Guest Post: How to Host a Wedding Whilst Keeping the Costs Low and the Attendance High

You might think that to have a wedding that costs the earth, you’ll have to cut down the number of people that you have at your wedding. This isn’t always the case. If you and your partner have big families or lots of friends, then there are lots of ways that you can cut the cost without cutting down on numbers.

Hold the Ceremony at Home

One of the biggest costs of a wedding is the venue – so think about how you can save money in this area. The best way to save money on the venue is to hold the ceremony at home, or if your home isn’t big enough for the number of guests, somewhere that you can kit out yourself, a field for example, where you can set up pagodas and tepees for something relaxed.

Ask for Wedding Help

If, like many couples, you already have a home together, then consider doing away with wedding gifts and instead ask for wedding help. For instance, ask your amateur photographer friend to be the wedding photographer or your sister’s band to play music.

Do the Catering Yourself, or Hire a Local Restaurant

If you feel confident doing the catering – or you have someone who could do it for you (ask nicely!) – then this option can cut out a lot of the cost of having a big wedding. You could also ask each party of people to bring a certain dish to the wedding.

Alternatively, if this doesn’t seem like a viable option, then approach a local, family run restaurant to do your catering. More often than not, they’ll be much cheaper than companies that specifically target weddings.

Provide Your Own Booze

This is something that you’ll have to do if you’re hosting your wedding at home or an “unofficial” venue, but it’s also a good way to save if you have a venue. Ask them if you can supply your own booze Head down to your local discount alcohol shop or wholesaler and buy up in bulk. Buy the basics: red and white wine, spirits, mixers and soft drinks. Leave people to serve themselves.

Hire Students or Start Ups

Instead of going for the professional, established vendors, instead look for start up companies or students. They might not be as polished (not that you can guarantee this with established companies), but they will be really keen to impress and may even have a fresh take on their trade. Because they are new and squeaky clean, they will be cheaper too.

Avoid Using the Word “Wedding”

If you choose to employ vendors, then avoid using the word “wedding” when booking them. Most vendors, whether florists, photographers or DJs, will usually hike their prices up, so call it a party or an event when getting quotes – this may give you some leverage later when you tell them it’s a wedding and they try and raise their prices.

Photo courtesy of www.nealejames.com.