Once the excitement of becoming newly engaged fades away, the reality of the high cost of weddings can begin to sink in and replace your excitement with fear.
Wedding costs are no joke. The average cost of a wedding is as high as $28,400 by some estimates, and close to $26,400 by another, according to CNBC. But the average cost doesn’t have to be how much your wedding costs. Even engaged couples who are frugal can have a beautiful and cost-efficient wedding.
The most important thing when planning a frugal wedding is to keep the final goal in mind. While you may think a bunch of DIY projects and small sentiments will make your wedding a once-in-a-lifetime event, the reality is people attend weddings all the time.
The small details you spent thousands of dollars on and countless hours on rarely get noticed. With that in mind, keep your expectations in check throughout your wedding process.
Here are five ways to save thousands on your wedding without sacrificing beauty.
1. Minimalist Invitations
Do you really need calligraphy on your wedding invitation? Do you need expensive custom stamps? Do you need five envelopes and cards to make your invitation look extravagant? Keep your invitation simple.
The reality is most invitations get thrown in the trash after they’re received. Instead of ordering expensive wedding invitations through a local designer, get bulk printing done at Staples or places like Costco. Or, you could DIY your invitations with a kit from Amazon.
To save even more money on invites, instead of having self-addressed stamped RSVPs, set up a wedding website where guests can RSVP online. You’ll be surprised how much postage can add to your total bill.
2. Limiting Flowers
Who says flowers need to be part of the centerpiece? These days, Pinterest offers plenty of flower-free table arrangement options to satisfy even the craftiest among us.
Candles and sand for a beach themed wedding, succulents for a desert theme, fruit bowls for a spring wedding, the options are endless. Get ideas online for centerpieces that won’t break the bank.
Want to save thousands on your #wedding? Here are 5 tips for cutting costs Click To Tweet3. No Open Bar
Who doesn’t love an open bar at a wedding? The people paying for it.
To limit your alcohol bill, stick to wine and beer instead. You can also offer a signature drink created specifically for your wedding. You can even make your specialty drink one of your wedding colors!
If wine and beer are out of your budget, check with your venue to see if it’s possible to purchase alcohol yourselves and hire your own bartender. This can drastically decrease costs. Alternatively, offer a limited time frame of alcohol, such as during the cocktail hour.
4. Have a Piece of Cake
Cakes for weddings have outrageous prices. Don’t tell the caterer your cake is for a wedding, and you’ll most likely get a much cheaper price. You can also choose to have a small cake for photo opportunities, but host a dessert bar or use a sheet cake for your guests.
5. Get Married Off Season
Choosing a day to get married other than Saturday can drastically reduce your costs. Get married on a Friday or Sunday during a holiday weekend or skip the traditional spring-summer wedding and choose the fall or winter. Either of these options can save you thousands — and bonus points if you’re able to secure the location more than a year in advance.
What did you do to save costs on your wedding? If you’re planning a wedding, are you using any of these tips to make it more affordable?
