LIBRARY BLOG

Many people dream of having an elaborate wedding day, but unfortunately it can be extremely expensive to get exactly what you want. But don’t worry because there are many ways to have an unforgettable special day and save money at the same time.

Set Your Budget 

Setting a budget is the first crucial step to helping you save money on your wedding. Talk with your partner about how much you can and want to spend first. Then throughout the process refer to the set budget so that you can stay on track. 

Figure Out Your Non-Negotiables

Figure out what you each individually want to spend the bulk of your money on, and discuss it with one another. Then decide what you do not want to put a lot of money into. Each wedding will look different, and you and your partner may want different things, so this will help the two of you to stay on the same page. For instance, some couples may want to spend more on a professional photographer to capture the memories while others prefer to live in the moment and have a family member take photos so that they can put additional money towards having a larger venue.  

Distribute the Costs

Once you set your budget and the non-negotiables, it is beneficial to break the overall expenses into categories and distribute the costs. There are many ways to do this, but one way that I have shown here is to make a pie chart and break the cost up according to percentages.  

For this example, I chose to “plan” a wedding for $7,000 total. Once I set my budget, I figured out what percentage of my budget I wanted to spend on each category. For example, I will spend 32% of $7,000 on my reception which is $1,960.  

Save on the Venue

There are many ways that you can save money on a venue, but here are three options that can save you a good chunk of money: 

Have a backyard reception! If you know a family member or friend who is willing to let you use their backyard for the reception, this can save you big bucks. Not only will this be cost efficient, but it would be special to have this unforgettable day at a location that is near and dear to you or your future spouse.

Host the reception at a local park. Although this may not save you as much money as the first option, since you may have to rent out the area, it will be far less expensive than most wedding venues. 

If you are set on having a big venue, stay close to your guests and wedding location. In doing this, you will save on traveling costs such as hotel rooms and plane tickets. 

Save on Food

Instead of getting your wedding catered, cater the wedding yourself! You can even choose to have family and friends help you out with this rather than asking for wedding gifts. If you cater your own wedding, you can choose cheaper options such as beans or grains, and you and your fiancé can choose exactly what foods you want to have on your special day. 

Save on Cake

Instead of getting the wedding cake from a bakery, check out your local grocery store’s bakery and order one from them instead. The cake will cost a fraction of the price, and your guests will not even know the difference!  

Another choice to save on the wedding cake is to get a family member or friend to make it for you if they are talented in this area. This will also be special to have someone close to you make the cake. 

Design Your Own Invitations

Instead of paying someone to handwrite your wedding invitations, write them yourself, or better yet, get on the computer and type it out! This will take you some more time, but it will be worth it in the end when you save.  

DIY Your Decorations or Buy Them Used

If you chose to make some of the décor for your wedding this can be a fun and straightforward way to save money for the wedding! One of the greatest advantages of this is that there are endless options when you do-it-yourself. 

If you are not the biggest fan of crafting you can look on eBay or Facebook marketplace for used wedding decorations. Additionally, check out the dollar store as well for great deals on potential centerpieces, garlands, and candles.

Skip the Favors and Gifts

Even though many couples give out favors to their guests, this is not necessary and many people often forget to even grab one! Instead of worrying and paying for this you can have a photo area where guests can reminisce on the night through photos rather than a trinket. 

Gifts to the wedding party is another expense that can add up. Either do something simple for them all or skip the gifts all together because they will be thrilled no matter what that you want them to be a part of your wedding. 

Buy Your Wedding Attire on Sale or Used

Look for a used attire and get it altered and changed to fit you, or pay attention to sales. Do research to see when store typically put their attire on sale ahead of time that way you can be prepared to ultimately save big on your special outfit.  

Book Recommendations

Source

Trent Hamm  –  Founder & Columnist Last Updated: April 16, et al. “How to Plan a Frugal (Not Cheap) Wedding for Less than $4,000.” The Simple Dollar, 23 Apr. 2021, https://www.thesimpledollar.com/save-money/eighteen-tips-for-a-frugal-not-cheap-wedding/.

-Emily Daigle, Youth Services Clerk