Wedding planning in general can be a stressful and emotional experience. If you’re also working with a shoestring wedding budget, this stress is multiplied as you try and reconcile your “dream wedding” with the reality that you simply cannot afford to do it all. But have no fear, there are a ton of creative ways you can reduce your wedding expenses without sacrificing your entire wish it. It just takes some compromise…and some help from family and friends!
Learn from these 7 tips on how to cut costs – but still maximize style and fun – when planning your special day!
Keep it small and simple
First and foremost, you can control your wedding budget by keeping your guest list small and your day simple. The fewer the people, the most you can spend per person (i.e. better food, decorations, etc). Also, a casual, midday reception will cost you less than a black tie, evening affair.
Buck tradition
Next, don’t feel like you have to follow every piece of tradition you’ve ever heard. If you don’t want a videographer, cross this off your list and save thousands. Also, dare to get married on a day other than Saturday. A different time or day of the week than what is most popular will save you big when it comes to renting venue.
Forego flowers
If you could care less about having huge floral centerpieces at the middle of each table, opt for some mason jars filled with candles. The cost difference is huge – and your guests may even appreciate the smaller centerpiece which makes dinner conversation a lot easier.
Rent your wedding attire
Renting a tuxedo has always been an obvious choice for guys, but did you know your girls can also rent beautiful and stylish bridal gowns from places like www.rentherunway.com. More people are doing it than you might think! You can get a designer dress for a fraction of the cost and not have to worry about ever needing to wear it again to justify the investment.
Check with your rental company before deciding on colors or style
Another great piece of advice is to begin your wedding designing process by first speaking with an event professional at a rental company, like Event Central. We can offer input on your less expensive options when it comes to chairs, tables, linens as well as advise you on any upcoming specials. Before you get your heart set on a particular color scheme or wedding theme, see what options are most cost-friendly (while still in line with your vision).
Make it BYOB
If you’re already planning a casual wedding reception, why not give guests the ultimate ability to customize their drink selection by asking them to bring their own! This tip may not fit every wedding style, but if you think your guests will go for it and pitch in to help you save some money, a BYOB wedding reception can be a lot of fun – especially if people share.
Instead of presents, ask for gifts of skill and service
Finally, websites like Pinterest offer endless ideas for DIY options that can make your wedding feel beautiful and unique while significantly slashing the cost of trying to buy similar items from a retailer. Think of the different talents of your family and friends and kindly ask them to lend their handwriting, sewing skills or green thumb to make your wedding extra special.
If you’re also planning a wedding on a budget, tell us what idea you found most helpful! Or ask us a question and one of our event experts would be happy to answer!
