Planning a wedding can be incredibly exciting – and expensive. The wedding industry has transformed these ceremonies into lavish celebrations, and it’s all too easy to blow your budget and find yourself dipping into savings or relying on credit cards to foot the bill for the festivities. While there’s no way to eliminate all expenses associated with your wedding, you might be surprised to learn how many ways there are to cut costs and keep things a bit more manageable. Here are just a few ways you can make it happen!
SEE WHAT YOU CAN DIY.
While there’s definitely merit in hiring help to make your wedding day go smoothly, there are plenty of things that can be tackled by family and friends instead of well-paid professionals if you’re on a mission to keep things affordable. Depending on your skill level and the amount of time you’re willing to spend, you can tackle everything from designing your own guestbook and floral arrangements to baking your own wedding cake.
LOOK FOR GENTLY-USED, SECOND-HAND STUFF.
Facebook buy-and-sell groups and Craigslist can be great places to find newlyweds selling their wedding decorations for an absolute steal. You can find everything from beautifully-made centerpieces and linens to wedding gowns and photo booth props, and you’ll likely be able to purchase them at a significant discount from their original price. While you’ll want to be careful and make sure you’re buying quality stuff, you can often score a great deal here.
DITCH THE FANCY VENUE.
Your venue can quickly create the most significant financial burden of the wedding. Many event halls, art galleries, and other popular spots for weddings and receptions charge an arm and a leg for the space and impose restrictions on everything from the type of food and alcohol that can be served to the kind of decor you’re allowed to bring in. Consider ditching the traditional fancy venue for something more unconventional. Whether you get a permit to get married in your local park or talk to your favorite restaurant to see if you can use the back room at a discount for your reception, you’ll be surprised to see how great of a deal you can find when you think outside the box.
GET MARRIED DURING THE OFF-SEASON.
Yes, there is a wedding season – and it doesn’t include the winter. Most people want to get married during the summer when kids are out of school, travel is easy, and the weather is warm. Scheduling a wedding during the winter months – generally speaking, December through March – can help you score a great deal on your venue and catering, and your guests will likely enjoy better prices for their accommodations.
DOWNPLAY YOUR CENTERPIECES.
It’s absolutely fantastic to see what you can spend on decorating your dinner tables. Considering people are only sitting down for dinner for a small part of the evening, it makes sense to cut costs here. Don’t splurge on tall, lavish floral centerpieces. Instead, opt for shorter floral arrangements or think out of the box and create something non-traditional.
As you can see, there are quite a few ways to shave some dollars off of the final bill for your wedding. If you’re in the process of planning your wedding, take a step back and see where you can cut costs and save a few bucks. You’ll be glad you did!
