21 Best Tips for a Wedding on a Budget

We come up with 21 strategies that might help you in cutting down the expenses on your upcoming wedding without affecting your guest and changing your plans.

1. Avoid exaggerated guest list.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: avoid exaggerated guest list

In making your guest list, you might be thinking to put each person you know on the list, that is not a good idea. With every additional person you add on the list, you are also adding cost on your expenses.
In some extent, this is a trick on planning the wedding that can make the expenses grow. We even fall on this trap – we keep inviting people even those we don’t know just because we feel obligated and it makes our guest list grow and grow.

Inviting a few people can help you save your expenses, just make the wedding more intimate. You can start by controlling your list by 20%, then add 20% if you think it is few.

2. Request for some help for the wedding rather than wedding gifts.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: request for some help for the wedding

Do you have friends or families that have musical talent? If yes, that is a good thing because you can ask their help for your wedding like singing your wedding ceremony. We have a close friend who has skills in taking photographs and he wants to shoulder it on and make it as a gift for us. He provides us a good quality pictures after the wedding.

With talented friends and families you have, there is no harm in asking their help or services on your wedding, you can tell them to have it as a gift than buying some material things for the wedding. This is a great way to save and keep your marriage in low-cost expense.

3. Do the catering or look for a family- owned restaurant.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: do the catering

For our wedding, my wife’s family helped us a lot in preparing the food, we made our menus and also the catering, it lowered the food expenses for the wedding.

If this does not suit you, try to search around your area or nearby area for a family-owned restaurant, ask them if they could cater you at your wedding day. First and always check a family- owned restaurant because they are more understandable of your budget shortages and they can help to get your wedding special.

4. Celebrate your wedding at home or outdoor with simple designs.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: celebrate your wedding at home

We are all aware that renting a function hall in an exclusive building is very expensive. Try to consider using your home (or a home of a parent) for the ceremony, or maybe a beautiful view of a public park.
In another hand, you can also choose an outdoor reception but in a simple design. All you have to do is create a memorable and happy wedding.

If you are heading to have outdoor plans be sure you have plan B in case of a bad weather, I guess you don’t like to get married wet and the rain is pouring down.
Your plan B might be renting a tent for the rain or fans for the hot day.

5. Avoid more flower decors at your wedding.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: avoid more flower decors

Try to avoid spending large number of flowers at your wedding because it can die quickly, you can make a simple but elegant decor if you want to. This instance may help you- only one rose for every bridesmaid and a small bunch of flower for the bride. It is also a good thing if you know somebody who has a rose bush, you can make your bunch of rose the day before the wedding.

Another affordable wedding plan- go for the artificial flower; no one will notice it! You can save more if you make your own arrangement ahead of time.

6. Make your own bar.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: Make your own bar

Alcohol is considered as a huge expense in lots of weddings, but it is changeable. Instead of making an open bar, you can save by offering beers and wine for the guests or a complimentary cocktail time and next a cash bar.

If you intend to use a function hall, you may ask them if you can supply your own alcohol drinks instead of using their drinks, this way you can save a lot. Explore your area by looking for a discounted alcohol store and make a stock for it: white, red wine and a few types of beers. But if you like to have a full bar, choose the standard drinks like gin, vodka, whiskey and rum, additional of few mixed drinks and soft drinks.

Always remember to avoid buying a case of beers instead buy per bottles only, any excess of beers will be wasted. It is also a good idea because you can estimate the drinks.

7. Disregard the tokens for bridesmaids and groomsmen.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: disregard the tokens

In some circles, it is customary to provide tokens for the bridesmaid and groomsmen, but it is not necessary. Giving them tokens that some might don’t like it can also cost you, alternatively, give them a special note of thanks, it is more appreciated. Your friends will understand if you want to have an economic wedding.

8. Borrow stereo tools or use own from home.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: borrow stereo tools

Instead of hiring a DJ, why don’t use your own stereo or ask from a friend? You may put the speakers in the floor area- no need to lay it out in the entire room. Make a playlist on your iPod that has your favorite songs. Picking your own songs is a great idea to make your music personalized.

9. Do your own invitations.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: do your own invitations

You can make your own invitation, all you have to do is have a quality home printer and more time. You may visit VistaPrint.com to see more budget wedding invitations cards, you can order from them. Their cards are not too creative but they can do the front. You may even hire a graphic designer who can make a custom invitation on Fiverr for beautiful small money ( starting at $5).

10. Present ‘cards’ in replacement for reduced charges.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: present cards

If you are planning to hire people to give services for your event ( florist, a Dj, musicians, photographers, caterers, etc.), try to promote for them in trade for reduced prices.

At the venue, place a little card by every person’s chairs, it stated the businesses accountable for every service at the event, together with their contact info. It looks like very efficient in promoting, lots of companies will gracefully provide their services at diminished prices in exchange for this chance.

11. Communicating the local schools.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: communicating the local store

If you want to have live vocal music for the wedding and also for the venue, your district schools or university’s music section might help you in looking for lower-rate musicians.

Contact your school or university if they have a particular student who studies an instrument or has a good talent for singing and willing to provide a service at your wedding. It helps vice versa, for them, they can improve their resume and for you, you can save a pricey cost at your wedding.

This also applies in your photograph, seek in the art school if someone has a good shot in taking pictures. Ask them if they can provide a service at your wedding, in exchange for giving them publicity and portfolio-building practice.

12. Cost shop for designs and think about buying used.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: cost shop for designs and think about buying used

You can think about buying old decors and centerpieces. Current brides usually market their decors on the sites namely craigslist.org, and this can save a lot of money- effort- going that way.

13. Planning to do the wedding ceremony in your church, ask for the women’s organization assistance.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: planning to do the wedding in your church

Majority of the churches have a ladies auxiliary that is happy to extend their help in assisting the wedding arrangement in exchange for a little donation. Make them involved- they are a big help to take away your worries at a lower price.

14. Buy ready-made dresses and on big discount.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: buy ready made dresses

Do you want to save on bridesmaid dresses? Then, avoid making the dresses the same as the other. To save money, try to buy ready-made dresses in a discount store. This idea will work if you choose the dresses colors ahead of time and look for a store who offers lots of sizes. To lessen spats on your wedding day, you may buy dresses ahead of time and let your bridesmaid try the dresses.

Here is another budget wedding thought for you: Instead of purchasing new dresses, let your bridesmaids wear what they have at home but still following your chosen color.

15. Rental of tuxedo in bulk or use matching suits.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget:

However, if you have a special reason for having your own tuxedo (some people do) you might rent one. It’s usually useful to hire tuxedos as a group in the same store to give you a discount price.

Anyway, if you don’t like to wear tuxedos, you have other choices like let your groomsmen wear the black suit or look for equal formal wear.

16. Make your honeymoon simple, not an extravagant one.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: Make your honeymoon simple not an extravagant one

It sounds funny to hear a big and excessive honeymoon, right? Well, you can spend a honeymoon at your home and it is more enjoyable and cheaper.

If you are planning to have a huge and costly trip, try to concentrate on what matter: Relaxing after those hectic weeks starting up to your marriage, and enjoying your time with your new wife. An 18 hour of flight with several connections, this is not going to help in that matter.
You may ride in the car, spend a week together, exploring all the local views you have not seen yet. All you have to do is enjoy the moment together.

Additional idea: If you already planned to have a distant honeymoon, try to pay for all of your wedding fees with a credit card that grants travel rewards or a sign-up gift, this might help you in covering your flight expenses but make sure to pay the balance before the interest goes up.

17. Select inexpensive wedding rings.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: Select inexpensive wedding rings

Wedding rings are very important in the wedding ceremony, it symbolizes the commitment for each other. But, it doesn’t mean they must be too expensive.

The wedding itself can be over instantly, unlike the ring which you will be wearing every day of your life- so, the rings must be significant, it must be very important – the looks and feels at your fingers. But always remember it doesn’t mean to be expensive or spending $1,000 or more. Sterling silver, titanium and some materials are not too expensive; some can be personalized.

18. Get your close friends and families involved in the wedding preparations.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: Get your close friends and families involved in the wedding preparations

As you make brainstorming for your wedding, try to involve your close friends and families in the event. For sure, they have different and surprising ideas on the mind; this way you can save money and energy.
Example, someone of your friends knows a vendor who can offer you a low price deal or something you can lend from them. Great friends and families are willing to help; they even feel happy if you get them to involve in your special day- and you might take an interest in their generosity.

19. Avoid mentioning the ‘w-word’ at the beginning when booking a vendor.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: Avoid mentioning the 'w-word' at the beginning when booking a vendor

Some of the bakeries, florists, musicians and photographers are adding their services at the usual rate- sometimes more- only for weddings. Formal dresses are usually more valuable in white. The same band people that perform at a bar city on Saturday night for $1,000 might ask you to pay $5,000 for your wedding. This is part of the circumstances because it added more pressure for them and preparation for the wedding, but rest assured they can make it.

When looking around, be straightforward on the services you need- not discussing the marriage part at first. You need a tasty cake for 100 pax. (it can be retirement or office event). You want somebody to take pictures of an outdoor party for five hours. ( What would they price to take pictures of a high school route?)

In the other hand, you still need to explain everything that it is for your wedding day, especially before the contract signing. But if you can acquire a ballpark guess for the help you need before telling it, you must have better-negotiating skills for them when they give you a heavy mark up.

20. Plan and plan and plan.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: Plan and plan and plan

When you want to have a low-cost wedding, it is important to plan ahead of time. Make a list of everything you think and get a walk on these step by steps.

The earlier you begin with your ideas, the lots of things you can think as early- the few ” las-minutes stress” you will experience, lots of time you have on looking for a sale, discount and search other goods thoughts.

21. Don’t Stress Yourself.

Best Tips for A wedding on a Budget: dont stress yourself

On the wedding, it is given that there is probably something will go wrong at the last minutes- small aspects of some kind won’t work out.

You don’t need to stress about it. It is given that everything will not be perfect as you desire just avoid spending money at the problem. Most likely, they will not notice it and someone from your friend or families will solve the problem.

Best wishes and congratulations!

1 CommentLeave a comment

  • Try and see older weeding cars before you book car for honeymoon. Older cars can vary greatly in their condition, if the cars are garaged all year. They are likely to be of a higher standard and better maintained.

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