You’ve done it! You’ve found your other half, and she’s agreed to tie the knot. The hard part is over, right? If you and your bride-to-be have started discussing ideas for your dream wedding, you might worry that your problems are just beginning.
Weddings are expensive, but they don’t have to break the bank. If you find yourself going over budget, don’t panic! There are many clever ways to cut costs without sacrificing quality, and all without a wedding planner.
Learn easy ways to save that can minimize budget stress and allow you to focus on making memories with your family, friends, and future bride.
Create an all-in-one wedding access site where your guests can get all the logistics information they need, like transportation, rehearsal dinner location, and hotel details. You can save as much as $800 by including an insert with the webpage information rather than sending out an additional card for every event.
Investing in a wedding website makes it easy to update guests should plans change and digitally collect and manage RSVPs, and with all your guest info at hand, thank-you note writing will be a breeze.
Many sites offer free wedding website building templates to get you started, as well as paid options for additional features. A typical wedding website costs between $50 and $200 per year depending on what specific features you include, such as a wedding registry integration or RVSP management tool.
With all the information available in one place, your guests won’t be distracting you with constant questions, and you’ll have more time to plan and enjoy your special day.
Saturdays are the most popular day of the week for people to hold their nuptials. However, you’ll be amazed how much you can save by having your wedding ceremony on Friday, Sunday, or during the week. Site fees are generally less, and food and beverage minimums are lower.
If your dream venue is booked every Saturday during the time of year you want to get married, consider a Friday or Sunday wedding as those days do not generally book up as quickly.
Conserve your wedding budget by ordering your wedding invitations, programs, menus, and other necessary print-outs all at once. Bulk ordering can help reduce printing fees.
If you want to save on stationery and stamps, try an RSVP postcard instead. Postcards are envelope-free, and their stamps are cheaper than those used in regular first-class mail. A postcard RSVP is a fun break from tradition that your guests will happily add to their refrigerator.
Social media offers numerous excellent ways for you and your future bride to find deals and sales on all things wedding. Follow local bridal salons and boutiques to catch promotions and learn about local sample sales and trunk shows. Find a community on social media dedicated to finding deals and sharing wedding tips in your local area, and ask those in the immediate know for their secrets.
With a little persistence, it’s not hard to find top-quality wedding necessities at discounted rates.
Looking to capture your happiest moments without burning a hole in your wallet? Find a talented up-and-coming wedding photographer to save money on your wedding pictures. Scour social media for someone who fits your style or ask a seasoned photographer whose work you like to recommend someone with a similar aesthetic.
Give someone the chance to build their portfolio, and you may be amazed at the results. Do a trial photo shoot or hire them to photograph your engagement or pre-wedding events to make sure you and your photographer are on the same page about how to capture your special day.
Put your creativity to the test while saving money by ordering three to five types of flowers in bulk and arranging them yourself. Group monochrome flowers together for an elegant look, or mix and match colors for a more lively bouquet. Arranging your wedding flowers is an enjoyable way to make your wedding unique.
Set aside some time with your wife-to-be to brainstorm a color scheme. Getting tangibly active in your wedding planning can help you feel connected and content when your special day comes. You can also impress your tribe of groomsmen and future missus with your green thumb.
If flashy and ostentatious isn’t your style, embracing a minimalist aesthetic can save you a fortune in decorations. Replace ornate candelabras and overflowing bouquets with tasteful candles and bold single flowers for a pared-down spartan look that matches your taste.
Focus on a few main decorations that capture your style. Single statement decorations are often more effective than a bunch of smaller ones.
Movable objects like flowers and chairs can play double duty at the ceremony and reception. Use your bridesmaids’ bouquets as reception centerpieces, or place your bigger decorative floral arrangements from the church in the reception hall entryway to guide your guests into the party.
You may need to enlist someone outside your wedding party or a party planner to help move the arrangements to the reception venue before the guests arrive while everyone is taking photos.
You can use the same chairs at both the wedding and reception, which will likely save you money even if there is a moving fee. You may want to check with your venue to see what seating options they offer before investing in your own fleet of chairs.
The more cake tiers you opt for, the more cash you’ll have to spend. To cut costs, try a more modest, two-tiered cake to cut together and have sheet cakes to serve to your guests. The wedding cake you want in your wedding pictures doesn’t have to feed all your guests.
Sophia Zimmer, Bespoke Cake Consultant from Jackandbeyond, has some sage advice when it comes to wedding cakes. She mentions “The taller the cake, the higher the price. Having double tiers or many layers will bring up the cost. If you are worried that a smaller cake might not feed all your guests, you can get around this by ordering some additional cutting cakes of the same flavor. You can even go for individual cakes only and get a beautiful cake stand to display them.”
Save your money for your priorities, like the wedding dress or a photo booth for your reception.
Don’t discount non-traditional venues to avoid paying a venue fee when considering wedding locations. A restaurant or vacation home that doesn’t typically host weddings could be a fun change of pace for you and your guests.
Why not have your wedding at a cool local brewery if you’re into beer and wine? You could also use someone’s backyard, a barn, a meadow, a houseboat, or the rooftop of a large building. Impress your guests with a unique venue that fits your budget and aesthetic.
Your wedding is the beginning of your new married life, so you don’t want to start it on shoddy financial footing. Luckily, there are fun and easy ways to wave goodbye to unnecessary costs while spending time with your future wife. Take a look at what your wedding costs you and use our wedding day hacks to give your credit card a break.
Explore our website for more tips on how to take groom life to the next level and stay active in your wedding planning process.
