Dinner, flowers, drinks and music are just some of the costs related to planning a wedding. But fear not, grooms and bride to be! I have l explained in this blog some of the best ways to save money on your wedding. Take a look:
1. Prioritize
Before beginning to plan your wedding and reception, both of you should sit down and list down your top priorities. This helps to find out where to go all out, as well as where it is fair game to cut corners. For example, of you find it important that wedding and reception be held at a given restaurant where you first had your date or you know you need to have a certain designer gown or a specific DJ that you prefer- then you may fit this into your wedding budget and decide to save in other areas.
2. Limit the Guest List
Your guest list should be kept as short as possible. This will drastically cut your reception cost. Most restaurants, banquet halls and caterers charge per-guest, so the difference between 50 and 100 guests will be huge.
Experts recommend that you should not invite more visitors that you can spend a minute of time with. Suppose your invited guests are three-hundred. You will require about 5 hours to spend one minute with each. And this does not include the actual ceremony, dancing or eating.
3. Make the Wedding-Planning Timeline Shorter
Don’t wait 12 months to tie the knot and it’ll be much easier to simplify the wedding. A recent trend commonly used is that couples save by planning a more last minute ceremony, as opposed to the traditional one year run-up. A short time horizon will not just force you to streamline but also make you busy, by necessity, from being sucked into vortex of elaborate weddings.
4. Wedding Dress
You want a prefect gown to celebrate this happy day, and you want your wedding dress to make you look beautiful. But do not think that you cannot have an elegant wedding dress by only purchasing designer label or a brand new one. If you’re planning wedding on a budget, have an open mind and know that there are several other options beyond traditional bridal salons. Vintage/consignment shops, bridal gown outlets or online auctions are a great idea. Have in mind that these gowns have usually been worn just once, if at all, so they are likely to be in great condition.
5. Take a Wedding Planning Course
Before you embark on planning your wedding, attend a weekend course and learn from the experts. Although these lessons are meant for those embarking on wedding planning as a profession, you will pick huge amounts inside secretes.
You may also treat your chief bridesmaid to a hair and make-up course. She will then take care of the bride, bridesmaids and the bride’s mother, and maybe save you some dollars.
6. The Venue
Consider having the wedding on a Friday or Sunday rather than Saturday, provided the schedule allows it. This may cut costs, sometimes by 50%. In addition, try to identify a venue that will not require you to use their vendors so as to allow you have several options of exploring different pricing and rates, or using family or friends who can offer you a discount.
Just before you book, know perfectly well what will be included, such as chairs, tables, silverware, place settings, among others. If you must rent some things such as extra tables, you want to know this as soon as possible so as to factor it into the budget. Plus, while window shopping for venues, find out whether you are allowed to use your catering services or not.
7. Party Favors & Decorations
Although party favors are an amazing touch, however, this area of your wedding planning definitely allows you be creative so as to reduce costs. You can save money by ordering customized centerpieces and arrangements that helps decorate your venue, such as candles or mansions jars, and then allow your guests to take them home. It is a win-win situation: the guests take home a free beautiful home décor item, and you will not be burdened with trying to figure out what to do with more than 20 mason jars when the wedding comes to an end.
As for the other people in the wedding party, you really want to make each of them feel not only special but also appreciated for all their contribution. Consider cutting costs without necessarily sacrificing any sentiment by making use of custom wine labels and personalized tokens of appreciation gift bags.
8. Keep Track of Every Single Penny You Spend
Be sure to include your bridal magazines, while shopping- transportation, meals, coffees and extra bottles of wine when you are planning with a friend. Include these purchases in your total. Note that this should be treated like a business if you wish to save money.
9. When Selecting a Venue, Use What the Venue Has
Work effectively with the style and colors of space. If the venue only offers standard white linen, make this your color. If you feel like adding a specialty color, you must commit to it in every way. Avoid any attempt to transform space. This is the best thing you can do so as to avoid spending tons of money. The best venue is the one you can easily compliment- if it is a hall, a park, a roof top or a home, you can make any space to feel special with just a few easy touches of candles, clean wine glasses and lush floral! Do not forget to have a look at what their season landscapes and floral décor is too. Be sure to ask for photos.
Conclusion
It is not easy to plan a wedding. In fact it may take a toll on your bank account, not to mention your stress levels. But you do not have to go completely broke in order to plan a, a fun, enjoyable and successful wedding. The most important thing is to decide way ahead of time what you’re willing to negotiate on. With the above genius money-saving tips, you are good to go.