According to TheKnot, couples married in 2021 spent an average of $34,000 on their wedding. The cost of weddings has skyrocketed recently, with the costs of inflation and changing wedding industry. Today, there are more and more wedding “norms” that seem to come with expensive price tags. If you’re recently engaged, planning a wedding can be overwhelming. In addition to the many things you need to do, budgeting for a wedding is difficult.
If spending over $30,000 on a wedding isn’t for you, there are so many great options to consider. Some people simply don’t like the idea of dropping an insane amount of money on one day. Others may not have the money or see a big wedding party as appropriate use of money. Whatever your reasons may be, they’re completely valid.
While planning a wedding on a tight budget can be an extra hurdle, it’s also more than doable. Finding simple hacks to help you save money each step of the way (especially on things that don’t have much relevance) is the best way to stay on a tight budget. Keep reading to learn some of the best wedding planning hacks for strict wedding budgets!
Pick an Off Season or Weekday
Weddings on weekends are most desirable, due to work schedules. However, they come at a cost. If you choose to get married on a weekend day, you can expect it to cost significantly more than getting married on a weekday. While it may seem odd to get married on a weekday, it comes with quite a few advantages. First off, there’s a good number of RSVPs that will come back as a “no” simply because the date doesn’t work for their schedule. In addition, you’ll have no competition for your date.
Another option is to get married in the off-season. The wedding “season” is generally considered from May through October. Of course, the winter months are less desirable. This means some venues may offer discounted wedding packages to attract weddings during this time period. If you don’t mind an indoor wedding, choosing a winter wedding might be a great option for you and your partner to save money on your wedding!
Concerned about pleasing your guests? Remember, your wedding day is about you and your partner. Anyone who is truly close to you will arrange to be at your wedding, no matter what day or time of year it takes place.
Some venues may also have differing pricing for daytime or mid-day weddings, as opposed to the standard evening wedding. Choosing an earlier time, allows your venue to hold two weddings in one day. Brunch weddings are becoming popular in 2022, especially on Sundays!
Artificial Flowers
Wedding florals can become insanely expensive. Beyond the Bride’s bouquet, there are so many other floral needs for weddings. From aisle decor to reception table centerpieces, florals can cost more than you think. If spending over $10,000 on wedding flowers isn’t exciting to you, consider artificial flowers. There are many companies that create realistic-looking florals that look close to the real thing. The chances are your guests will hardly notice!
Get those Cashback Rewards!
Of course, you should never charge expenses and accumulate debt if you aren’t able to pay the bill in full. However, using credit cards for wedding expenses can help you earn a significant amount of cash back. Ideally, you want a credit card that has a 2% or higher cash back on all purchases. As such, many couples use credit cards for wedding expenses (that they know they have the money for) and pay in full when the bill comes. Use your extra cashback to go towards your honeymoon, now thats a win win!
Skip the Open Bar
Alcohol can get expensive, especially if you have a large wedding with many guests. While many people feel like an open bar is absolutely necessary, it’s certainly not. Open bars can take a large chunk out of your wedding budget. Instead, opt for a signature drink and then select a cash bar. Another way to get around paying for lots of alcohol is to opt for a daytime or brunch wedding. People are less likely to go through an excessive amount of drinks in daylight hours. Some modern couples also choose only beer and wine, and skip the hard liquors (which can get costly).
Dwindle Down that Guest List
It’s understandable to want your whole tribe to be there when you exchange your vows, but heads per table can get a bit pricey! Consider a nice dinner with friends and keep the wedding ceremony to the closest around you plus, you can always get a videographer to capture all the best moments to share on the gram later!
Research and Time
Taking an extra couples hours to do research, browse yelp, and reaching out to friends for recommendations can make all the difference in how pricey your wedding can come out!
Julia Rodgers is HelloPrenup’s CEO and Co-Founder. She is a Massachusetts family law attorney and true believer in the value of prenuptial agreements. HelloPrenup was created with the goal of automating the prenup process, making it more collaborative, time efficient and cost effective. Julia believes that a healthy marriage is one in which couples can openly communicate about finances and life goals. You can read more about us here Questions? Reach out to Julia directly at [email protected].
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