Top Wedding Budget-Killers (And How To Save Money During Your Own Wedding Planning)
According to the BBB, the average wedding has reached a cost of $35,329. (Oddly specific number, right?) Seeing that number makes even the least budget-conscious person shake at the knees. It can quickly feel like you won’t be getting the wedding of your dreams on your $5,000 budget.
I’m here to tell you two things:
First, take a deep breath. *INHALE* and *EXHALE*
Second, you can totally still have a beautiful, fun wedding while being budget-friendly.
Let’s go over the top five budget-killing aspects of weddings and how you can save money while planning your own!
- The Guest Count
Coming in at number one, this is what single-handedly MURDERS your budget. I’m talking Michael-Myers-status-murder: the thing of horror movies. I want you to take a minute here to think about this. As exciting as it is to share your wedding ceremony and reception with family and friends, you are responsible for providing every single guest with the following: venue, seating, linens, decor, tableware, serveware, beverages, entertainment… the list can go on! Adding alcohol? There’s another cost. How about a photo booth? Hope you like seeing your wallet empty.
Limit yourself on how many people you are allowing to be in attendance for the day’s festivities. Word your invitations to exclude +1’s if you can’t afford them. Address whether you’re going to allow children to come. (Side note: If you do, think about what you’ll offer to keep them busy so the adults can enjoy themselves.) Here’s an activity you can do right now to determine who should be invited to your wedding!
2. The Decor
While design is the best part of my job, decor can be one of the most expensive parts of a wedding. Here are some of my favorite ways to replace various expensive decor with budget-friendly alternatives:
Instead of Flower Centerpieces→Try non-floral centerpieces. Some ideas include: stacks of books, homemade centerpieces made with cheaper artificial flowers, glassware with candles, empty wine or liquor bottle decor, or thrift-shopping decor!
Instead of China Tableware → Try budget-friendly (even disposable) alternatives! Having the entire tableware set-up can be very expensive, even if you go to the Dollar Tree and order materials. See if your caterer can include the tableware at a discount for using them for your food service, shop around rental companies that offer them, or opt for extremely budget-friendly disposable tableware options! (Check out SmartyHadAParty.com’s affordable options!)
Instead of Expensive Stationary → Try making your own designs on Canva and printing at your local print shop! For my own 2017 wedding, I made a simple design, printed it at my local Walmart photo center, where they also included white envelopes! Instead of spending thousands of dollars on all my stationary, I spent about $40 for invites (with RSVP cards) and an additional $80 on postage to all my invitees. (SCORE!) You could do menu cards, signage, etc. in the same manner! (Just make sure your design is cohesive and sizing is correct.)
3. The Dress
Oh, the dress. The dress that makes you feel oh-so-beautiful. Don’t get me wrong, the dress is SO important! I’m just here as that little angel on your shoulder — Do you really need to spend $10,000 on a dress? There are so many budget-friendly dress options out there that you would absolutely SLAY. Shop around and do your research! My personal newest favorite dress vendor in my area, Elyse’s Boutique, has wedding dress options under $2,000 that are absolutely breathtaking!
For a COVID-precaution option that doesn’t require you to leave your house, Vow’d brings the wedding dress shopping right to you! You pick three dresses to have shipped to your address to try on and let them know which you decided to go with! (Or, maybe you want to see some more.)
4. The Favors
UGH! I wish everyone would listen to me when I say, “Please please please for the love of all things on this planet, don’t waste your money on guest favors!” There are so many reasons I advise against guest favors…
First, they’re already getting EVERYTHING from the night’s festivities paid for, likely by YOU, by attending this wedding. That’s a gift in itself.
Second, the favors are almost always left on their tables at the end of the night. (I seriously can’t tell you how many I’ve cleaned up or given back to my couples!) The candles you bought don’t fit their aesthetic at home. The cute little oils or tea bags or other little pantry items will sit in their pantry, unused, until they’re thrown out ten years later during Spring Cleaning. The box of candies you bought may not be a flavor appreciated by everyone. The custom items with your wedding date on them won’t be displayed at their homes. It’s your wedding, not theirs.
Instead of favors, apply that money to a universal guest experience that is so much cooler! A photo booth, a live painting, a water slide, something different that speaks to them from you and your partner.
5. The Venue
Last on my hit-list is the first thing you should be booking. Without booking this, you don’t have a wedding. That’s right, I’m talking venues! The venue can be such a costly expense if you go the traditional route with a venue that has all the bells and whistles.
I’m guessing you’re sitting there with a look on your face that says, “Well, Melissa, how do I get a venue with such a modest budget?” I’ve got you, fam. I want you to take a look at your community. Your community offers so many beautiful structures that are perfect for wedding ceremonies and receptions. Reach out to your local churches, community centers, parks, and city buildings! (Check out my wedding at the North Canton Civic Center below and tell me it’s not beautiful…and inexpensive. It seriously costs about $1,600 on a Saturday and much less every other day of the week.)
Another way to solve this dilemma, but still get that dream venue is to look at off-season days to get married. Normally, couples aren’t getting married on weekdays or during the winter. If you can be flexible on your wedding date, you can definitely book that dream venue for A LOT less money!
Being aware of the value of what you’re adding to your wedding is the single most-important thing you can do to avoid wallet-burnout.
My goal is to help each and every couple tell their story in a cost-effective way. We all have much bigger dreams for the money being saved from an inexpensive wedding: having a whirlwind experience honeymoon, buying your family home, growing your family, buying new cars, getting a dog (or two)… Having a stunning wedding is great, but it doesn’t need to be expensive!
Stay tuned next week for the top frustrations couples experience on their wedding day…and how to avoid them during the planning process!
