Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life, and ought to be one of your favourites, too. However, as you’re undoubtedly aware, it can also make for an extremely expensive occasion.
If you have the budget to make everything absolutely perfect, then, by all means, have at it! But if like so many other couples you come short in a few areas, or you simply don’t want to drain your savings too much. There are plenty of ways to cut costs or come up with the money you need.
Here are seven specific tips that may just help you meet your wedding costs.
1.) Invite Only The Most Important People In Your Life
It’s very tempting to want to invite everyone you know to your wedding ceremony. Particularly if you’re still fairly young, and still in touch with whole communities worth of childhood and school friends! However, unless money is no object. It’s important to know where to draw the line (as most everyone planning a wedding comes to recognize at one point or another).
For instance, if you’re concerned about your budget. You shouldn’t be spending it on your sister’s college roommate (unless of course the two of you are close as well). Keep the list as high as possible, beginning with the closest friends and family. Then, if you’re able to squeeze in a few more once you have a better handle on your total costs. You can do so.
2.) Get A Wedding Dress for Cheap
Everyone wants to look their best on their wedding day. However, the dress of your dreams – that one you fell for the moment you saw it in the catalogue. Can sometimes wind up accounting for the bulk of your wedding budget!
Fortunately, ways to save money on your wedding dress can actually be quite interesting. Plus it won’t stop you from looking absolutely gorgeous. For instance, you can choose to rent a dress (given that you’re really only supposed to wear it once anyway). Or even purchase a used one that looks as if it’s just been made.
3.) Find A Sponsor For The Occasion
This may seem like an unexpected or even somewhat wacky idea – but it’s actually something people manage to do. The process of getting your wedding sponsored can be somewhat involved, but by establishing yourself as any sort of influencer – even on a small level – you may just get lucky.
That can mean establishing a blog well in advance of the wedding and generating a following with wedding-related content. Or it could mean doing something similar via social media, perhaps documenting your wedding preparation process to a growing audience. Again, there’s some luck involved (unless you happen to be an influencer already), but it’s worth looking into!
4.) Have A Courthouse Wedding
Believe it or not, courthouse weddings have actually become rather chic of late. While the ceremony is clerical, it is also intimate and romantic. In a way, by choosing such a minimalistic venue, you’ll come across as an extremely sophisticated couple.
Plus, we’re not talking about foregoing the reception here – just most of the expenses relating to the actual ceremony. Once you’ve signed the paperwork, you can make your way toward the after-party of your choice. Be it a traditional reception or an intimate get-together to celebrate your new union.
5.) Secure A Loan
If you just can’t afford your wedding at the moment, it may be wise to secure a personal loan for the occasion. Prior to borrowing money. However, you’ll want to do some research online to find the best deals, particularly given that loan structures can vary so drastically from place to place.
For example, these days some online loan services will send you funds for your wedding provided you meet a certain minimum credit score. Though the interest rates on paying those loans back can be high. But you may also find more specific agreements for certain places or certain types of loans.
Case in point, a title loan in Cincinnati can make funding available to you within 24 hours, with a longer timeline to pay it back. You’ll still need a plan to pay it back. But this can relieve some of the immediate financial burdens, lowering your stress level and enabling you to do more with your big day.
6.) Source Your Own Decorations
Wedding décor, for the ceremony and reception alike, can cost a small fortune. So, to stay within your budget, we’re offering up the simple tip of sourcing your decorations. Say, from thrift stores or estate sales, or even your own crafting efforts (or those of a friend or family member).
You can find beautiful glassware, china, and vases for cheap. Not to mention all sorts of supplemental decorations. Best of all, your guests will be none the wiser!
7.) Have Your Favorite Restaurant Cater
Instead of an expensive plated meal with the traditional steak-chicken-or-fish offering. You might want to consider hiring your favourite local restaurant to cater for the event. If that’s a service the restaurant offers (or if you just think they’d do you a favour!).
There’s a good chance it will be a lot cheaper. Given that catering companies typically know to offer high prices for weddings. And even as you spend less money, you and your new spouse will get to enjoy some of your own favourite dishes.
Related: Ultimate wedding planning checklist
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