A wedding is one of life’s most memorable moments. It’s also one of life’s most expensive ones. This is especially true if you’ve been planning it from the moment you became engaged.
Personally, there should be no regrets when it comes to a wedding. You should make it everything you have ever dreamed of. Of course, this could also end up costing way more money than you have in the bank or in available credit. The Knot reports the average cost of a wedding is $32,641, with it being higher in large urban areas.
Since most young adults and their parents don’t have tens of thousands of dollars lying around, planning a wedding that doesn’t cost as much but also doesn’t look cheap is key.
10 Ways to Cut the Cost of a Wedding
1. Invite fewer guests
The more people you invite, the more money you have to spend feeding them. Even if you are having a buffet-style reception, you’ll need to have more food with more guests.
2. Have the ceremony on an off day
Most weddings are on Saturdays. Consider having yours on a Friday, Sunday, or another day during the week. Venues will charge less because they don’t normally have those days booked, so it’s extra money any way they look at it.
3. Change the reception time
Most receptions are held at night, but no one said you have to do it during dinner hours. You can have a lunchtime reception instead, which would cost much less.
4. Hire your friends
Do you know someone who takes gorgeous pictures? Or do you know someone who can record the ceremony? Hire your friends to do the jobs that you would pay professionals thousands of dollars to do. Some friends will even offer to do it for free as a wedding gift, but don’t expect it. Always offer to pay them, and then if they say they won’t accept it, you can walk away with a ton of savings.
5. Make your own decorations
Pinterest has thousands upon thousands of DIY ideas for weddings, including everything from tablecloths to centerpieces, and much more. Take time to look through all of the ideas, and then put together a theme that matches what you’ve been envisioning for your wedding.
Not crafty? Ask your loved ones to help. You probably know someone who can recreate Pinterest crafts without batting an eyelash. Even if you don’t, most DIY projects are not as difficult as they look. Just follow the directions, and see what happens.
6. Shop around for catering
Catering is expensive unless you look around for other options. You don’t need prime rib for your wedding. Your guests will likely be just as pleased with a chicken or fish platter, which are much less expensive.
Look beyond the venue as well. Venues usually overcharge for food. If you have a caterer come to the venue, you’ll pay much less because there’s more competition out in the community, so prices can vary greatly.
7. Rent a wedding dress
As much as your wedding dress is the focal point of your wedding, the reality is you will wear it for one night for a few hours and then never again. You will end up putting it in a closet, only to look at it from time to time to reminisce. Reminiscing is just as easy with pictures, so you really don’t need to keep your dress.
Renting a wedding dress is a great idea and a cost-effective one. Borrowing Magnolia is a website that specializes in wedding dress rentals, along with PreownedWeddingDresses.com.
8. Sell back wedding items
You can save money by selling your wedding decorations and dress. Sites like BridalBrokerage.com and Tradesy.com are great places to post images of the items you want to sell.
You can also look for wedding items to buy from these sites, which will be much less expensive since most of them are used or were intended to be used, like items from canceled weddings.
9. Choose seasonal flowers
Seasonal flowers will be far less expensive because there’s an abundance of them. If you choose fall flowers and your wedding is in the summer, you’ll end up paying a premium for them.
You may also want to consider silk flowers versus real ones. They look just as beautiful, and you won’t be stuck with using seasonal flowers just to save money.
10. Borrow jewelry
Remember, you need something old, new, borrowed and blue. Let your borrowed be jewelry. Not only will be it be sentimental if you borrow from a relative, but it will definitely help you save some money on bridal jewelry.
What to Remember
You can save a lot of money on your wedding and still make it look magical just by cutting some corners no one will notice. Always remember, this isn’t about what is around you. It’s about sharing a special day with the person you want to share your life with forever.
