Effective Ways to Cut Down Wedding Costs
3 min readAll brides dream of a wedding with an endless budget, but the actual cost of wedding details can quickly empty the wallet and cause pressure to couples. Wedding spending has drastically increased in the last decade. Most couples admit they’ve gone over initial budget because of unplanned upgrades. You don’t have to break the bank to get the wedding of your dreams. If you know how to work around a few key wedding elements, you can stay on your budget without cutting quality or losing ‘wow’ factor you’ve imagined.
1. Steer clear from expensive Saturday bookings
Saturday is the most coveted day for a wedding. This is why it is costly, not to mention taxing, to book a Saturday wedding. Some couples have to wait a year to get a Saturday slot on their preferred date and venue. Great savings can be made from booking a Sunday or Friday wedding. Also, price negotiations with vendors are easier since there isn’t as much competition for services.
2. Go easy on wedding stationery
Wedding stationery can easily eat up a percentage of your budget if you let yourself get carried away with the extras you don’t need like lined envelopes, foil stamping and high-grade fiber paper stock. Remember, expenses don’t end on invitations. You still have to send them out and postage is an added cost.
You can save on excessive spending by opting for simpler alternatives to your paper goods. Know that you can have classy invites even with standard card stock. If you do your research well, you can find invitation vendors offering quality wedding cards and printing services at a cheaper price. Instead of hiring a calligrapher, consider printing addresses on envelopes.
3. Be flexible with your flower choices
You don’t need a specific flower to achieve a certain look. Talk to your florist about cheaper alternatives to steal colour and texture of your desired arrangement. Florists can always suggest in-season flowers at a lower price, reducing cost up to 70{170c5dc430f64c583d5107d62ba05598e67e73b9b6a5f140f81c7d71fdb25fb3} without giving up on quality.
4. Stand by the favorites
It’s nice having something exotic to offer guests but it’s not budget-friendly. Catering companies charge less for common comfort dishes and your not-so-adventurous guests will surely appreciate you for making a safe choice. It’s also a good practice to ask your caterer about all-inclusive packages you can take advantage off.
5. Go for bigger tables
Often, caterers offer a range of table sizes to accommodate guests. By opting for bigger tables, you can save on a few elements such as linen sets and centerpieces.
6. Control alcohol selection
If an open bar is a must, ask the venue manager if a BYOB is possible. Controlling alcohol selection to just beer and wine and some common cocktails can save you from spending hundreds of dollars on drinks. You can also arrange a ‘Stock the Bar’ party where guests can bring a bottle of liquor or champagne as gifts to be used at the reception.
You don’t have to break the bank to have a lavish wedding. With all the expenses lined up like the honeymoon and home buying, saving money has never become more important.