{"id":51105,"date":"2018-12-31T19:29:43","date_gmt":"2018-12-31T19:29:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.topweddingquestions.com\/blog\/?p=12376"},"modified":"2018-12-31T19:29:43","modified_gmt":"2018-12-31T19:29:43","slug":"what-are-the-best-ways-to-save-money-on-my-wedding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.topweddingsites.com\/wedding-blog\/wedding-finances\/what-are-the-best-ways-to-save-money-on-my-wedding","title":{"rendered":"What Are the Best Ways to Save Money on My Wedding?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Simply, what are some great ways to save money on your wedding? Are there secrets? Are there areas you can pinch? Don\u2019t worry about emptying out your savings account or have parents dip into a retirement fund. You can have an amazing celebration without spilling into the endless abyss of vendor bills.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere do I start saving money for my wedding?\u201d<\/h2>\n

Before you start saving, you\u2019ll need to set your budget<\/b> – and <\/b>stick to it<\/b><\/a>. <\/b><\/p>\n

Have a conversation with whomever if helping foot the bill and decide on a price that seems reasonable and comfortable. From there, you can decide how to divide the money up between different elements of the big day.<\/p>\n

Once those decisions are made, download the app Wedding Happy<\/a>. It\u2019s a fabulous application that will help track your budget and stay on task throughout your event planning. Most importantly, you\u2019ll be provided with a spending summary so you can see how much money is left and which direction it\u2019s going toward all of the vendors. It\u2019ll also keep you on time for paying all of the bills.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs sending evites a good way to save?\u201d<\/h2>\n

We prefer traditional invitations, but Evites are still a cost-effective option.<\/b><\/p>\n

Yes, couples do this. Whether they do it in a pinch, because it\u2019s a last minute decision, or because they want to save a few hundred dollars, we\u2019re not saying it doesn\u2019t happen – we just love the idea of traditional, tangible invitations that your family and friends can hang up on the fridge and keep in a memory box. And there are a lot of affordable invitations out there, such as the several at PurpleTrail<\/a> that are gorgeous.<\/p>\n

But if you\u2019re considering the idea of an evites we have a couple of suggestions. A lot of the sites will help you design evites and even have some built-in RSVP functions to make tracking guests easier. Keep in mind that the best way to go when sending an invitation over email is to go with a service such as Paperless Post<\/a> or Evite.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can I buy or rent myself?\u201d<\/h2>\n

The short answer is \u2026 nearly everything.<\/b><\/p>\n

A lot of times though, your venue will include a lot of the necessities within the price of your rental agreement or package. But, if you\u2019re looking to save big we have one major suggestion in mind.<\/p>\n

Bring your own liquor. <\/b>And we don\u2019t mean buy it yourself and bring it for the party. Instead, have a \u2018stock the bar\u2019 party with friends. These parties include a celebration of the engagement but every guest brings one or two bottles of liquor and those bottles are in turn used to, well, stock the bar for the big day!<\/p>\n

Before committing to this idea, check with your venue and make sure you\u2019re allowed to bring your our liquor to the property.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it comes to the venue is there any rule of thumb?\u201d<\/h2>\n

Firstly, don\u2019t book on a Saturday. <\/b><\/p>\n

Ask your venue about holding your ceremony on a Friday or Sunday instead. These non-standard dates are more likely to be offered at special rates and less expensive packages. And then ask about the time slot as well. Morning or brunch time events may not cost as much as an evening – until after midnight – celebration.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the dress? Do I have to spend thousands?\u201d<\/h2>\n

Absolutely not. <\/b><\/p>\n

You certainly don\u2019t have to spend thousands of dollars on a wedding gown. In fact, the trend isn\u2019t to spend upward on five grand on a design anymore. Brides are becoming more budget-conscious and going with handmade designs or vintage finds. Yes, the taboo reputation of pre-owned wedding dresses<\/a> is a thing of the past.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s a family heirloom (worn freely aside from some cleaning costs or some possible alterations) or a secondhand gown of a designer you already love, it\u2019s okay to do a little extra shopping around for your wedding dress that doesn\u2019t include five different appointments at downtown bridal boutiques.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can I DIY?\u201d<\/h2>\n

Anything and everything you can without needing a third party.<\/b><\/p>\n

Our advice to you is that DIYing your wedding is possible, plausible, and totally something that you should take up – especially if you\u2019re on a budget. If fact, do as much as you can without paying anyone else to do it!<\/p>\n

Now, that could include your own wedding day album, or creating your own wedding video with raw footage of the day from friends snippets shared on Instagram, or even taking some time to whip up some magical centerpieces for the table.<\/p>\n

Remember to give yourself some grace \u2013 and some time \u2013 to DIY some of the details and be aware of the prep involved. You can even get really creative and DIY your very own invitations and wedding bouquets.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it necessary to purchase favors?\u201d<\/h2>\n

Nope, and don\u2019t feel bad about it!<\/b><\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t have the extra wiggle room in the budget, or you just don\u2019t find it realistic to spend so much on trinkets that will likely get thrown out – nix them. They\u2019re really a beautiful gesture, used as thanking all of your loved ones for coming and celebrating, but they certainly are not a requirement.<\/p>\n

But, if you\u2019re worried about not having them and still don\u2019t want to spend a ton, this is where your DIYing skills can come in handy. And if you go with edibles, seasonal or mini treats like salted caramel cookies or even truffles are a great idea!<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s cost-effective and versatile when it comes to flowers?\u201d<\/h2>\n

Always try for real flowers over faux.<\/b><\/p>\n

We\u2019re not a fan of using faux flowers for a wedding but we understand that this can eat at your budget (sometimes even more so than the food). So, if you want some magical, natural elements thrown into your wedding without breaking the bank opt for baby\u2019s breath<\/b>. It doesn\u2019t cost near as much as its more colorful counterparts but can be an extremely versatile element of the day\u2019s decor.<\/p>\n

More Helpful Information<\/h2>\n