Do you want your dream wedding but do not want to spend all of your savings? Read these 10 financial tips for wedding planning presented by Forbes in order to be able to afford the day you’ve always imagined!
10 Financial Tips for Wedding Planning
- Stationery
- 1. Shop around for best prices online
- 2. Keep your design simple
- 3. Print your own stationery at home, or use wedding e-cards
- Your Wedding Transport
- 1. Instead of getting a limo, ask a family member or friend with a nice car to drive you or ask to rent their car for the day
- Dresses, Decorations, and Flowers
- 1. When finding a dress go to a designer trunk show or custom make your own dress from etsy, both ways are much cheaper than going to a boutique to look for your wedding dress
- 2. Have your wedding around the holidays when a lot of places are already decorated in order to save money on decorations
- 3. For flowers: use in-season flowers, and use the same 2 types of flowers
- Venue Scheduling Options
- 1. Book in off-season times
- 2. Book for non-prime time hours such as Friday afternoon or Saturday brunch event
- 3. Cut the time shorter, have a 3 hour event instead of a 5 hour event
- Memories and Musical Moments
- 1. Choose photographers/ videographers from students at your local university
- 2. Give all guests disposable cameras and have them take pictures throughout the wedding
- 3. Hire students or recent graduates with a musical background to perform at your wedding
- Catering and Cake
- 1. Ask places if you can bring your own wine, stick to wine and beer to save money instead of having fancy cocktails be served
- 2. Have a lunch time wedding, it’s cheaper than serving dinner
- 3. Vegetarian options are cheaper than meat options, or just have a dessert buffet
- 4. Avoid having an exotic and flashy cake, stick to a simple design in order to save money
- Reception and Favors
- 1. Have wedding and reception in the same venue
- 2. Give out edible favors so that people will be more inclined to take it home, and try to only give one favor per couple
- Don’t Get Distracted
- 1. Stay grounded as a couple and focus on what you want and not all of the other small details that you can find on websites such as Pinterest
- Accept Help From Friends and Family, and Plan Early
- 1. Only hire a professional wedding planner for the very end of the planning leading up to the event and have friends and family help you the rest of the way
- Use Professional Budgeting Tools
- 1. Find professional budgeting tools online, such as on the Knot