According to Cost Of Wedding, the average wedding costs between $19,323 and $32,305. That is a lot of money. Recently couples have been making the switch to more budget-friendly options for their wedding in order to save up for future expenses. Does the thought of spending that much money on one day of your life make you (and your wallet) sad? Use our tips below to cut costs on your wedding without sacrificing the magic of your special day.
Cut your wedding list
Your wedding day is just that: yours. Inviting people who will not make your special day fun not only wastes a ton of money (catering is $68 per person on average) but also puts added stress on you to invite everyone you know. We promise Jane from accounting is not going to be hurt if you don’t send her an invite to your wedding. Keep the guest list to only people you can’t imagine this day without.
Hire a wedding planner
Initially hiring a wedding planner may seem like the opposite of saving money on your wedding. However, with their industry knowledge, wedding planners can find deals that will ultimately help you save money in the long run. They can facilitate money discussions in a way that puts less stress on you and your significant other and offer solutions to stretch your dollar.
Make your own invitations
Let’s face it, your guests really don’t care about the gold lining on your wedding invitation envelopes. They will think it is pretty for about two minutes before they toss it to the side and look at the actual invitation. And even then the invitation is not something they will keep forever unless they are close friends or family. Save yourself some money and splurge on the nice invitations for your immediate friends or family (parents, the bridal party, etc.) and go for regular envelopes and not-as-fancy invitations for the rest. Have a friend particularly interested in design? Have them make your invitations! Not only will it cost less, but it will be more meaningful and special for everyone.
Look into unpopular wedding dates
A random weekend in October is going to be cheaper for booking venues and vendors than New Year’s Eve every time. If you don’t have a date set or don’t absolutely need to have your wedding on a specific date, checking out less popular dates is the cheaper way to go (and ensures your date will be available for us to film your wedding!)
Opt for a used wedding dress
Websites like Preowned Wedding Dresses and Still White offer great deals on used wedding dresses that look new and are in great condition! Not only is buying a used wedding dress a great deal (hello, they’ve probably only been worn once!) but it also ensures that your wedding dress will look more unique than one that is in stores and in season.
Initiate an officiant
Not only is having one of your friends as your officiant extremely personal, it is also a way to save on wedding costs. Initiating your friend as an officiant costs little money in comparison to hiring someone else to officiate your wedding.
Have an emergency fund for your wedding day
Having a “just in case” amount of money allocated will ensure you don’t panic and overspend for something not accounted for the day of your wedding. Things happen, people get sick, the weather is unpredictable, having an emergency fund is a great way to make sure you are prepared if something happens.
Pay for everything on the same card — But pay the bill each month
To accumulate rewards that credit cards often offer and to easily track your wedding spending, use one credit card to pay for the bulk of your wedding purchases. Paying off the bill each month will avoid fees but still get you benefits of using the card.
Stick to a smaller wedding party
Cost for five bridesmaids are way cheaper than costs for ten! Not only will you save money on gifts, transportation and other costs, but you will be able to limit your bridal party to the people who matter most to you on your wedding day!
Go to Bridal Shows
Companies — Reverent Wedding Films included — give away products and promotions at bridal shows. Not only is this a great way to meet different vendors in your area, but it is also a great way to score some discounts too!
Think about opting for Cinematography instead of Photography
We are getting more and more brides who are forgoing wedding photography altogether for wedding cinematography! We know, we know, we’re a little biased as a film company, but we do have to agree that watching your special day over again through someone else’s eyes is something that photography just can’t beat!
We hope this list helped you find some ways to cut back costs on your wedding!
