Cut
Down Your Guest List
Start
by cutting back on your guest list.
Hopefully, you haven’t already sent out your invites! The thing with your guest
list is that it can make lots of things inflate, from the amount you spend on
food, to the size of your venue, to how much you spend on booze. Cutting down
on your guest list will help you to save a fortune in more ways than once.
Don’t
feel obligated to invite people you haven’t spoken to for years - even if older
relatives expect you to, which always seems to be the case. You don’t even have
to invite kids, or partners if you don’t want to! Invite the people that truly
matter and explain to them why you’ve made the decision to only invite them if
you haven’t invited their partner/kids. They should understand. If they don’t,
they don’t have to come!
Choose
A Venue That Doesn’t Need Much Decoration
Choosing
a venue that doesn’t need much decoration can help you to save time and money
on wedding day decor. However, gorgeous venues can often cost a lot of money,
so you’ll need to weigh up the pros and cons and figure out what you’d rather
do; invest in an expensive venue that you barely have to decorate, or go for a
cheaper venue and spend a lot of money on decor?
You
could always hold it outdoors and make the most of your natural surroundings.
However, you’ll probably want to invest in some kind of gazebo to make sure
your guests are protected from the elements.
Ask
Family And Friends For Favours Instead Of Gifts
If
you’ve been with your partner for a while and you live together, chances are,
you own everything you need already. This leaves you with a few options. You
could politely ask for cash towards your honeymoon (there are ways you can go about this that shouldn’t feel cheeky at all), or you can ask family and
friends for favours instead of guests. Of course, not all of them will be able
to offer you something. Those who can, though, will help you to save cash, and
save their own money in exchange for time. Maybe your uncle is a dab hand with
his video camera, and your mother is great at baking cakes. Just make sure you
don’t skimp on things like your wedding photographer, as the wedding pictures
are one of the only things that will last forever.
Focus
On What Your Priorities Are And Don’t Worry About Anything Else
It’s
important to talk with your partner about what’s truly important to you both
before the big day. This way, you can effectively figure out how much you want
to spend on certain elements of your wedding. For example, getting married in a
fancy location might not matter to you both at all. Don’t feel under pressure
to ‘keep up with the Joneses’ or do something because you think you’re supposed
to. You might want to spend the majority of your budget on beautiful engagement
rings. Do your research on what sort of metal and stone you want first - you
can find out more here. Certain things
will last longer than others, and the result will always be the same, so think
about this carefully and make sure you’re not just trying to show off.
Go
Minimal With Flowers Or Make Your Own
Flowers
are surprisingly huge expense when wedding planning. They cost a fortune.
Instead of buying a ton of flowers, go minimal. You could even make your own out of paper,
which might sound strange, but can actually be a great way to make your wedding
more quirky. You won’t believe how much money you could save!
Make
Your Own Invitations And DIY Other Things
So,
you know you can make your own flowers. What else can you make? Your
invitations! Your invitations will take time, but if you keep the design
simple, they’ll do the job. There are so many other things you can DIY too, from
your place settings to your signage for the venue. Enlist a few family members
to help you and it shouldn’t be too strenuous of a task.
Don’t
Buy A Traditional Dress
A
traditional wedding dress can cost thousands, unless you purchase it off the
rack and on sale. In which case, you might just get a good deal. However, what
about letting go of the idea of having a traditional wedding dress altogether?
You can buy gorgeous white dresses that weren't necessarily meant for
‘weddings’ for a whole lot cheaper. You could even just wear something that you
know you’ll wear again, if you don’t mind your big day being a little more
understated.
Don’t
Use The Word ‘Wedding’ When Hiring A Vendor
Hiring
vendors is something that will take up a lot of your time and budget when
wedding planning, too. However, you can be a little bit sneaky by avoiding the
word ‘wedding’ when you hire them. Of course they’ll need to be informed of
certain details, but for the most part, you can avoid telling them this at
first - at least until you get a price. Prices seem to magically go up
substantially when you say it’s for a wedding.
Buy
Jewelry, Shoes, And Accessories That You’ll Use Again
Buy
pieces that you know you’ll wear again, so you can look at them as more of an
investment!
Ask
Your Bridesmaids/Groomsmen To Chip In
When
asking people to be a part of your wedding, make it clear that you’d like them to chip in,
but you understand if they don’t want to be a part of it or can’t afford it.
Alternatively, you don’t have to have any bridesmaids or groomsmen!
