Planning a wedding can be stressful. But stress levels can be higher if you’re a student and your budget’s limited. According to estimates, the average wedding cost today is between $10,000 and $30,000. How do you plan a wedding on a budget? Let’s walk through a few wedding ideas that teach you how to plan a wedding without spending too much.
Tips for Staying on Budget
Know your budget and stick to it. The first thing you need to consider when making your wedding plan is your budget. Know exactly how much you have and stick to it. If you know how much you can afford, you’ll be more careful about purchasing products and services for your wedding. Keeping your budget in mind will help you make wiser decisions. This way, you’ll be able to make the most of your budget without going overboard.
Keep it simple and intimate. While it’s tempting to hold a large, elaborate wedding, having too many guests could drive expenses up. Each guest you invite adds costs to your wedding. Don’t feel obligated to invite everyone you know. Keep the guest list short instead by inviting only your immediate family and closest friends. Remember that a simple and intimate wedding can be as charming, memorable, and heartfelt as a big one.
Share responsibilities. Another way to drive down costs is by sharing responsibilities among you, your partner, and friends and family who are willing to help. The more people involved in the preparations for your wedding, the less the need for a professional planner. Be wary, though, of sharing responsibilities without proper coordination, since this could lead to chaos. An organized joint effort that ticks most boxes on a wedding planning checklist can help you save a lot of money.
Resist the temptation. If you have a wedding planner, chances are your planner will make a lot of suggestions for making your wedding extraordinary. Most of these suggestions, however, will require you to shell out more. You must resist the temptation to follow every suggestion made by your planner since most of these are usually marketing strategies intended to make you spend more. Be critical when considering suggestions and avoid spending on products and services that you don’t really need.
Choose a weekend-daytime wedding. The rates for venues and services vary depending on day and time. Rates tend to be lower during weekdays compared to weekends and earlier in the day than in the evening. This is because demand is higher for weekend weddings with dinner receptions. If day and time are not an issue, hold your wedding in the late morning or early afternoon on a weekday. If it must be on a weekend, try to choose Sunday since rates for this day are lower than rates for Saturday.
Exchange gift for talent. A big chunk of the cost for a college wedding comes from various services such as music and photography. Instead of hiring people to provide these services, you can ask your close talented friends to offer their skills in lieu of gifts. For example, having a friend photograph your event will save you the cost of hiring a professional photographer. This will also save your friend the trouble of spending money on a gift. The best part of this arrangement is that the gift from your friend becomes something more special and unforgettable.
Network for lower rates and discounts. Not all products and services can be provided by your friends and family for free. For instance, you can ask friends to provide music and photography as gifts, but you will still need to hire caterers and florists. When looking for service providers, consider hiring businesses owned by friends or family, since you’re more likely to get lower rates and discounts if you personally know or are related to the owners. You can also compare prices to identify the best deals. For instance, CustomEssayMeister.com offers professionally-written and inspiring speeches at affordable prices.
Make your own invitations and decors. Another way to stay on budget is making your own invitations and decorations. For example, with some elegant stationery and excellent calligraphy skills, you can create your own simple but tasteful invitations without paying exorbitant prices. If you have limited time, you can enlist the help of family and friends, especially the ones who have a flair for arts and crafts.
Buy off the rack or rent. A basic wedding 101 budget tip is keeping expenses for your attire low. Most people think that the higher the price, the better the quality. This is not always true. You can buy a beautiful gown off the rack for a fraction of the price of a custom-made gown. Be prepared, though, to spend some time searching for a dress and spending a little on alterations for the perfect fit. For male members of the party, renting tuxedos or suits is a more affordable option than buying.
Simple honeymoon. While honeymooning in far-off and exotic destinations is gaining popularity, you don’t have to be pressured into breaking the bank just to follow the trend. Choose a honeymoon destination that your budget allows. There are plenty of destinations in your state or neighboring states that can offer you an unforgettable honeymoon experience. There will be more opportunities for you to travel in the future. But now that you are on a budget, a simple honeymoon is your best option.
Getting engaged in college sometimes leads to an early wedding. But this can be a problem for student couples whose budgets tend to be lower than average. There’s no need for worrying, there is a lot of excellent advice on how to have the perfect wedding while staying on budget.