Your wedding is one of the special events that you will always look back on in the future as probably the best day of your life. That is why most people long for an unforgettable wedding with either a stunning wedding dress, an amazing venue, outstanding bridal accessories, or a flower wall. The truth is that it can be very costly and above your budget.
Every little detail indeed matters a lot, but when planning your wedding, it is essential to know your priorities and budget wisely. Below are crucial tips to help you save money without compromising on your style for your dream wedding.
Plan Early
If you give yourself ample time to plan, you will have enough time to look for cheaper and make bargains with your vendors.
If you do the last-minute planning, you will end up picking what is easily accessible, which may be a little expensive compared to what you can get if you dive deep into the market and make your bargains.
Order your Wedding Gown Earlier
Jump on dress shopping once you start planning for your wedding. This will help you find your dream wedding dress at an affordable price. Avoid paying the rush fee by shopping early. You will also give the designers ample time to make any necessary alterations without costing you as much. You could save up to $300 by simply doing this.
Use wedding Website Instead of Paper Invitations
Invitation cards, envelopes, postage costs, and not forgetting the RSVPcards can cost you a lot of money. Directing your guests to your website can save you a lot of these links leading your guests to other invites like the day after brunch, the rehearsal dinner, and on the same, notify them on the mode of transport and accommodation status. Wedding websites are cheap and digital.
Go for the Local Suppliers
Things like a wedding cake can be costly if purchased from a wedding cake expert. Instead, you can look at what is available at your local store and go for that.
For things like transport and photography, you can also opt to go for the local transport and the photographer. A renowned professional wedding photographer may charge you way above your budget, which is why you need to check with a local one.
Instead of going for many large cakes, you can also minimize the cost by going for maybe two large cakes and $! Cupcakes again from your local store.
Request for Wedding help instead of, so Wedding Gifts
Be open to your friends and family and let them know that helping you with the wedding would save you a lot instead of buying you wedding gifts. I am sure they wouldn’t mind helping you, and you might end up getting a talented photographer from your guests, catering, entertainment, and much more.
Some may not have experience with any service, but they may help you financially, which will also help you save a lot.
Remember, no help is little; if you can save 2% of the total cost, that goes a long way.
Hold your Wedding at Home and Reconsider Your Guest List
A wedding venue is said to be around $10,000, which could be a half or a third of your total cost. You can opt to hold the wedding at your home, or you could do it at a friend’s home if they have a spacious and nice yard.
But for this to happen, you need to have a small guest list because hundreds of people will not fit in a home. Trimming your guest list will save you much more. Remember, every additional guest means an extra plate of food, glassware, cutlery, and much more.
If your budget is not on top, cutting down the list could be worth it. Instead of a full brown event, go for a small and intimate wedding.
This trick could save you a huge amount.
Consider an Off-Peak Wedding
Consider having your wedding on weekdays in the off-season. Wedding off-seasons mainly run on weekdays from November to March.
A Friday wedding could save you a lot of money. Although it might seem unconventional, off-season weddings are best if you are on a tight budget. You will be surprised at how many wedding vendors will have a sale with reduced rates.
Save on Flowers
Average wedding flowers cost anywhere between $1,500 to $2,000, which is quite expensive. Choose simple flowers and repurpose them. Let your florals use your ceremony flowers at the reception and the bride’s bouquets at the bar or the escort cards. There are many different ways to repurpose your flowers.
You can also rely on seasonal flowers and going for lots of greens. The average cost of a bouquet is around $160, which you can cut down if you go for simple and minimal arrangements.
Consider having no Attendants
Consider having one attendant for each side instead of having several. Having no attendants will reduce the cost and your sanity. An additional attendant comes with an additional fee for bridesmaid bouquets and dresses. Eliminate these costs by having no bridesmaid and engage them in other activities like reading the Bible or thanksgiving at the reception.
Buy Minimal Gifts for the Attendants if You have Any
Instead of going above and beyond when gifting your attendants, choose simple and meaningful gifts. Be creative and thoughtful while choosing their gifts and personalize them to make them special. You could save up to $200 by buying simpler gifts.
Buy the Alcohol Yourself
Most wedding bartenders charge an hourly rate of $35 minus the alcohol. If you add the alcohol cost, it goes up to around $2,300. You can save 50% of this if you hire a local person to bartend and stock up the alcohol yourself but first consult if the venue allows you to stock up the drinks.
Buying the alcohol yourself means you can go for cheaper drinks and on sale.
You can also stick to beer and wine and avoid the extra cost of champagne and cocktails. You can toast to a bubbly and offer a cocktail in the cocktail hour if you can then switch back to alcohol and wine. This will not only save you some money, but it will also limit your insane friends from getting so hammered.
Recruit Local University Graduates
Hiring a wedding musician to perform at your wedding comes with an extra cost. If you want a live music performance at the wedding or during the cocktail hour, consider reaching out to graduate music students who would be interested in building, growing their careers, and gaining experience. They charge way less than the pros, and they will go the extra mile to prove themselves. Hiring local university graduates could save up to 20% off a professional wedding musician.
You can also hire upcoming photographers from a local university and save much more.
Go For the Simple and Affordable Wedding Rings
From a report by Brides American Wedding, a pair of a wedding ring costs about $1,610, which is quite expensive if you are on a fixed budget. Although most people underestimate wedding bands, they are such a great choice, and they will save you up to 25% off the wedding rings.
Do Not Hesitate to Ask for Help
Apply the divide and conquer method. Ask your talented family and friends to help you with the DIY, ask your talented cousin to do your make-up. If you are getting married in a worship center, request the auxiliary for help. Even though they may not help you directly, they could share simple but significant ideas they have seen working for others. Asking for help could help you save up to 5% of your wedding budget.
Choose a Shared Dining
Wedding menus can be expensive if you choose to have a 5- course dinner because you will need more cutlery, tableware, and labor.
Instead, go for a shared meal to cut down the cost. If you want to get more value for money, go for the family-style dining.
Choose the Non-Floral Method
Why not use big and colorful balloons instead of flowers? A balloon arch is cheaper compared to a floral wall, and it still looks chic and classy.
If you are looking for a whimsical effect, you can also have balloons tied at the back of the chairs instead of flowers. This method could save you up to 4% off your floral budget and still have a stunning wedding.
Keep an Eye on Social Media Sales
Follow several wedding specialists on social media and look out for special deals. You could be able to secure several promotions like 30% off your jewelry or 20% off your make-up.
Los Angeles Wedding Dress
Weddings can be expensive, but there are various tricks you can use to save a lot more. Always start with the basics and work strategically, then you can add on later if your budget still allows. You will be surprised at how much you can save by being creative and following these tips. If you are in the Los Angeles area and are looking to save a lot more on your wedding attire, please visit our boutique at Beautiful Day Wedding. Contact us at 213-386-1900 for more information.
