wedding money savings tips

5 Ways to Save Money When Planning Your Wedding

Use These Tips To Save Money on Your Wedding.

You have already chosen the date for your wedding. The preparations have officially begun. The next step is to find a place for the reception, visit wedding dress shops, attend cake tastings and deal with issues related to money. The average cost of a wedding is $20,000, but not everyone can afford or is willing to spend this much. If you have no idea how you will get enough money for your wedding and also do not want to end up in debt, follow the following tips:

1. Set a Fixed Budget.

You may have a general idea of how much you will spend on your wedding day, but taking the time to look at all the costs and set a budget is a good way to stop costs spiraling out of control. Deciding which parts of your wedding matter most to you and making them a priority will make planning the wedding much easier. Set out a maximum budget for the essential parts of your wedding such as the venue, ceremony, dress and the cake. Next, focus on extras such as flowers, a photographer, and transportation. By now should then be able to see how much you can afford to spend and what things you have to cut back on.

2. Find the Best Price.

When it comes to weddings, certain costs such as the registration fee and wedding certificate are fixed and non-negotiable, but that is not the case for everything else. In order to save money, you should try to find the best price for everything, from the venue to your wedding cake, florist, hairdresser, and DJ. Even if you’ve already made a choice, asking for quotes from different businesses is a good idea, since you can use the cheaper quotes to drive the price down elsewhere. Always ask if there is room to negotiate. Be aware that some things such as a reception venue will cost much more if you say you are planning a wedding, so avoid mentioning that.

3. Avoid Peak Dates.

avoid peak wedding day dates

Some dates such as  Valentine’s day, bank holidays, and Saturdays are very popular for weddings. Therefore, booking a venue or a caterer on such a day will drive up the price of your wedding.  Wedding venues are also more expensive in spring and summer, so if you want your money go to further, opt for an autumn or winter wedding. Most wedding receptions take place in the evening, so choosing an early wedding and reception will considerably bring down the costs.

4. Save on the Dress.

wedding dress money savings

Traditional wedding dresses can have astronomical price tags. However, any elegant white dress can be worn as a wedding dress.  Rather than going to an expensive shop, visit ordinary stores that might have beautiful white evening dresses for accessible prices. Try discount shops, or thrift stores for something with a vintage vibe, or even better, wear something with a strong emotional meaning: your mother or grandmother’s wedding dress.

5. Do it Yourself.

Don’t outsource the things that you can do yourself, after all, it might be fun to craft your own invitations, table decorations, or even make some desserts for the reception.  If one of your friends or family members has a special skill that they are very talented at, ask them to help with the wedding rather than bring a gift. Such skills include photographer, baker, florist or chauffeur. They will probably be eager to help and happy that they don’t have to spend money on a gift. If someone owns a place that can be used as a reception venue, don’t be afraid to ask.

Weddings don’t have to be about the money, but about the emotional meaning surrounding the day. Aside from some fixed prices, all other prices associated with weddings are negotiable. Finding the cheapest options possible, avoiding peak dates,  being flexible when it comes to your wedding dress, opting to be frugal and putting your skills and those of your friends to good use can really bring down the price of your wedding. And remember, you don’t need to save on every single aspect of your wedding, only on those that don’t matter that much to you.