Your wedding day is one of the most exciting days of your life. It also can be one of the most stressful to plan when you start looking at the numbers.
Don’t worry, though. There are dozens of ways to have a beautiful wedding without breaking the bank. Here are 11 tips for planning your wedding on a budget:
1. Buy and Sell Your Wedding Dress Online
One item that can potentially cost you thousands of dollars is your wedding dress. What you may not know is there’s a way to help you cut down the costs and even make your money back.
Borrowing Magnolia is an online platform that allows you to sell your wedding dress once your wedding day is over. It’s a great way to be sustainable and recoup some of your expenses.
2. Pick an Off-Day During an Off-Season
The most popular months throughout the year to get married are from May to October, with the weekends being the most sought out days.
While it may not be as convenient for every guest, vendors, and venues typically lower their prices when you select a weekday during an off-season.
3. Trim Down Your Guest List
The truth is that every guest is another expense. Your caterer, the bar tab, and even the venue price can change dramatically between 50 and 150 people. If your budget is starting to get a bit out of control, it might be best to take a look at your guest list first.
It might seem difficult to think of who you won’t invite. Start with those who are farthest from your inner circle. Maybe not all twenty of your coworkers need to be invited. A small, intimate wedding can be just as beautiful.
4. Rent Flowers
Of course, there is something special about having fresh flowers for your wedding day. But what if you could rent faux flowers instead? Renting flowers is a significantly cheaper option.
Plus, you won’t have to think about what to do with them after the wedding is over. They’ll simply be returned to the company.
5. Use Groupon
While you’re going through your wedding planning timeline, you may be looking at certain elements such as hair, nails, and makeup . If you want to save money, plan ahead by purchasing specials through Groupon.
Groupon typically has specials upwards of 75% off the original price to incentivize new customers to become returning customers. It’s a great way to get a discount on these types of services.
Plus, you’ll know exactly who you’ll be working with and can talk to them about the different ideas you have ahead of time.
6. Be Your Own DJ
Thanks to music platforms like Apple Music or Spotify, you can become your own DJ at your wedding. Make a list of your favorite songs for the wedding day, plug in a speaker, and hit play.
All you’ll need is someone from your bridal party to take over as the MC when making any announcements.
7. Go BYOB
Did you know that some wedding venues let you bring your own booze? That’s right! Typically it’s about the cost per bottle when paying for an open bar. A great alternative is to bring your own bottles instead.
Buying from a bulk store such as Costco is significantly cheaper than hiring a bar service for your wedding day. For smaller weddings, let people serve themselves so you don’t have to pay for the cost of a bartender.
8. Recruit Friends to Help
Your friends are going to be thinking about what kind of gift to give you as a new couple. If they have a special talent such as photography or can put together a beautiful bouquet arrangement, see if they’d be willing to offer their services as a gift instead!
Even if they don’t have professional skills, they may have the ability to help you set up or take down the event rather than hiring a wedding planner to do the nitty-gritty work. As your friends, they’ll likely be willing to share their talents with you on your wedding day.
9. Go Thrift Shopping
A lot of the items you might be looking for to help decorate the venue can easily be found at a discounted price through local thrift stores.
For instance, you can buy second-hand candle holders to use for centerpieces rather than buying new ones.
10 Sign Up for Credit Card Rewards
You already know a wedding can be rather expensive. There may be things you’ll need to put on your credit card. However, you might want to consider signing up for one that offers cash rewards. This way, as you spend money, you can earn money back. It’s all about finding which has the best incentives when you sign on, such as a $200 cash bonus.
11. Try Non-Traditional Venues
Major wedding venues will vary in price upon their location. On average, a wedding venue can charge around $100 to $250 per guest. However, in larger cities like New York or Miami, you could easily be looking at upwards of $500 per guest.
This doesn’t include if you choose to rent chairs, tables, and other decor for your wedding as well. Oh, and don’t forget, there may be a time limit as to how long you and your guests can be there.
A great alternative is to go for a nontraditional route. Public parks, a friend’s backyard, an Airbnb, or even libraries can all be substantially cheaper, if not completely free to use. Be creative and think outside the box!
Summary
As you start planning your wedding, the most important thing you can do is set up a budget for yourself and stick to it. Know where you want to allocate your funds and where you’re able to cut back on some of the extra costs.
It’s easy to get caught up and spend more than what you anticipated. Be smart about it from the beginning and you’ll be able to plan the wedding of your dreams, regardless of your budget.
Laila Azzahra is a professional writer and blogger that loves to write about technology, business, entertainment, science, and health.