Planning your dream wedding without going over budget is absolutely possible! With thoughtful preparation and a few cost-cutting strategies, you can walk down the aisle, look stunning, and celebrate in style—all without financial stress.
Save First, Then Plan
Before getting into the details of your wedding, focus on saving up for the big day. A dedicated wedding savings account can help you grow your funds faster, especially if it earns a higher interest rate. You can even set up automatic transfers to your savings to make saving money effortless. Having a target amount in mind before you start planning can also help you create a realistic budget.
Consider Your Expenses
Assess each expense at your wedding and what it’s worth to you and your partner. This will put into perspective what you’re willing to splurge on and what isn’t that important to you. For example, you may find that wearing an expensive couture gown is more important to you than having a professional DJ at your reception. If so, you can cut costs by having a friend manage the music and put the money you would have spent on a DJ toward your dress.
Save the Dates and Invitations
Create them yourself. With platforms such as Canva, it’s easy to create your own save-the-dates and invitations. Just be sure to do a print test first to confirm your design looks the way you want before placing your full order.
Browse premade cards online. If you’d rather not go through the trouble of designing a save-the- date or invitation yourself, you can check out websites such as Vistaprint, Amazon, or Etsy. If you have tech-savvy friends and relatives, send them to a custom URL or QR code for RSVPs to cut down on printing and postage costs.
Attire
Rent what you wear. It’s common to rent tuxedos and suits, but don’t forget that you can rent your dress, too. This way, you get to look like a million bucks without spending a million bucks. A tip on renting tuxedos and suits: Renting as a group may get you a discount, so be sure the groomsmen shop together!
Shop for sales. For many brides, a wedding dress has sentimental value, and renting may not be a favorable option. That’s okay – you can still get a dress that’s yours alone and doesn’t burn a hole in your budget. Consider checking online shops and local discount racks for affordable wedding dresses, which usually have a great collection of dresses ranging from $100 to $500. Before making a purchase, check the shop’s return policy to make sure they allow free returns in case the dress isn’t what it looked like online. And, if you don’t mind buying a used dress, consider vintage or thrift shops that sell wedding dresses at a much lower cost. Most of the time, these are in great condition because they’ve only been worn once.
Venues
Ask about packaged deals. Venue costs can take a big chunk of a wedding budget. Shop around for the best price and ask about packaged deals. You may find certain venues offer perks like speaker systems, discounted catering services, or a free cake, which may make the extra cost worth it in the long run.
Opt for a family-owned location. This could mean a family member’s backyard or a local privately owned restaurant with a large banquet hall. Churches often have reception halls that you can reserve for free or relatively inexpensive costs as well.
Explore public spaces. You don’t need to have your wedding at a fancy banquet hall. Look around you! There are tons of open spaces well-suited for a ceremony and reception. These include university campuses, parks, and public gardens. Public parks and gardens rent space for weddings and don’t cost as much as a typical banquet hall. Whatever venue you choose, be sure to visit it during the day of the week and the time you plan to have your ceremony and reception to check lighting, traffic, etc.
Food and Drinks
Think beyond traditional catering. Food trucks, buffet-style meals, or asking a family member to cater can all be budget-friendly and are unique options.
Opt for hors d’oeuvres. Instead of a full sit-down dinner, consider serving hors d’oeuvres and cake after the ceremony.
Cut the open bar. One of the most significant ways to cut down costs is not having an open bar. Instead, offer a coffee bar, soda, or other drinks. If you want to provide your guests with drinks, check with your venue about bringing in beverages purchased outside or ask vendors about bulk purchase options.
Cakes and Desserts
Get help from family and friends. If you have a friend or family member who loves to bake, ask them if they’d be willing to make your cake as a wedding gift. Cupcakes or simpler desserts are often more budget-friendly and are easier to serve.
Check out local grocery stores and local bakeries. Grocery stores offer wedding cake options that are usually very reasonably priced, but still fancy.
Skip cake altogether. You can also take an unconventional route. Cookies, pies, and candy bars are fun and cost much less!
Décor
DIY projects. Dollar stores are treasure troves for vases, candles, artificial flowers, and more. Use YouTube or Pinterest for DIY-inspired floral arrangement tutorials to add a personal touch.
Borrow or buy used decorations. Ask friends if they have décor you can borrow, or check online marketplaces for gently used wedding decorations.
Music
Set up your own system. You don’t have to have a big-name DJ or band to get the party started! A curated playlist will work just fine. You can have a collection of songs that are special to both of you, or you can ask a friend or family member to be the DJ.
Hire local talent. There are some great college bands out there with a lot of potential. You could also check out new DJs and musicians. Check out some of their gigs and see if they can get the job done.
Photography
Find and hire new talent. Recent graduates or up-and-coming photographers often offer lower rates. Review their portfolios and make sure you feel confident in their abilities.
Get a packaged deal. Many photographers offer engagement and wedding packages. Also, make sure you’re able to get a print release and get digital copies of all images for easy printing later.
Jewelry
Use family heirlooms. Family heirlooms, such as your grandmother’s earrings, could save you from splurging on new jewelry. Don’t forget to borrow a piece of jewelry for your wedding day – a great way to get your “something borrowed.”
Shop online. Once again, online shopping comes to the rescue! There are dozens of online discount shops that offer rings in various metals such as rose gold, white gold, and yellow gold, and countless stones such as diamonds and cubic zirconia. Don’t worry about getting the exact size, as it’s usually well worth it to get a good deal and resize the piece later.
Honeymoon
Stay close to home., A honeymoon is a good time to enjoy each other’s company and unwind after all that wedding prep. But it’s not necessary to travel halfway across the world to do it. You could always opt to stay closer to home and instead invest in a nice hotel suite. It will be less stressful than hopping on a flight. Staying local also gives you the opportunity to spend a little more time with relatives you don’t see very often.
Get creative with your fund. If going on a honeymoon is a must, then this is a good time to make use of your wedding registry. You could skip registering for gifts and instead use an online honeymoon registry to ask your guests to make a contribution. This way, you can afford your dream trip to Paris or Venice without having to spend a penny.
More Ways to Cut Costs
Hopefully, you’ve decided on what you need to spend for a memorable, world-class wedding. Here are a few more ways to cut costs so that you come away with some helpful ideas for cutting down:
- Trim your guest list. This is an obvious way to reduce costs. Fewer guests mean lower costs for food, invitations, and venue space. Sit down with your fiancée and have an honest conversation about who you want present on your big day.
- Ask for discounts. Vendors may give you a discount, especially if you purchase several services from them. You can also offer to include their logo on your program or wedding website in exchange for a small discount.
- Skip the wedding planner. Wedding planners can take care of all your big hassles, but if you’re concerned about costs, then it’s best to skip the wedding planner. If you’re keen on having a professional on board, though, you can hire them for one session instead of the whole event.
Maximize Your Wedding Budget
Planning your dream wedding can be expensive, but tapping into your home’s equity might be an option to fund it. If you’ve built up equity in your home, our home equity products could help you cover your wedding expenses, from venue costs to honeymoon plans, at a competitive rate. Explore how a home equity loan or line of credit could be the perfect solution to perfecting your big day.
Good luck and congratulations!
