Wedding planning is stressful enough before even THINKING about the cost of things. I am a firm believer that you don’t have to overspend to have a beautiful, memorable wedding.. Hell I am proof. I got married in November 2022 and was definitely the “cheap” bride. I did not want to spend a ridiculous amount of money to make my day perfect, and I didn’t! So here are 10 things I did while planning my wedding that saved us thousands of dollars (literally).
Create a budget and STICK TO IT!
If you don’t know where to start with your budget, create a number that is realistic for you and your partner. It is easy to get excited about things and over-spend, but sticking to your budget is the biggest thing in this process.
Get married during off-season or any day but Saturday
Or both… I did both. November was off-season for my venue and we chose to get married on a Sunday. I am not exaggerating when I tell you this saved me over a THOUSAND dollars.
Cut your guest list down
The more people you have, the more money it will be. Choose only those who truly love and support you, that YOU want there for your big day.
Skip the wedding favors
Let’s be real, most of the time favors end up in the trash at the end of the night. I couldn’t tell you what a single favor was from any of the weddings I've been to. They really are not needed.
Find a venue that lets you BYOB
Alcohol is expensive, so having an open bar is going to be expensive. If you can find a venue that will let you bring your own, it will help you save so much. I bought our alcohol through a place that I could return what wasn’t opened (which was so much, surprisingly).
Make your own printed wedding items
Save the dates, invitations, all your signage, and literally anything else… I made all of mine through Canva and printed them myself and they turned out so good.
Go minimal with your fresh flowers
Flowers are stunning, but also expensive. Go with minimal flowers to save money. Another tip would be to use in-season flowers or don’t be too particular with the flowers you want.
Do the DIY
There are so many things you can do/make yourself. I am not too much of a creative girly, but doing DIYs for my wedding was my favorite part. I DIY’d anything from table runners to bridal party gifts and they turned out great!
Buy second hand or look for inexpensive things.
My best friends during wedding planning were the thrift store, the dollar store, ikea, and the hardware store (mainly for spray paint). All of these places are reasonably priced and have good items that you can use or might need a little “dressing up”, but will save you money!
Most importantly, do what feels right for YOU.
Me and my (now) husband sat down at the beginning of planning to list our priorities so we could stay focused on them. This day was for us, and we wanted to represent that. Do not let someone else’s opinion stop you from doing what feels right and that gets you the kind of wedding you want. Your wedding is FOR YOU (and your partner, of course!), so make sure you remember that!
Are you planning your wedding? Let us know how you are saving money in the comments!
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