Whether you’re paying for your wedding, or getting help, the costs can add up. The average wedding costs a little over 33,000 dollars. But who wants the best day of their lives to put them in several years worth of debt?
If you want a beautiful wedding without fear of losing too much money, keep reading. These are some terrific ways to cut wedding costs while still maintaining the magic of your big day.
The Best Ways to Cut Wedding Costs
Flowers, dresses, and favors add up. Follow these penny-pinching ways to still have everything you want.
1. Cut Photography Time
If you’re lucky, you might get a photographer who will charge you a set rate for the whole package. If not, you’ll end up paying for each hour they’re at your wedding and reception.
One tip for cutting down on the per hour costs of photography is to do cake early.
The cake cutting is often reserved for the end of the night. But if you do all your major photo-ops early, you can send your photographer home. Thus cutting the cost of hourly photos.
2. Limit Flowers
Flowers, for most brides, are a must-have in every wedding. But when they’re featured everywhere, including the centerpieces, the prices skyrocket.
Instead of having flowers on the tables, try non-floral decorations. You’ll save time and money at the florist if you limit the flowers to the bouquets and boutonnieres.
3. Wedding Cake
The average cost of a wedding cake comes out to a few hundred dollars. Why do you want to spend a fortune on something everyone is going to eat?
If you want a beautiful wedding cake, you should have it. But why not get one with a real top tier that you cut into, but the rest is fake? You’ll have the cake you want for photos without spending as much.
Buy a much cheaper sheet cake to serve your guests. They’ll understand, and likely won’t even notice.
4. Wedding Accessories
Accessories like jewelry and veils are difficult to budget. Sometimes, you get to wear family heirlooms that cost nothing. Other times, you end up spending far too much without realizing it.
Shop outlets, sales, and auctions for dresses and accessories. You can find plenty of high-end items at some of these places without paying full price.
If you want to splurge on any item, consider wedding shoes. Unlike the wedding dress, you can wear shoes throughout a lifetime.
5. The Honeymoon
The perfect ending to your celebration is the time you get to spend with your new spouse. But honeymoons can cost thousands of dollars when you plan extravagant getaway’s.
To save money, try booking a cruise instead. Cruises offer privacy, while also giving you new places to see and all the food you could want. Most cruise packages include everything in the price, so you know what you’re getting.
More Wedding Tips
Planning a wedding can be stressful. But if you follow these ways to cut wedding costs, it doesn’t have to be. You can still have the perfect wedding day without breaking the bank and racking up debt.
Want more wedding tips? Read “A Bride’s Guide on How to Choose a Wedding Venue.”
