How to Cut Wedding Costs in Clever Ways Without Sacrificing Style (That You Don’t Already Know)
Everyone knows that planning a wedding can be expensive. In the age of social media, with lavish styled shoots populating your every feed, it’s easy to find yourself with champagne taste and a canned wine budget. Before you dismay, there are quite a few tricks that can help you cut your wedding costs without sacrificing style.
1. Hire a Wedding Planner
Lauren Fair Photography Now, I know this may sound counter-intuitive. Spend money to save money? Crazy, right?–Wrong. Wedding planners have spent years establishing relationships with vendors and have usually worked out exclusive discounts for their clients. In addition to the discounts that you may be offered, your wedding planner has worked with these vendors before and confirmed that they deliver on their promises, thus protecting your investment. Otherwise, you could be handing over deposits to mysterious vendors that may or may not come through: a risk you don’t want to take. Part of your wedding planner’s job is to work within your budget and help you allocate it accordingly so that you get the most bang for your buck. They know what options have the highest price tags and what corners can be cut without impacting the overall experience and presentation. If you find that hiring a wedding planner is simply out of the question budget-wise, many planners offer a day-of or a month-of option. These vary by planner, but most include some vendor recommendations/relations. You are investing so much time and money into your wedding, it is worth this little extra cost to make sure that everything leading up to your big day runs smoothly. It’s important that you and your partner are in the moment and able to enjoy yourselves, rather than worrying about what door the baker is going to use to deliver the cake, etc.
2. Shop Sales
Esther Sun Photography Whether you are shopping for your gown or your wedding lingerie, make sure to shop sales. If you start shopping far enough in advance, you have a few months that you can wait before you need to make your purchase. For the gown, you can contact the designer or boutique and inquire about upcoming trunk shows. These will likely be advertised on the events page on their websites. At trunk shows, boutiques usually offer a discount that can be up to 10% off - how amazing is that?! Shopping sample sales is another great way to save money. These are sales that bridal boutiques have when they need to make room for new inventory. They sell their floor samples at up to 50% off (yup, you read that right) their normal retail price. There will likely be some wear and tear, but most samples are kept in fairly good condition.
3. Shop Pre-owned
Lauren Fair Photography This option isn’t for everyone, but if you know what you want and are willing to buy gently used items, you can save a lot of money. There are more and more used bridal boutiques popping up, in brick and mortar and online. Before buying a used gown, make sure you know what size you wear. Each design house has its own size chart; so, look up their specific size chart before you buy a gown. Also, keep in mind that these gowns have been used, so the bride that wore them before most likely had alterations (hem shortened, bodice taken in, etc.). Ask the bride or the boutique to provide the measurements of the actual gown before making the purchase, because they may no longer match the original sizing. For rehearsal dinner dresses, suits, tuxes, accessories, and even shoes there are many websites that make it easy to buy pre-owned designer goods, some still have the original tags! Some reliable sites are The Real Real and Poshmark.
4. Request a Staycation for Your Bridal Shower/ Bachelor(ette) Party
Jose Villa Photography Is it just me, or have the parties leading up to a wedding gotten out of hand? It used to be a night out with your closest friends. These days, it’s a week-long exotic trip across the world…plus a drink package. Don’t get me wrong, nothing could be more fun and worthwhile than jet setting with your besties, but when you’re planning a wedding it can feel like one more huge expense. Be real with your friends and family and express that it is important for you to spend time celebrating with them and suggest that you have a weekend together in the city where you live. This will save you the stress and expense of a flight and taking time off work. I’m sure some of them will thank you for keeping it low-key; after all, being in a bridal party isn’t cheap either.
5. Use Your Friends' Talents
Photographer: We Are Origami Do you have a friend that’s in the wedding industry? If so, use their talents! They will probably offer you a “Friends and Family” discount or may even gift you the service as a wedding present. Whether they are a hair and makeup artist, a baker, or a florist, don’t hesitate to tap into your own network. You’ll feel better spending the money investing in a friend’s business, and it will make the day even more special! While there are a lot of pluses to working within your circle, make sure to do your research before you inquire about their services. First, ensure that their style fits your vision. Also, consider how your personalities mesh. It can be tricky doing business with friends and family, you want to make your planning less stressful, not more!
6. Have a Friend or Family Member Officiate
Jeremiah and Rachel Photography Hiring an officiant can be expensive and often impersonal, especially if you and your partner don’t already have a relationship with a spiritual leader. Instead, select a friend or a family member and ask them if they would be willing to get ordained and perform your wedding ceremony. It should be someone who knows you and your partner and can speak eloquently. Getting ordained is easy to do online, takes just a few minutes, and costs a fraction of what most officiants charge. Plus, you get a personal touch and don’t end up with a complete stranger in the background of your wedding photos–Win, Win, Win!
7. Buy Your Own Alcohol
Photographer: Mike Cassimatis-MNC Photography This is a great money saver, but it totally depends on your venue; some require that you use their bar. If you are able to supply your own alcohol, you can save by buying your favorites in bulk from wholesale clubs and direct from wineries. This also ensures that you have Dad’s favorite whiskey and your favorite seasonal red, rather than relying on a generic bar package. Another plus, you get to keep the unopened bottles. You can return them and put that money back in your pocket, or you can save them and bring them out for special occasions.
8. Suit Up
Nikol Bodnarova Photography I love a tux moment as much as anyone, but it is a brave new world and tuxes are no longer mandatory. Men, you are still expected to look your best, but your horizons have expanded exponentially. Suits are becoming a popular substitute for the classic black tux. Thanks to a number of brick and mortar and online retailers, you can choose to purchase or rent your ensemble. If you do decide to purchase your look, suits can be worn over and over again…and to more than your annual charity gala.
9. Have Your Ceremony and Reception at the Same Venue
Savan Photography If you’ve always dreamed of getting married at your quaint childhood church, chances are, space may be limited and this may not be an option for you. But, if you are more flexible with your venue, look for a place that has the look you are going for and enough space for both a ceremony and a reception. You can even speak with your wedding planner about arranging a “flip”. A flip is when your wedding planner and their team take the ceremony space and transform it into a reception space while your guests are enjoying cocktail hour. By having your ceremony and reception in the same location you save on venue rental fees (set up, clean up, booking, deliveries, etc.), decoration expenses, and don’t forget…transportation. Transporting your guests from one venue to the next can prove to be quite expensive and confusing. If you can eliminate a trip between venues, your wallet and your guests will thank you.
10. Do Your Own Hair and Makeup
Brett Heidebrecht, Photography This is something that I recommend, but cautiously. I only recommend this if you want something simple that you are confident you can execute alone. If you do decide to go this route, make sure to try out the look ahead of time and watch some tutorials on how to make your hair and makeup last throughout the day. If you do decide to hire a hair and makeup artist, you can save money by skipping the touch-ups after the ceremony.
11. DIY with Caution
Ruth Eileen Photography We have all seen wedding DIY gone wrong, so if you do decide to DIY, please, do so with caution. Save it for simple projects like assembling favors or escort cards.
12. Buy, Don’t Rent
Ashley Rae Photography When it comes to tablescapes and decorations, the bill can add up quickly. Rather than paying the rental fee, purchase the pieces you want in bulk for the same price as the rental, and resell them later. For this tip, think chargers, tablecloths, runners, candelabras, and other decorations. For dishes, silverware, and glassware, I recommend using the ones supplied by your venue or catering company. You don’t want to spend the days after your wedding doing dishes.
13. Order your Wedding Invitation Suite Online
Photography: Honey Gem Creative | Invitations: Minted Wedding invitations are your first opportunity to make an impression on your guests. There is a growing trend of intricate invitation suites with hand-pressed paper and artisan calligraphy. While this appeals to our insatiable desire for beauty, it can come with a hefty price tag. Thankfully, if custom calligraphy is out of your budget, there are several websites that offer customizable printing packages and some even have calligraphy font options that look like the real deal.
