The wedding day is possibly one of the happiest and most exciting days of your life. It’s a moment you have dreamed about for years; a special day that you get to share with someone you love.
However, weddings cost a lot of money, and something so special can set you back financially. Cost is almost always a concern. From the venue to the dress to the food and drinks, everything adds up fast and can be a huge expense for anyone.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways that you can save money without sacrificing the quality or style of your big day. You may think that it’s impossible to cut costs without skimping on the important things, but there are plenty of creative ways to do just that. If you manage your budget well and can negotiate costs with suppliers, then you can still have the wedding of your dreams while staying within budget.
Planning a wedding doesn’t have to be expensive! These 17 tips will help you plan a cheap wedding without skimping on the important things. These affordable ideas for your wedding will help you keep costs low while still having the wedding of your dreams. Whether you want an outdoor ceremony or are looking for affordable reception ideas, we have tips and tricks that will make all the difference when trying to cut costs on your big day.
Begin exploring these budget-friendly ideas today so that you can have a happy marriage with an affordable wedding.
1. Set a budget and stick to it
The first step to planning a cheap wedding is to set a wedding budget. Decide how much you want to spend on your wedding and stick to that number. Once you know the number you can start to figure out ways to save money.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to have a beautiful wedding. You can have all the traditional things you want without spending a ton of money.
When it comes to setting a budget, be realistic. While you may want to have the biggest and best wedding possible, you need to be practical about the money you have available. You also need to find a balance between what you want and what you can afford. It’s important to remember that your guests aren’t attending your wedding to see how much money you spent. They’re there to celebrate your love.
2. Have a small wedding
If you want a big, lavish, and expensive wedding, that’s great. However, if you are on a budget, it might be a good idea to have a small wedding. You can save a lot of money by having a small wedding, not only because the venue will cost you less but because you’ll be able to cut costs with your guest list as well.
You can do this by choosing a smaller venue and inviting fewer people. This will decrease your costs per person and cut down on your overall costs. You may want to consider hiring a smaller, cheaper band or DJ to play at your reception as well.
Having a small wedding can save you a lot of money, and it’s a great way to save money for your wedding.
3. Pick a less popular date
When picking a date for your wedding, one way to save money is to pick a less popular date. While weekends and summer months are the most popular for weddings, the least popular dates for weddings are the weekdays and off-seasons.
If you’re thinking about getting married during the week, you may be able to find a discounted venue. If you’re thinking about getting married in the off-season, you may be able to find a discounted venue and have a smaller, less expensive wedding.
Keep in mind that picking a less popular date may have other benefits as well. If you pick a less popular date, you may be able to find less expensive travel options and hotel rooms. You may also be able to find cheaper flowers and decorations, since vendors may have a smaller selection during these times.
4. Use a professional wedding planner
If you’re looking for ways to save money on your wedding, hiring a professional wedding planner may be a good idea. While a professional wedding planner isn’t cheap, you may find that it’s worth the money.
When you hire a wedding planner, they can help you to save money in lots of ways. They can help you to find cheaper venue options, negotiate with vendors for lower prices, and find ways to reduce your overall spending.
If you want to hire a professional wedding planner, you should start looking for one as early as possible. Many wedding planners book up quickly, especially around major holidays. You also need to have enough money to pay for the services of a wedding planner. While wedding planners come in all price ranges, hiring one may be outside of your budget.
5. Use DIY decorations
Do you want to have a simple but elegant ceremony but don’t want to spend a ton of money on flowers? One easy way to reduce costs is by cutting out unnecessary expenses and replacing them with DIY decorations.
Rather than spending money on decorations that you’ll throw away after the wedding, try making your decorations. You can create beautiful centrepieces and bouquets using inexpensive items, such as pinecones and flowers from your garden. You can also repurpose items that you already have lying around the house, like old books and magazines.
Using DIY decorations will save you money and allow you to show your creativity. You can also use items that are important to you and your partner. For example, a couple who met in college could use old textbooks in their decorations, or a couple who is wine lovers could decorate with wine corks.
When choosing decorations, remember to keep the style of your wedding in mind. If you are having a formal wedding, don’t use items like magazines or books. Instead, use items that match the theme, such as silk flowers or flowers from your garden. When it comes to decorations, the less you spend, the more you can save towards other wedding costs.
6. Find the best deals online and in-store
Money can be saved easily while wedding planning is by finding the best deals online and in-store. Whenever you’re ready to buy an item for your wedding, you can search online for coupons and discounts. You can also look for deals in-store, such as sales and clearance items. You may even be able to negotiate a lower price for something you want if it’s been sitting on the shelf for a while.
When you’re shopping for wedding items, you can also try to find used or refurbished items. You can buy second-hand items from yard sales, Gumtree, or online websites such as eBay or Etsy. You can also buy items from estate sales and consignment shops. You may also be able to trade something you have for something you need.
7. Negotiate with vendors you like
If you’re planning a wedding with a budget, you may be able to save more money by negotiating with vendors. Vendors are often willing to negotiate prices with customers who have a smaller budget.
If you’re hoping to negotiate with a vendor, it’s best to start early. The earlier in the process, the more likely vendors are to work with you. It’s also a good idea to have a fallback plan in case negotiations don’t pay off. It’s important to remember that vendors have a living to earn, too. They may be willing to negotiate, but you don’t want to give them such a low price that they can’t make a profit. To negotiate with vendors, you may need to give them a larger deposit or pay in full at the beginning of the job.
8. Make food choices based on your budget
Food is usually one of the biggest expenses at a wedding, so you can save money by choosing less expensive foods.
For instance, if you’re having a sit-down meal, you may be able to save money by serving potluck-style foods instead. Another option is to have a dessert-only reception. You can also save money by opting for cheaper alcohol, such as BYOB, or serving non-alcoholic beverages such as juice. It is also possible to save money by choosing foods that last longer, such as nuts or fruits, instead of perishable foods.
Another option is to have one main dish and a few side dishes, such as a taco bar or a mashed potato bar. You can also cut down on costs by choosing foods that don’t require servers, such as a self-serve dessert bar or food served on paper plates.
9. Pick an affordable reception location
If you’re looking for ways to save money, you should start with the reception location. The best way to save money on the reception location is to pick a cheaper venue.
Additionally, you can cut costs by getting creative and repurposing items you already own or are renting for the wedding. Also, you may be able to negotiate with the companies you’re renting from, such as a caterer or flower shop, for a lower price. It is also possible to reduce costs by choosing a less popular time of year to get married. You may be able to find cheaper rates on a weekday or in the off-season. You can also ask if vendors have any discounts or promotions running.
10. Decide on beautiful elements
When planning your wedding, it’s important to consider your priorities. You might want to hire a photographer to capture every moment of your wedding day, but you might not want to hire a live band that will get your guests on the dance floor. You might want to splurge on a beautiful dress, but you don’t need fancy invitations.
Decide what elements are most important to you and are worth the cost. To illustrate, if you’d like to have a beautiful ceremony, you might decide that hiring a photographer is worth the money. If you’d like to have a beautiful dress, but you don’t have money to spare, consider renting it rather than buying it. You can save a lot of money by going with different options.
11. Use your family and friends
If you can, you should try to use your family and friends for your wedding. This is particularly true for things like catering, decorations, and transportation. You can also use your family and friends to help with things like invitations and transportation. This will not only save you money, but it will also help to bring your loved ones closer together.
12. Shop during the right times of year
Certain times of year are better for buying certain things. For example, if you are looking to buy a new car, you would do well to wait until the end of the year when dealers are trying to meet their sales targets. In the same way, the right time to shop for wedding items is when they are in season. This means that they are plentiful and cheaper because they are more abundant. For example, flowers are cheaper when they are in season. You can also negotiate with suppliers and wait for sales.
13. Consider a buffet instead of a sit-down dinner
If you want to save money on your wedding, you may want to consider having a buffet instead of a sit-down dinner. This will cut down on your costs and allow guests to eat at their own pace. You may also want to consider hiring smaller, cheaper plates and cutlery.
14. Cut out the extraneous add-ons
You may have dreamed of having everything just so for your wedding, but you may be able to save a lot of money by cutting out a few things. For example, you may be able to skip some of the decorations, such as flowers and centrepieces, to save money. You may also be able to skip hiring a photographer or videographer and use your phone instead.
15. Check out Groupon’s other discount sites
There are plenty of discount sites out there that you can use to save a significant amount of money on your wedding. You can find great deals on everything from flowers and invitations to wedding gowns and decorations. You can also try to find coupons and deals with local businesses in your area and online.
16. Hold your ceremony and reception at the same place
If you can, you should try to hold your ceremony and reception at the same place. This will cut down on your costs significantly and make your life a lot easier. You can also try to rent out spaces that are normally unused during certain times of the year, such as a park during the summer.
17. Shop for discounts on jewellery and makeup
Some of the most expensive aspects of your wedding are things like jewellery and makeup. You can save money on these things by looking for discounts and coupons. You can also try to find good deals from local businesses in your area.
A final note
Overall, the best advice for saving money on your wedding is to be prepared and make a detailed budget. Before you start shopping for your wedding items, make a budget and set a spending limit for each category. This will help you to stay on track and avoid overspending. It will also help you to avoid stressing out over the cost of your big day.
Wedding planning can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be expensive. With a little bit of planning and foresight, you can host the wedding of your dreams without going broke.
