No matter what your budget is for your wedding or how conscientious you are of each and every dollar going towards your big day, it is quite common for couples to still go over their wedding budget. The best way to save money during the entire planning process is to really think about one question: What’s important to you?
It’s easy to think every detail is important during the planning process. From the music and catering to the favors and décor, there’s so much to think about. But the truth is, not every detail will be meaningful to every couple. Do you have deal breakers? What can you live without at the wedding? What’s the most you’re willing to spend on a [insert vendor]? That’s for you to decide.
Once you know, spend money on the things that are important to you and spend less on the things you don’t care so much about. Seems too easy, right? Maybe, but when you know your priorities for your wedding it can give a lot of clarity on where you can save money.
This process can be long and time consuming, but it does work. If, however, you’re looking for some quick and creative ways to save money because you don’t want to skimp out on the food or your dress (or any of the big things for that matter), here are five ideas:
Email save the dates. Online save the dates are becoming more and more popular. Save the dates contain important information, but they’re not as significant as the invitations. Embrace technology when it comes to these because you can save money on card printing and stamps. Plus, there are several services out there that will let you send save the dates in bulk for free or a nominal fee and track when your guests have opened them so you know they are receiving the information.
Fake the cake. Some couples have a smaller showcase cake to cut and other couples have their baker build a cardboard cake with a real top layer to cut while the rest is for decoration. With either option, there’s a sheet cake in the back to serve to guests. Sheet cakes save money. Another option? Don’t have a cake at all. Some couples choose to do cupcakes, cookies, cake pops or other yummy desserts in place of their cake. These options save money and are unique to the traditional wedding cake.
Create recyclable centerpieces or centerpieces with two purposes. Table decorations are beautiful to look at, but when the wedding is over what happens to them? Many are thrown away. Create a centerpiece that also serves a second purpose. For example, tin cans or glass bottles can be recycled or candles can be used again for another event. Another idea is to create a centerpiece that also acts as a wedding favor. Mason jars filled with recipe ingredients or candy boxes assembled like a wedding cake can look good and save money in both categories.
Choose the right day/time/season. Venue pricing is significantly influenced by when you want to have your wedding. For example, weddings in Chicago held on a Saturday are generally more expensive than a Friday evening or Sunday. Also, weddings held in the “off” months (November – April) are generally cheaper than weddings held during “wedding” season (May-October).
Limit the number of guests. The best way to save money on your wedding is to limit the number of guests. The less amount of guests present, the more you can spend on the details. Some couples also choose to do certain DIY elements, but beware: DIY can end up being more stress, time and money than hiring a professional to do it.
So there you have it. Those are five creative ways to save on your wedding. But don’t forget to think about the one question that can help you save money during your entire planning process. Ask yourself, what’s important to me?
Thursday, August 31, 2017
