Did you know that the average cost of a wedding is over $28,000? That price tag is nothing to sneeze at, and it’s difficult to afford for most wedding planners. Thankfully, there are many ways you can save money while planning the day of your dreams.
Here are five tips for planning a wedding on a budget. When your magical day comes, you’ll have a memorable time and some leftover money in your pocket.
Have a Limited Guest List
The average size of a wedding sits around 170 people. With such a high guest list, you have to consider the number of mouths to feed with the cost per head in most venues.
If you want to save some money, reduce your guest size for an intimate wedding. A small wedding consists of 50 people or less, so speak with your spouse about a guest bringing a plus one or children. Making your event adults only will allow parents to have a good time.
Stick Closely to Your Budget
There are unavoidable situations where you have to reach further into your budget to cover additional costs or fees. However, you must stick to your budget as best as possible. Setting a budget ensures that you won’t purchase anything you’ll regret, but you’ll also have some leftover cash for your honeymoon.
Choose an Off-Season Date
Weddings have both on and off-season times for celebration. The most popular dates fall between May and October, particularly having the highest number of weddings in May through June and September through October. The reservations cost tends to climb high during the on-season, as you’ll be competing with other wedding panners to book venues and vendors.
If you choose an off-date season, you will have an easier time finding venues and vendors while using seasonal discounts for décor. Lastly, hotel rates have off-seasons, so your out-of-town guests can save money.
Focus on DIY Projects
Sometimes it’s easier to have a professional work on decorations, cake, and anything else while focusing on getting the planning done. However, you’ll go through your budget quickly solely from service and labor fees.
So get your crafting skills ready and try out some DIY projects. Based on the season you celebrate, you can find adorable fall wedding favors to offer guests. Instead of regular flowers, you can make paper flowers from used books for a whimsical feel.
Find a Venue That Allows BYOB
Hiring a bartender to serve open-bar beverages to guests can quickly become costly. While it’s nice to have beer, wine, or mixed drinks available, how many guests will drink?
If you want to save on money, you can check with your venue to see if you’re allowed to purchase and supply alcohol for the wedding. If you don’t want to serve alcohol at all, you can make it a dry wedding.
These five tips for planning a wedding on a budget will make your wedding a magical time to celebrate with your friends and loved ones. Attempt to make it as affordable as possible; you can do it with some elbow grease!
