A wedding can be expensive. According to CNN in 2013, weddings cost $30,000 on average. You definitely wouldn’t want to start your married life in debt, hence the need to work on a budget. With proper planning, you can still have your dream wedding while staying on a budget.
Here are some great tips to help you plan your dream wedding while working on a budget:
Create a Budget
Do some research to find out what weddings cost on average in your area. What do venders in your area charge? What are their rates? With the right information at hand, come up with a budget to work on. How much are you willing to spend on your wedding? What are the most significant aspects of your wedding?
With a budget to work with, prioritize each aspect of your wedding to help you allocate funds to each, accordingly. Having a budget to work with while planning your wedding can help track your costs and prevent overspending so you only buy what’s necessary. Katie from Orla James agreed “this seems like such an obvious point, but many people get carried away with certain aspects and end up neglecting other areas of their wedding.”
Choose a Wedding Date During Off-Peak
When do weddings often take place in your area? Find out the off-peak and on-peak months for weddings in your area and choose a date accordingly. Costs tend to be lower during off-peak times. For instance, vendors and wedding planners might charge lower rates during off-peak times due to low demand.
Weddings also tend to occur on Saturdays. If you’re working on a tight budget, consider a weekday for your wedding instead of a Saturday or Sunday. However, note that most of your guests might not manage to attend if they’re busy during weekdays. You can also consider getting married at a Country club because it can be a cheaper option at the end.
Rent What You Might Not Need Later
Wedding décor items such as tables, chair covers, runners and many other things can easily be rented to reduce your costs. For instance, tablecloth rentals can come in handy when working on a budget. Also consider renting your wedding dress if your budget can’t allow for a new dress. However, wedding dress rental might not give you variety to choose from.
If you can afford a new wedding dress, you can buy one and sell it off after your wedding to give you some money to spend later on.
Work with a Small Guest List
Planning a small wedding can significantly reduce your working budget, giving you more money to spend on other things. Invitations, food and refreshments can take up a great deal of your budget if you have a big guest list. Invite close friends and family members to attend your wedding and help you reduce unnecessary costs.
Be Creative
DIY wedding planning can also help you reduce costs. You can do this partially or fully. If there are certain things you can easily do or get done without the help of a vendor, don’t hesitate to do so. You might also find friends or family members who can help get a few things done properly without spending more on vendor services. The key here is being creative.
Getting certain things done yourself can give your wedding a personal touch and sense of satisfaction for a job well done.
