Weddings are expensive. Here is a roundtable of the best tips to save money on a wedding so that you can put the extra money towards your future marriage goals!
Congratulations! You are about to start a new stage in your life, marriage!
What an exciting time and an amazing next chapter in life!
Now begins the wedding planning! So much to think about in so little time! You'll be inviting your friends and family to join you to celebrate and wish you well as you start this new journey.
Therefore, of course you want to make the day special since it's a celebrate of something so very special!
After all, your wedding day is the first day of your marriage.
However, wedding planning can be quite overwhelming…and expensive. Ever looked at the cost of flowers for normal occasions versus a wedding? They're astronomically higher!
Many couples put undue stress on their marriage from the start by overspending on their wedding. You don't want to start your marriage in wedding debt or have to decide between a down payment on a house or a nice wedding.
Therefore, let's get smarter about how you spend that money so that you can have the fairytale wedding on a budget.
How to Determine What to Spend on a Wedding
Remember that this special day is about you and your loved one.
I know women dream about this day since they were little girls, so think about your “must haves”. What will you regret not having at the wedding? Speak with your partner as well and discuss the “non-negotiables”. There may need to be some give and take here. (First lesson in marriage: Negotiation. Fun, right?)
Next, think about what you can comfortably spend.
Keep in mind that the guests will enjoy the day more if you are relaxed and happy. If overspending on a wedding will cause stress and resentment, avoid it at all costs.
The most important thing is to celebrate the love that you and your partner share.
Plus, no one will know if you are wearing imported lace or if the cake was $10,000. People are coming to see you happy.
I get it. It's so much fun to flip through Bridal magazines and get caught up in the perfect image. Those magazines sell the dream, but you need your day to reflect your values. Think about who you are and let that be reflected in your choices. There are many aspects of a wedding and many options when it comes to spending money.
Here are some ideas and tips to save money on the big day, so that you can enjoy a fruitful marriage from day 1.
Ideas That Will Save You Money on a Wedding
I hope this list gives you some ideas that will make your first day of marriage one that will launch many years of happiness and financial responsibility.
Wedding Venue
Venues set the stage for your budget and your theme. It is easy to see a country club or resort wedding as the perfect option. However, there are many other options available that could be more economical. Many areas are available for receptions and could come alive with a few creative touches.
These areas may include:
- Parks
- Beaches
- Halls
- Wine Cellars
- Restaurants
- Fields
- Barns
- Golf Courses- they usually close at dusk and many times have banquet rooms or patios available in the evening
- Rental Homes
- Backyards of friends or family
One of my favorite venue tips is to consider a home in the area. Reach out to the realtor or owners to see if they would consider its use for the day. In many beautiful areas, homes are only used a few weeks a year so it never hurts to ask if they are open to renting it.
You may also find a home to rent for the week via airbnb or VRBO. The home could become the place to house guests or even honeymoon. This way, you have it booked for that date.
If parking is an issue at a backyard wedding, you may hire people to valet cars to a nearby school or parking lot that is not in use.
Wedding Venue Money Tip: It is typically less expensive to have the same venue for the wedding and the reception than it is to have two separate venues.
Using the same chairs from your ceremony and the reception is also a huge money saver.
Invitations and Cards
Nowadays, it's cheaper than ever before to make your own invitations, cards, etc.
There are SO many free resources available to you. If you put in some time and effort, you can easily make these cards or have a company make them for very affordably.
These days, you can print your own invitations, save the date cards, signs, place cards etc. and no one would know the difference.
If you'd like to make them yourself, you can use a free program like Canva.
In addition, Costco, Walgreens, and Target will print invitations at a low cost. Vista Print has many easy options at a fraction of the price. You can even look at youtube videos to spice them up a bit more.
If you want the invitations to look extra special and have a friend who is a calligrapher, ask them for their their help.
Wedding Dress & Veil
Every bride is beautiful.
A simple dress that fits well will make you feel great.
Spending thousands for a dress you wear once is a decision you'll have to make. Before you spend the money, ask yourself these key questions:
- Are you buying it to impress others?
- Can you find a more affordable option?
- How happy will this dress make you?
If a super expensive dress makes you unbelievably happy, go for it girlfriend! After all, this is your special day.
However, if you'd rather save the money to start a life with your hubby, there are other options that will make you feel just as beautiful!
Here are some ideas to consider:
- You may be able to borrow a dress from a friend.
- Look for a vintage dress (these are coming back in style)
- Repurpose a prom dress
- You can design a dress and have it made overseas for a very reasonable price.
- You can also purchase a dress from an online store
- Buy a dress at a sale and have it altered later
The additional defining garment is the bride's veil. They are very easy to make yourself.
Fabric stores have many gorgeous headbands or tiaras to start with. White netting or tulle is very inexpensive. Plus, you can make it the exact size you want!
Photographer
If there's one item you splurge on, I'd say it should be the photographer. These memories are lasting.
However, it doesn't mean you can't do it on a budget!
Of course you want pictures to remember your special day, but there are things you can do to curtail the costs.
- Photographers often have packages available you to choose from. You will want to have pictures for your family as well. You can purchase one of the basic packages and have friends or another photographer take less formal shots. You will cherish these just as much.
- You can hire a college photography student
- You can hire someone who does photography on the side to take pictures for a flat fee and then give you the CD to make your own prints.
- Ask a friend or neighbor with a DSLR if they'd document your tremendous day
- Ask people to share their own photos by loading them onto a common site for all to share and they can enjoy reliving the special day.
- Edit any photos on your own in Lightroom, a free tool for anyone to use that will drastically change the look of your photos
Photographers charge a great amount for their proofs so think about outside the box to get away on a budget, while still documenting your special day!
Music
I don't know about you, but music for me is the next important thing after a photographer! I LOVE to dance. In fact, I live to dance (and run). Those are my two favorite things. My friends know that if I go missing at a concert, they can find me in the front row dancing by myself having the time of my life. (We know this because it happens every time. Haha!)
At a wedding, bands and DJs vary in price and both can be quite expensive. If music is as important to you as it is to me, you have a few different budgeting options.
- Make your own playlist. Call me crazy, but I am constantly making playlists and always have a wedding playlist so that a DJ has a blueprint guide. It makes the cost lower because his job is easier.
- Check out music in your area and talk to people directly whenever possible.
- If you're into having a band, you might be surprised at how good a college quartet or band can be and they can be very reasonable.
- DJs are much more reasonable than a band and sometimes you can negotiate a better deal if you let them put a sign out or business cards.
Food
This is an area that can get out of control quickly. It's INSANE how much wedding venues charge for food.
For this reason, make sure to have a set price for a number of people and then stick to it.
If you're open to new ideas (besides wedding venue food), here are some things that have become very trendy in the last few years that are VERY inexpensive:
- Food trucks have become a fun option and many venues will let you supply your own caterer. My suggestion is to call it a function, you will get a better rate with less pressure for add-ons.
- Have a BBQ (people love this)
- Have a buffet and do pizzas or Mexican food
- If you do a sit down dinner, use local vegetables that are in season and bread on tables will satisfy people.
- Do a potluck where your guests all bring something
- Have the bride and grooms favorite foods. I've seen weddings where they have macaronic and cheese, enchiladas, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, ceviche, watermelon, etc. It actually made it fun for guests to choose what they want and it wasn't tacky since the meaning behind it was that it was the bridge and grooms favorite things.
I suggest not using the term “wedding” when making calls. That word seems to add on a 400% additional cost. If you can, try to use the term “function”. You will get a better rate with less pressure for add-ons. (Don't lie if they ask, but it shouldn't really matter what the food is for if they're just supplying catering.)
Dessert
Wedding cakes can be SO EXPENSIVE. Therefore, people are doing dessert so many different ways now.
I've seen cupcakes that grandma made, cakes from Costco, cake pops, etc! Really, there's no wrong way to do this. People just want a little treat and want to get to dancing.
Here are a few ideas on how to tackle dessert for a wedding on a budget:
- Make cupcakes at home and display them beautifully. This is a super cheap option you and your family can do leading up to the wedding. You can make them look expensive easily on a budget at home.
- Make cake pops or have a dessert company make them. They'll be much cheaper than a real cake.
- Make a candy bar of the bridge and grooms favorite candies. People can make their own little bag to enjoy at the party and to take home.
- Believe it or not, there are now bakeries that offer a fake cake for the pictures. This is actually GENIUS! In most weddings, the cake sits there all night, the couple cuts into a tier and they take pictures. What happens next? The cake gets rolled into the back room to be cut up into individual pieces for the wedding guests. Therefore, why not have the top tier be real cake and the bottom tiers be fake cake, all covered with fondant so that it all looks the same. Then, when the cake is rolled into the back, they use sheet cakes (from Costco or wherever) to serve the guests. GENIUS!! When the cake goes back to be cut up, no one knows that is wasn't from the beautiful cake on display. You will save a TON of money with this trick.
I don't think you need to spend a lot on dessert. Get to dancing with your groom and just have fun!
Alcohol
This is one category that people really enjoy, but it can get REALLY expensive.
I'm not recommending a dry wedding because (let's be honest), no one likes a dry wedding. =P
There are many options when it comes to alcohol.
If you want to do an open bar, you can do tickets for each person to limit excess and stick to a budget. Anyone that wants more will have no problem paying for it.
It's also perfectly acceptable now to just offer beer and wine, which would be far less expensive than mixed drinks.
The best option is to be at a venue (or backyard, beach, etc) that allows you to bring your own beer and wine. Buy it at Costco and then bring it in for it to be served. Easy peasy and so cheap!
Decorations
Decorations can be extremely expensive so we need to get creative here.
There is so much that you can do with lights and candles. I suggest buying basic candles and having plenty of them. You can put them in mason jars, make center pieces, put them in water, etc. Just having small white lights can set up a magical moment. They are romantic and easy.
For the table centerpieces, consider making your own. There are so many youtube videos that show you how to make incredible centerpieces. Make them way beforehand, have them ready to go, and then add flowers the day before.
Supply matches or lighter sticks so the staff doesn't charge you for that service.
Flowers
Flowers are beautiful, but they charge a premium as soon as they find out it's for a wedding.
I'd recommend planting white rose bushes in your backyard right now so they can grow. (LOL, just kidding. Kinda.)
They are seriously so expensive. Here are some tricks:
- Florists can stretch your main flowers and make better use of them.. Ask which ones are most cost effective. Sometimes you can get a similar look for much less.
- Discuss your second and third choices in the planning and contract stage so you don't get pressured into an expensive change order if your choice is not available.
- Most large cities have wholesale flower markets where you can get overstock or day old at a much lower price.
- I have even seen centerpieces with half artificial flowers as a little trick.
Tableware
Linens, crystal and silver are sometimes part of the catering fee. However, if not, you could opt to rent them or simply get vinyl tablecloths.
For country themes, there is nothing wrong with paper.
Guests like to have fun. The fun factor isn't in the dollars spent. In fact, I've been to some INSANE weddings that probably cost an arm and a leg. I had less fun at those than I did at the barn weddings.
Transportation
Gone are the days when every married couple rides in the back of a limousine.
Again there are no rules, I've seen dune buggies with blasting Beach Boy tunes, old vintage cars, and a bicycle for two headed for a picnic in the park.
Hummer anyone?
Get creative and have fun with this!
Wedding Favors
We all love the custom of a little parting gift to remind us of this special event.
I do think it is sweet and is a great way to thank people for coming.
A treat like candy (from the candy bar) or cookies is never turned down, but there are other good possibilities.
I have a sachet from a wedding I went to 8 years ago. I can still smell that memory.
Small picture frames are also good and might inspire them to take photos.
Other ideas are:
- Wooden spoons with the couples names
- Homemade jam
- M&Ms with the bride and grooms initials
- Candy from the candy bar
Wedding Tips to Save Money
I hope this list was helpful!
The important thing is to not get locked into impressing others.
This is your marriage. Let this day lead you to well thought-out financial decisions that will set the foundation for a wonderful life.
Congratulations on your special day!! =)
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