I planned my wedding on a very small budget. I had a very small wedding that I planned in three months. My wedding was beautiful and just what I wanted it to be! I think that every bride can have the wedding of her dreams and still stay within their budget. I polled some former brides, along with my own experiences, and have created this post of ten ways to save money on your wedding! So, here goes 🙂
#1. Invite the people you’ll still be friends with and care about in ten years.
Because those are the people in your life who matter to you and should be there on your wedding day. Everyone else? Well, it’s not personal – weddings are expensive and the people who matter the most should be there to help you celebrate it.
#2. Grow your own flowers for your bouquets and centerpieces.
I really wanted to do this originally, but my bigger desire to be married in three months overshadowed that 😉 However, my bride in the photo above grew her own flowers and made all the bouquets the morning of the wedding and they looked beautiful! A great way to add your own touch to the wedding.
#3. Buy flowers that are in season.
If you decide to go with a florist, you can save money by picking flowers that are in season because they are easier to get their hands on them.
#4. Staying on the topic of flowers, choose smaller bouquets.
When I got married I chose a bouquet of 6 flowers for me, and three flowers in each of the bridesmaids bouquets. Great way to cut back on the price a little bit! Also, looking at fillers too can help cut down the price and fill out bouquets and boutonnieres!
#5. Ask your venue if they offer discounts for certain days of the week.
When we were getting married, we wanted to get married on our seven month anniversary – August 20th – but it was cheaper with the Ramada Inn to get married on Sunday AND they included a DJ on Sundays. We had no problem changing our date by one day to save some serious cash!
#6. Check with vendors to see if they offer cash discounts.
Sometimes you can save a little bit by paying for your bills in cash.
#7. Choosing a lot of appetizers instead of a full dinner.
I thought this was a great suggestion! Also, if you are not using a venue that requires you to use their catering, consider having guests bring dishes also so that you can start a family cookbook of awesome recipes!
#8. Picking a specific bar instead of a full bar.
Or just no bar 😉
#9. Less is always more!
I think that’s all I have to say about that!
#10. Pay for a friend or family member to legally become the officiant for the ceremony.
We did this for our wedding, and it was the best thing ever. A close friend who had watched us grow as a couple was the one to marry us, which made it so much more personal and special.
Here are four bonus tips!
#11. Have your ceremony in a local area.
We got married in a local community garden and it was wonderful. A lot of communities have beautiful spots that can be used for the ceremony and may only have a minimal cost!
#12. The best places to spend money on your wedding are the photos, the food, and the music!
Especially the photos 😉
#13. Consider getting your wedding dress and suits from a thrift store.
Thrift stores these days often have beautiful incredibly new dresses for sale, and the same for suits. Or, you can buy suits for the groom and groomsmen at a department store. We got suits for Steven and our guys from JCPenney, and they looked awesome!
#14. Do as many things yourselves to provide a very personal touch on your wedding.
After all, the day is all about you and the celebration of your love and commitment for each other!
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