out of debt, where you pay off the lowest balance first, then use the money to pay off the next debt until everything is paid off. Another popular option is the avalanche method, where you focus on the debt with the highest interest, like credit cards, to pay off quickly and crush your debt.
CHECK YOUR CREDIT SCORE
Your credit score is your best friend if you plan to make significant purchases like a new home after the wedding. The higher your score, the better the rates you’ll get on big-ticket items like mortgages and car loans. If you haven’t checked your credit score within the last year, check it during this fall financial check-in for free at places like Annual Credit Report.com or Credit Karma.
Why check your credit report at least once a year? If you notice discrepancies on your credit report, such as someone taking out a mortgage in your name, you can address it quickly rather than find out several years later. In addition, data breaches are happening more often, and you must proactively protect yourself. Take steps like freezing your credit and using 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) for alerts when your accounts are accessed.
Get identity theft insurance from Aura or LifeLock. Protect your passwords with 1Password. Use a VPN from SurfEasy or Aura to protect yourself online. Try a service like DeleteMe to protect your information from being sold online. These steps and regularly checking your credit score can help protect you and your finances from identity theft.
4. PREPARE FOR YOUR TAXES NEXT YEAR
Getting married is exciting and will impact your taxes next year. You don’t want taxes to sneak up on you after your wedding. Fall is an excellent time to get ahead of the game and prepare for any changes. Find out what’s different for you and your spouse and adjust your withholding if necessary.
If you or your partner own a small business, ensure you’re current on quarterly tax payments. You can also review your tax-advantaged investing accounts like 401(k)s or IRAs for this tax year and see if you need to make any changes. Contributing to these accounts can lower your taxable income and boost your savings. If you need help, hire a reasonable tax attorney, accountant, or CPA to assist you with your taxes.
5. PLAN FOR YOUR FUTURE
Once the “I do's” are said, life as newlyweds comes with exciting opportunities in your finances. Start setting up your financial house for the future.
CHECK YOUR INSURANCES
Marriage might mean changes to your health, life, or auto insurance policies to cover your new family. Ensure you're covered properly—don’t forget to add your spouse as a beneficiary if needed. You can also shop around on Policygenius for more coverage for your insurance to get great rates.
SAVE INTENTIONALLY FOR THE FUTURE
Life happens. Whether a flat tire or an unexpected medical bill, having 3-6 months of expenses in an “emergency fund” gives you peace of mind. I recommend having your emergency fund in a separate bank so you are less likely to spend it from your regular accounts. I also recommend putting your emergency fund in an FDIC-insured account like a high-yield savings account or money market so that you gain more interest to grow your money.
However, don’t just save for emergencies. You can create other savings or sinking funds in high-yield savings accounts for your wedding, Christmas gifts, or travel so that you don’t have to rely on credit cards for your future.
Need more money and have fun in the process? Start a savings challenge. Try a 52-week savings challenge where you start saving $1 the first week and increase by $1 each week. By the end of the year, you’ll have saved over $1,300!
INVEST FOR THE FUTURE
How do you build wealth while planning a wedding? Live on less than you earn, avoid debt, and invest for the future while planning for your present. Start investing in your employer retirement funds like 401k, IRAs, individual stocks, index funds, target date funds, businesses, or real estate. You can confidently invest with the right tools and resources for as low as $25 at places like Fidelity or Acorns. During this fall financial check-in, consider reading or listening to audiobooks like “A Random Walk Down Wall Street” or “The Simple Path to Wealth” to start investing. However, talk to a financial adviser if you want more personalized recommendations.
6. EXPLORE YOUR FUTURE FINANCIAL GOALS TOGETHER
With the year almost wrapping up, this fall financial check-in is the perfect time to assess wedding planning progress and set goals for the coming year. What are your financial goals? Are you on track for your 5-10 year goals? Is your wedding supporting your future finances? These are great questions to discuss with your partner during this fall season.
SET FUTURE GOALS
What is the wealthy version of you doing? How can money serve you and your family as a tool to create the life you hope for? What’s next for you and your partner? Do you want to save, earn, or grow your career? Do you want to take care of your aging parents? How do you want to teach your kids about money or preparing for summer activities and college? Start talking with your partner about these goals, when you want to achieve them, and how to plan to make them happen.
CHECK YOUR NET WORTH
What’s your net worth? Calculate it by subtracting your liabilities (debt, loans, taxes, bills) from your assets (savings, investments, property). Your net worth is like your “wealth number,” which shows how you’re progressing in building wealth. Tracking my net worth during the wedding planning helped me keep my finances and wedding in perspective so that my wedding didn’t drain my finances. I used Simplifi to track my expenses and net worth, and Simplifi can help you quickly check your net worth during this fall financial check-in. However, several excellent resources can help you track your net worth, so find one that works for you.
PREPARE FOR A YEAR-END FINANCIAL REVIEW
Plan a time at the end of the year to review your finances. During this fall season, consider where your money went over the last few months and if such spending was aligned with your goals. Celebrate your progress towards your goals, no matter how small. If you are getting married or newly married, consider checking in with a financial coach or adviser this season to review your current financial situation in this new season of your life.
CONCLUSION
Your wedding is a beautiful beginning, but this is only one event in your whole financial journey. By checking in on your finances this fall, you’ll plan a fantastic wedding and set yourself up for long-term success. With thoughtful budgeting, intelligent savings strategies, and open communication with your partner, you can confidently enter married life—and build a bright financial future together.
IN SUMMARY
Fall Financial Check-In Tips for Building Wealth Beyond Your Wedding
1. Review upcoming expenses for the fall and the holidays. Create a holiday budget, take advantage of holiday sales with Honey and Rakuten, and plan your holiday travel.
2. Review your wedding and newlywed finances. Check your wedding budget, discuss money with your partner, and optimize your wedding registry.
3. Examine your current finances. Look at your personal budget, track expenses, avoid credit card debt, and check your credit score.
4. Prepare for your next tax season to save money.
5. Plan for your future by reviewing your current insurance policies, starting to save intentionally for emergencies, and investing.
6. Examine your future financial goals together. Create new goals, track your net worth with tools like Simplifi, and prepare for a year-end financial review.
Are you ready to dive into your fall financial check-up to build wealth beyond your wedding?
Pin for later. Follow on Pinterest.
