It’s almost engagement season and if you’re reading this, odds are you are newly engaged, or you’re starting to plan your big wedding day. There are multiple details to help make a wedding special and unique, but none of them need to put you way over budget. The key thing is to make sure you sit down with your fiancé and talk about how much money you can invest in your big day.
Use this number to plan out the details. There are plenty of places to DIY, find big savings, and keep you under or just at your wedding budget. Here are ways to stay on budget so you don’t stress about paying for the wedding after it’s over.
Find the Right Sized Rings
Diamonds might be a girls’ best friend, but they can also put you out a lot of money. While you might think a 3-carat diamond would be great, you probably don’t realize that a gem that size is quite large and might overpower your hand.
You can figure out the right size gem for yourself with a diamond size chart. You can also save by getting a different kind of precious stone like a sapphire or emerald. Not only are they beautiful, they are also unique and offer a different look than a traditional diamond.
Don’t Get Married on the Weekend
While a weekend wedding is convenient for all your guests, they also come at a premium price. Many wedding venues offer steep discounts for weekday weddings because they are often under-booked on those days. By doing this you might be able to afford a premium venue when you wouldn’t have otherwise.
This can make the day so much more special without needing to go over budget. Additionally, with less people likely to come, it can also reduce your overall costs.
Rent or Buy a Used Wedding Dress
Wedding dresses are beautiful and designed to help a woman feel her best on her big day. The expectation is that she must buy a brand-new dress, while the groom gets to rent his tuxedo. But what if the bride did something eco-friendly and rented or bought one that was used?
This could mean she’d get to wear an incredible dress for a fraction of the cost of brand new. She could invest in a new veil, shoes, and wedding jewelry, but save big money by thinking about her dress differently.
Used dresses have been professionally cleaned and can still be fitted to the new bride. Renting or buying one of these is a great option to get the dress of your dreams.
Hire a Professional Photographer for a Smaller Package
While you might want them to spend 12 hours with you to capture every tiny detail, you can save a lot by choosing a photographer who offers less hours in their packages. Leverage this to get them to your wedding for the most important parts of getting ready, the ceremony, and bride and groom and wedding party shots later in the day.
While having a photographer for the reception is great, you can easily have them stay for a short time instead of the whole night. Your guests will be snapping away during the reception and you can create a simple way for them to upload the photos for you to view later.
Don’t Serve a Meal
Feeding your guests a full-course meal can get pricey. If you want to save, you can easily host an afternoon wedding with cake, punch, and a few hors d’oeuvres to help you save on your wedding budget. Just be sure to communicate the expectations to your guests so no one is anticipating a big meal after your wedding.
Have a Friend or Family Member Officiate
A small way to save can be by asking someone who is able to officiate weddings to do the honor at your wedding. You can offer a small fee, but most family or friends would be excited to participate in such an important way at your wedding. There are ways to get ordained online so that almost anyone can lead the wedding ceremony.
Use Online Tools
Instead of using response cards and paying for return postage, use technology to save on your wedding. Not only can online registries and RSVP options on a wedding website save you money, they can also reduce stress by simplifying communication.
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
