If you’re planning a wedding on a budget, then here are some tips to help you on your way:
Cut your numbers
At the top of the list of cheap wedding tips is cutting your numbers. It’s possible to shave up to $100 per guest off. So if you’ve got large numbers, be ruthless and think twice about whom you’re inviting – you could save thousands.
Reconsider your venue
It’s easy to find free or cheap wedding venues which can easily provide a personal, special and unique touch to your wedding day.
Prioritize what is important
If you still find you’re over budget, you need to sit down with your partner and begin to prioritize what is important and what’s not.
Go through your wedding budget planner and consider every line. Perhaps you can cut back in one area so that you can splurge in your important areas.
For example, the dress maybe really important to you, but the wedding favors aren’t. By cutting back on what you give as favors, or eliminating them altogether, you should be able to shave down the costs in the budget, hopefully to a number you’re happy with.
Catering
The food is one of the largest costs at a wedding and some easy changes can make a huge difference to your bottom line.
Think outside-the-box and do something different. Alternatives include high tea, afternoon tea, champagne, and canapes, only providing one meal, having a sit-down buffet instead of fully catered evening meal or even catering yourself, all these will reduce your costs significantly.
Also, some high school vocational centers that teach catering to students offer catering at a greatly reduced rate, check with your local school system!
Choose a weekday
Most couples get married on the weekend placing a high demand on venues. With high demand comes high prices as the venues can charge what they want knowing that the couples will pay.
One way to significantly drop your costs is to have your wedding on a weekday. You could probably save about 30% on most of the services in your budget!
Use a bar
In an ideal world, the drinks would flow freely but this is likely to be your biggest expense. If there is a bar on the premises, perhaps you could offer free drinks for just a couple of hours, set a limit to the bar budget or offer just beer and wine.
Do it yourself
My final cheap wedding tip is to try and do as many things yourself. If you have the time and energy, this is a great way to save money. By getting friends and relatives to help you, you should be able to pull in lots of services that you would have otherwise spent hundreds on.
Perhaps your mum is a bit of a cook and will make the cake, the flowers could be done by your aunt and your make-up by your friend. Start asking around. Your friends will be honored to help and you’ll save a packet.
By following one, two or all of these cheap wedding tips, you will certainly cut your budget.
Good luck!
Nicola
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / Kzenon
