Planning a wedding on a budget can feel daunting. You want to have a beautiful and memorable day, but the dream seems far-fetched looking at your budget. Thinking of the venue, wedding dress, cake, and everything, a wedding can be quite expensive. But, that doesn’t mean that you give up on your dream wedding entirely. With a few tweaks and creative ideas here and there, you can pull off a beautiful and memorable wedding within your budget. Here are some practical tips for an affordable ceremony for newlyweds:
Find an affordable venue
Wedding venues can get quite expensive. But, with a few workarounds, you can save a lot of money on the venue. For starters, you can have the ceremony or the reception at home. If you have a beautiful yard, that can provide a great venue for an outdoor event. You can also try looking at non-traditional venues – places that you wouldn’t think of hosting a wedding. Think public parks, botanical gardens, and the like.
Another cost-saving tactic is to book the venue during off-peak days or months. Rather than have your wedding on a Saturday, host it on Monday to Thursday. Also, you can have your wedding in January rather than June when weddings are popular. This can allow you to negotiate a cheaper rate.
You can also consider going to a smaller venue. A small venue will cost you less money. Also, a small venue allows you to invite fewer people, which translates to saving costs on food. This way, you can have an intimate wedding with the people that matter to you and reduce costs while at it.
Do some DIYs where you can
You can save a lot of money by deciding to do some things yourselves. For instance, you don’t have to stress about expensive invitation cards. With the help of online templates and free design websites, you can create and print beautiful wedding invitations at a lower cost. Alternatively, opt for e-invites to save on costs further.
In addition, think of creative DIY décor to create a beautiful ambiance on a budget. You can make beautiful bouquets and table centerpieces with flowers from your garden or a nearby florist. To top it up, choose disposable wedding plates that come in elegant styles and designs. This way, you can maintain an elegant presentation at a lower cost.
Some other DIYs that you can consider include preparing the food yourselves with the help of your friends and family. You can also opt to bake your wedding cake or purchase it at the supermarket to save on cost.
Negotiate with vendors
You don’t have to pay more for a service when there is someone else who can charge less for the same. Before settling on a vendor, make sure to shop around. Find the one that ranges within your budget. However, do it carefully so that you don’t compromise the quality of the service. Also, consider working with newbies and upcoming service providers. These are likely to give you an affordable rate and do a great job since they are building their portfolios.
Also, take advantage of your friends’ skills in place of presents. For instance, if you have a friend who is good at organizing events, request him or her to plan your wedding. Most of your friends and family will be happy to lend a hand to make your big day special.
Plan your wedding out of season
In popular wedding months, the cost of wedding supplies and services can go up significantly. The secret to paying less is to have your wedding in less popular months. This allows you to buy everything even your wedding dress and groom’s suit at a discounted rate. It is also possible to find a lot of things on clearance sale that you can take advantage of when it is off-season.
Talking of seasons, flowers are bound to get expensive when they are out of season. On the other hand, prices tend to drop when the supply is in plenty. Instead of spending so much money on flowers, consider using those that are in season for your wedding.
Prioritize expenses
When planning a wedding on a budget, it is vital to make sure that expenses don’t overrun the money that you have set aside. One of the ways that can help you stay within your budget is to know how to prioritize your expenses. You need to create a priority list and classify your expenses into negotiable and non-negotiable. This informs you of the expenses that you can cut off from the budget to avoid overspending.
Conclusion
Having a beautiful wedding on a budget is possible and easy with creative ideas such as those listed above. The bottom line is to have a beautiful day that is truly special for the two of you. Stay focused on what matters to you to avoid spending on things that aren’t necessary. In addition, prioritize, negotiate, and apply DIY where you can.
