How to Save Money on Your Big Day
Congratulations on your engagement! Planning a wedding can be both exciting and stressful. There are numerous ways to reduce wedding costs while still having a beautiful event. Read along as we give you some tips to help you have your dream wedding without breaking the bank.
Consider Not Getting Married on Saturday
Saturday is the most popular day to get married, for various reasons. Guests and couples don’t have to take off work, they have more travel and recovery time, and there’s more time for celebration without worrying about getting up early the next day. These factors are all pretty convincing for booking a Saturday wedding. However, Saturday tends to be the most expensive day to have a wedding.
If you would like to save money, getting married on a different day of the week could help you achieve that. Compare the prices to see the cost difference for various days.
You might be afraid fewer people will attend, or guests will leave early. However, weekday and Sunday weddings are becoming more common in the wedding industry today. People will take off work and plan around your wedding, especially if you told them the date well in advance,
Think “Off Season”
You might want to get married when it’s warm outside and everything is green. Unfortunately, peak season usually runs from May to October. Venue prices are higher during peak season, and vendors may charge higher prices as well. Consider having your wedding during the non-peak season to help you save some extra money. You can still have a beautiful wedding even during the non-peak season.
Hire Local Vendors
To avoid having to pay any extra costs with your vendors, hire locally. You will be able to save on transportation costs if your vendors don’t have to travel very far. Most venues even have a preferred vendor list that they would like you to use. The venue trusts the vendors they suggest and they are typically local.
Be Selective with the Guest List
It can be difficult to narrow down your guest list. However, the smaller the list, the cheaper the wedding. Each guest costs you more money than you probably think, so if you only invite your closest friends or family members, you can save plenty of money. If you have a lot of friends or family that you want to be there, consider not allowing any plus ones. This allows you to have everyone you want there without paying for people you don’t know very well.
Ditch the Fancy Invitations
You might want to go overboard with your invitations, but most guests won’t notice the little but pricey details. Rather than choosing the most expensive paper, choose the less expensive one. Your invitations can still be beautiful and make a statement, without breaking the bank.
Start Wedding Dress Shopping Early
The earlier you start your wedding dress shopping, the more likely you are not to have to pay for any rush fees. You will have more time to research different shops and find any trunk shows near you. There are plenty of trendy dresses at trunk shows that are offered at a discount. You can even snag a sample dress to save a little extra on your wedding dress. If the sample dress is your size or doesn’t need very many alterations, this could be a great route to take.
Use Ceremony Florals for the Reception
Wedding florals can be pricey, so why not reuse them? If you have any flowers in your ceremony, move them to the reception afterward. You can put them in various places in your reception, such as the cake table, gift table, or even the sweetheart table if you have one.
Another way to save money on flowers is to use in-season flowers. Take a look at what flowers are in season during the time of your wedding. Floral shops and stores will usually have a larger quantity of the flowers you want if they are in season. If you want flowers that aren’t in season, you’ll probably have to pay a higher price and might have a harder time finding them.
Limit the Late-Night Snacks
If you are planning on your wedding to go late in the night, you might think you need to provide a lot of snacks to keep your guests full. However, you never know how many guests are going to stay until the end, so don’t order a snack for every guest. You also don’t need to go overboard with the late-night snacks because not everyone there is going to have any.
Skip Save-the-Dates
Though it is common to send save-the-dates, they aren’t always necessary. If you are keeping your wedding on the smaller side, most of your guests will already know the date of the wedding before receiving a save-the-date. If you know people who need to book plane tickets, you can let them know ahead of time when your wedding will be. You will save money by letting people know individually and then sending the actual invite later.
Create Specialty Cocktails
If you want to save on drink costs, you can create specialty cocktails that the bar will serve. You can provide other drinks like wine and beer, without having to supply a variety of liquors. Not only will your guests still have drinks to choose from, but having specialty cocktails can be a fun way to add a little bit of your personality to the wedding.
Embrace Your Venue’s Details
To avoid spending a fortune on décor, choose a venue that allows you to embrace the natural beauty of it. Maybe the ceremony space has a lush backdrop, or the reception space provides string lights on the ceiling. A venue that is beautiful without needing a lot of décor can exponentially limit décor costs.
Book an Emerging Photographer
You might be scared to book a newer photographer, but there are plenty of professional and talented emerging photographers. On top of that, they often come at half the price of wedding photographers with years of experience. If you scroll through their portfolio and like what you see, you should consider booking them for your wedding. Don’t let their lack of experience scare you!
Skip the Wedding Favors
Wedding favors can be a nice touch, but they are no longer seen as necessary. You can do other things to show your gratitude toward your guests without giving away gifts they might not keep.