Planning a wedding can be stressful enough, but doing it on a budget? That adds a whole new definition to the meaning of ‘stress.’ It seems like everybody is competing, and with all the different sites for tips on saving money on your wedding out there nowadays, the planning possibilities are endless.
Thankfully, you don’t have to use every idea you see on Pinterest, and every wedding is unique, meaning that there are dozens of ways to make your reception beautiful, but still remain within your budget. Here, we share a few tips to help you plan the wedding of your dreams, while cutting a few corners:
1) Book your reception venue in the off-season.
You may have dreamed of a June wedding since you were a little girl, but the truth is venue prices skyrocket during popular summer months.. Consider having a spring wedding, which is equally beautiful, or even get married on a Friday or Sunday, rather than a Saturday. Saturday prices during wedding season are guaranteed to be high. By choosing a Friday or Saturday, you can sometimes save up to half of the cost.
2) Choose an alternative venue.
Remember your best friend’s beautiful yard? Or, how about that great park in town? Places like these could turn out to be just the place to hold your wedding reception, and may even be free. When considering a venue other than one designed to host weddings, remember that renting tables, chairs, and a tent could turn out to be even pricier than just going with a venue that provides these things for you. Simply weigh your options.
3) Cut back the guest list.
It can be tempting to want to invite every friend you ever made in college, as well as your mom’s entire book club, but the more people you invite, the more money it is going to cost. Keep the wedding reception on the small side, and plan a bigger, more informal party for later. Who doesn’t want to keep the wedding festivities rolling?
4) DIY the decor.
Although you may not be a crafty individual, someone you know probably is, and he/she would love to help. Enlist friends and relatives to help you with making your own wedding decor. It becomes much more memorable! Instead of going out and buying fifty brand new vases, scour the thrift stores. Spray paint works magic, and doing it yourself is half the fun.
5) Borrow what you can.
It is never frowned upon to borrow what you don’t have. More often than not, people love to loan out items that you can use in your wedding reception. Borrowing keeps you from spending money on something that you will probably never use again, And doesn’t that fulfill the line in the poem of, “something borrowed. . .?”
6) Limit the open bar.
While everyone loves the words ‘open bar,’ this begins to overextend your budget. You can still have an open bar, while simply limiting the choices of alcohol. Choosing local beers, a few different wines, and a cocktail or two will satisfy all those anticipating the bar, and still keep your budget happy.
You can also cut down on catering costs with creative DIY ideas for your wedding reception.
A simple dessert bar or candy display, for example, will satisfy any guest’s sweet tooth without having to pay for a huge, expensive wedding cake. You can also provide bags for guest’s to take home, so your desserts double as your wedding favors!
Let’s face it, while planning a wedding reception, you might not be able to please everyone; however, using these cost effective ways to trim your budget, yet still leaving you with a beautiful wedding, it’s safe to say that everyone will have a good time.
Marcela De Vivo is a freelance writer in Southern California who writes about several different topics, including budget DIY projects, skin care, tech and social media marketing. She also loves sharing tips on how to save money when planning weddings and other special events.
Photo courtesy of www.diynetwork.com.
