Wedding saving tips – Planning a wedding on a budget
If you really want to save on your wedding, there is one rule of thumb you should always follow: make a budget first and create your wedding out of that budget, NOT the other way around! Use this wedding budget breakdown guide to know how much you should budget for each expense category in your wedding. Below are 6 wedding saving tips which you can apply in the beginning stage of wedding planning to cut costs and get the most values for your money:
Wedding saving tip #1: Pick an off month
Pick an off month or an unusual date. Holiday weddings could be fun as everyone has longer holidays and guests who live out of town can attend your wedding more easily. Off-peak wedding season is usually the colder months, from November to March. During this time period the price level of goods and services are lower than the average and some vendors even offer discounts. Some couples also consider marrying on a weekday as the venues and services are more much more available. You can save significantly on music and venue marrying on a weekday instead of a Saturday.
Wedding saving tip #2: Discuss with your fiancé about your priorities
Discuss with your partner and decide what the “must-have” elements of your wedding are, and what you can do without. This priority set will save you hundreds of unnecessary purchases. For example you really want to go for a nature theme wedding and want a lot of fresh flowers and do not make a big deal about wedding music. In this case you can spend a bit more on your flower decorations and opt for a smaller band for your wedding.
Wedding saving tip #3: Think twice about your wedding gift registry
Wedding gift registry is very common as guests also want to give the couple something that they really want and can use for a long time. Think really carefully before writing down your wish list. Don’t be afraid to ask for money. You can write that you already have all the needed household items and you would wish some contribution to have a nice and memorable honeymoon.
Wedding saving tip #4: Think twice about your guest list
You can easily invite too many people. Wedding can easily become an occasion for all of your family members to meet old friends of their own. Both of your parents might want to invite some long lost friends of theirs who you hardly know of. Remember that this is your day and you should be able to invite whoever you want. There are many advantages of a small wedding. Your wedding will become an intimate event and will save you a lot of money as many of the expenses are calculated based on head counts.
Wedding saving tip #5: Save on food and drinks
Food and drink accompanies a big part of your wedding budget and is also a section that you can save greatly on. Consider if you would want a sit-down meal or a buffet. A buffet is obviously a much cheaper option as you do not have to pay for additional waitressing staff. Many types of food are more expensive than others. Common food like grilled chicken and pasta salad is clearly cheaper than a seafood main course.
You can choose certain types of drinks, for example beer, wine, punch instead of having a full bar. And instead of having the bar open the whole night, you could have it closed while everyone is eating. That way you can save on both alcohol and bartender service.
Wedding saving tip #6: Save on music and photography
Music is an important part of the wedding and also where you can save from. You can opt for a smaller band instead of having a big reputated one. Contact music schools in your areas, there are always some student bands that are much cheaper and can still as well play good music. You could also ask the band to play both at the ceremony and at the reception, for both convenience and a smaller price in total.
