Our Top Ten Tips for Sticking to Your Wedding Budget!
Weddings are expensive! We know this, you know this! Of course it's the biggest and arguably the most important day of your life, but sadly we all still have budgets to stick to! Easier said than done, right? Well, these are our top ten actionable tips for doing just that!
1) Determine your over-all wedding budget, and then write down every single thing that you purchase! Tracking things closely will ensure that nothing slips through the cracks and either forces your budget to increase, or worse- leaves you short for something more important later!
2) Determine your priorities. Everyone's priorities will be different, but take some time to consider what your must-haves are for your big day. Is beautiful decor the most important? Do you have your heart set on a particular menu? Is there a certain band you would love to have?
3) Consider hiring a professional wedding coordinator. We know, it seems counter-productive, but no one knows how to get great deals for your wedding better than someone who does it for a living!
4) Feel free to DIY what you can, but only what you know you can. Failed DIY attempts can add up to be costly, or you might end up without room in the budget to replace the DIY project you are less than thrilled about! If you are confident in your skills on a particular project though, we always encourage couples to add their personal touches!
5) Consider having your wedding during off-season (typically October-April), or on a Friday or Sunday, as often times rates for particular services (and especially venues) are lower on less in-demand times!
6) Cut your guest list. Consider all of the costs that go into each guest you invite (everything from food and alcohol to favours, invitations, and chair covers!). Invite everyone who is important to you, but skip invites to your Dad's golf buddies and your Mom's quilting club.
7) Rent instead of buying. The degree that you do this is up to you, but almost everything can be rented to cut costs. Decor, gowns, florals, jewelry, almost everything is available on the rental market!
8) Consider another dessert choice instead of wedding cakes. I've seen people choose cupcakes, funnel cakes, dessert bars, and even donuts! If the cake cutting ceremony is important to you, consider getting a small cake just for that purpose.
9) Favours are no longer necessary. Many people choose to still give them, and many people don't, but if you are looking to cut costs this is one of the easiest ways. (Also, I don't even want to tell you how many favours we clean up off the table after the reception! So if you do choose to give favours, make sure they are practical and something people will want to take home with them!)
10) Your food budget is one of the easiest ways to make changes, and there are so many ways to cut without people noticing! You could have a "standing reception" with a finger food buffet, reach out to a culinary school and ask if their classes are able to cater, or choose another less traditional option (barbecue catering, food truck catering, etc).
This is just the beginning, as you can see there are a lot of ways to reduce your wedding spending, but still have an amazing wedding!