Getting married is bliss. It is the planning and the paying of the wedding that can rob you of your high-five, happy-dance moments. Especially when you calculate the budget and it isn’t nearly as much as you had hoped. But not to worry, you can do this.
Creativity and strategic planning can get you far. So also will a few clever tips, like these:
1. Save on your wedding’s décor & stationary – DIY
- Décor: Save money by making all your hanging, table and wall decorations yourself. Do-it-yourself weddings are very “in” at the moment. And with Pinterest’s décor ideas and step-by-step guidance on turning paper into origami anything – you’ll have heaps of inspiration.
- Flowers: Buy wholesale and get some of your family members involved. Chances are some of them are expert flower arrangers in their spare time. Alternatively, have you seen how pretty some supermarkets put together a bouquet? Why not buy 20 odd bouquets to break-up and divide in smaller pots for a rustic look…
- Stationary: You don’t have to design, print, hand deliver or mail your invites. Save money and time and set up a wedding website. Email the link to everyone and get them to RSVP online. Done!
Tip: Just be sure that you are actually saving! Sometimes do-it-yourself ideas sound simple in theory but when you buy the materials and calculate the hours and hours you’ll be spending on it, it could end up costing you more.
2. Save on your wedding venue – Evaluate all your options
- Find an all-in-one-venue: Look for a wedding venue that has a package that covers it all as it may be cheaper than having to do everything separately. Some venues include a wedding organizer and décor in the rental price. Also, having the wedding and the reception at one place saves costs. Do your homework as you can save a lot on a venue.
- Get married on a Friday: Friday and Saturday venue hire prices differ completely. And seeing as everyone is happy on a Friday in anyway, why not give your wedding party a reason to put in a half-day and extend the weekend?
- Rent a holiday home: Dreaming of a beach wedding? Why not rent a beach house with a large garden overlooking the ocean? Get married on the beach and have an intimate reception in the garden. Best idea ever!
- Get married outside of the city: City weddings can be expensive. Get quotes outside of the city in pretty little towns and compare. Besides, who wants to have a wedding day when you can have a wedding weekend?
3. Save on the guest list – Less is more
- Keep it as intimate as possible: It may sound harsh to save money on the guest list, but at the end of the day the most expensive thing on the list is the feeding of said guests. Yes, there are politics involved and sometimes it is easier just to invite the whole lot to save face. However, don’t be under any illusions that 10% - 20% of those you invite won’t come…cause they might.
- Invite singles alone: They’ll understand.
- Invite parents alone: They might not understand in which case you can hire a baby sitter to entertain and feed the kids in a separate room.
Good luck and happy planning!