Ways To Save Money On Your Wedding: Cut Down Costs. Creative, not cheap! Budget bliss. Navigating wedding costs. Choosing affordable and unique wedding ideas that are budget-friendly. Money-saving alternatives for your wedding. Chic wedding on a budget. Planning a memorable wedding without overspending.
Finding ways to save money on your wedding is a smart move because it helps you stay within your budget without sacrificing the things that matter most. Between student loan and personal loan, you’d want to ensure you have your savings account intact before you start your marriage.
Weddings can get expensive quickly, but cutting costs where you can allows you to invest in areas that are truly meaningful to you, like photography or the wedding venue. Saving money also reduces stress, so you can enjoy your engagement and wedding planning process more.
It is always a great idea to have 2 separate accounts. Putting up an account or credit cards specifically for the wedding will help you see clearly where the money is going and track them easier without getting it mixed up with your your checking account.
Managing your personal finance and wedding costs gives you the flexibility to put those extra funds toward a honeymoon, future home, or even savings for the future. Small changes, like DIY décor or cutting back on the guest list, can make a big impact on your overall budget without taking away from the special day. Being budget-conscious also encourages you to get creative, often leading to unique and personalized touches that guests will remember. You’ll feel great knowing you’ve spent wisely while still having the day of your dreams.
Plus, you won’t be left with financial regrets or debt after the big day. Finding ways to save allows you to focus on what really matters—celebrating your love with friends and family. It’s all about making the most of your special day without unnecessary financial strain.
Ways To Save Money On Your Wedding: How can you spend less on your wedding?
- Skip the full wedding invitation suite
- Friday or Sunday Wedding
- Sign up for trunk shows and sample sales
- Hire a day-of wedding coordinator or help
- Rent them
- Stick to bar basics
- Same venue for ceremony and reception
- Make the most of your photographer’s time
- Stick to one flower variety
- Let them eat cake.. or not.
- Sharing is caring
- Easy on the gifts
- Creative Buffet
- Consider buying out a restaurant
- Creatively limit your guests
- DIY Wisely
- Consider having a backyard wedding
- Airbnb is your friend
- Consider a brunch wedding
- Transportation
- Consider pre-arranged / a la carte
This site contains affiliate links. For more info, please see our full disclosure.
Getting on the journey of planning your dream wedding is a thrilling adventure, but it’s no secret that the costs can add up quickly. Fear not, soon-to-be newlyweds, for this blog is your ticket to unlocking the secrets of a budget-savvy wedding celebration without compromising on elegance and charm.
Just because you want to save money doesn’t necessarily mean you want to be super cheap. You might want to look at things creatively and from another angle where you can save money but still look and feel classy!
Also, you’re not cheap; you’re smart with where you invest your budget for the wedding! Right? We got you bb!
Here are some creative ways to save money on your wedding!
1. Skip the full wedding invitation suite
How to save money on wedding invitations? Save money on your wedding by utilizing technology! Instead of doing a full wedding suite, you can send out a simple save-the-date stationery and include your wedding website where people will opt-in to get notified of updates, etc.
Yes! Create a wedding website and make it easier for everyone to check details for your wedding! Wedding websites can help you send out electronic invitations, and your guests can RSVP and leave notes directly – making it easier for you and your guests to track and check updates! It saves you money on printing and postage! It also saves you tons of time on follow-up and answering questions! You can track them all in one place!
Consider digital wedding invitations like those from Greenvelope as well for easy delivery and RSVP tracking.
PRO TIP: Create your own wedding email. Create an email account specifically for your wedding – “the.wedding.joe.and.jane@gmail.com” (this is just an example). This will help you put everything together in one place. Also, manage the calendar for bookings and deadlines.
When you book appointments on your wedding email calendar, invite your personal email so you can also see them on your calendar! Having a separate personal/work and wedding email will make you more focused and organized!
2. Friday or Sunday Wedding
Non-traditional wedding ideas to save money: Instead of doing a traditional Saturday wedding, considering a Friday night (or even a Sunday brunch!) will save you more money than you think.
Here’s the trick to pulling off a Friday (or weekday!) night wedding; plan for a longer cocktail hour! This will help people make it on time since most of them are probably coming off work if there is extra time to prepare and get to the venue after work.
You also might want to consider them arriving after work and starving when they arrive around 6:30-7ish pm. Welcome them at cocktail hour with enough food to go around, just for them to be able not to starve! This way, they will not be “hangry,” waiting for other guests to arrive for dinner.
Another thing is to have interactive entertainment at cocktail hour. If you have a photo booth or reception games planned, try doing it around cocktail hour instead of the usual after dinner. This will keep your guests (who happened to be coming off work!) happy and ready for a night of celebration!
You can also always consider a weekday wedding and be surprised at how it can work out for you and your budget!
Lots of wedding venues would love you to fill their calendar on these off-peak season days!
3. Sign up for trunk shows and sample sales (great to cut costs and one of the smart ways to save money on your wedding!)
Looking to save serious bucks on your wedding dress or even other wedding accessories? Sign up for trunk shows and sample sales! The way to do this is to try on the dresses BEFORE the shows/sales. This way, you know exactly what you are hunting for!
PRO TIP: Try on your top-dress choices from your fave designers/stores that will hold the sample sale FIRST, and then sign up for their mailing list to get updates on when the next sample sale will be. This way, you know exactly how something will fit your body already, so when it becomes available, you grab it and go!
The key here is to PREPARE and be on YOUR FEET when those sample sale doors open!
4. Hire a day-of wedding coordinator or help
Okay, so this is obviously up for discussion! You might think that this is a spend and not a save! BUT, hear us out.
If you are not hiring a full day-of wedding coordinator, consider hiring a day-of assistant. There are companies where you can hire help/ only on the day of your event (especially if you do not want to ask friends and family!)
Do not underestimate the work needed to be done on your wedding day! In the end, having someone execute your ideas correctly and flawlessly is better, rather than your plans and vision not being executed and utilized!
Especially if you DIY-ed many things for your wedding, you don’t want all those efforts to go to waste! Entrusting those details to an experienced professional will make it all worth it!
5. Rent them
What can I do instead of flowers for my wedding? Considering skipping the flowers and doing an all-candles spread? Nice! They are so pretty!
However, they can add up and become pretty pricey! But the good news is you can rent flameless versions of them from companies like Helix Candles.
You can also rent candelabras from your local rental store to add to your candles! Complete the romantic and elegant vibe without breaking the bank!
Centerpieces are the only ones you can rent; if you’re also looking for multiple outfits and want to have options, even for your bridesmaids and family dresses, Fitzroy Rentals will not disappoint! Great selection and also affordable pricing!
You can also rent outstanding lighting effects to set the mood for the party! Usually, DJs can set this up for you!
6. Stick to bar basics
Just because you want to save money doesn’t mean you have to skimp on the bar completely. You can creatively navigate around saving money by choosing your top 4-5 drink choices only! Serve a signature drink upon guests’ arrival, so you won’t need to open your bar early!
If your venue allows, you can also set up your own DIY Sangria Bar.
PRO TIP: You can choose a signature drink (always a great idea!), beer, red and white wine, and tequila (or any shot you prefer!). This will limit your alcohol bill and save you some money.
7. Same venue for ceremony and reception (one of the most common ways to save money on your wedding!)
You will save a significant amount of money if your ceremony, cocktail, and reception are held in one location only! You get to utilize your wedding venue creatively and strategically, so you won’t have to spend money on rent for other places. Having everything in one location utilizes the venue staff, the tables, chairs, and existing products!
Work with the venue coordinator or your own wedding consultant to seamlessly work around flipping rooms and ease transitions.
We have a wedding aisle and entrance decor dupes here that you can use!
In addition, by doing this, you can save money on wedding flowers and wedding decor since you can reuse everything! In addition, if your venue has an extra room or space you can rent, you can also use it as your wedding-getting-ready space!
8. Make the most of your photographer’s time
As you know, we always suggest hiring a professional wedding photographer!
Deciding to have your ceremony and reception in ONE venue (as mentioned earlier) will save lots of travel and prep time! This means, that if you are only in one venue the whole day, your photographer will be able to get more shots and be always around you. No travel time!
Suppose you can have your make-up done at the venue as well, the better! Everything in one place will save you tons of time and money!
Find a good area/space within your venue to maximize your space for photographs as well! Unexpected and creative shots will look great!
9. Stick to one flower variety
Let’s talk wedding flowers! Great to have, right? Gorgeous and forever a classic! BUT also might be a bit scary for the budget; it can get pretty expensive.
Sticking to one flower variety will significantly bring down the cost of your bouquet, decor, or centerpiece! Here are easy and affordable wedding centerpiece ideas that you can DIY!
A big fan of lush, full blooms but don’t want to break the bank? HYDRANGEAS are your best bet; they come in white, blue, light green, and light pink! They have perfect volume and texture that will always look classy if placed and arranged beautifully!
If you’re over big blooms or just not into them altogether, another option is to design with minimalist greeneries!
Also, the ever-popular dried flower arrangements are super easy and quick to work with if you think of DIY-ing your centerpieces!
To make things so much easier and cost-effective, why not consider ordering pre-arranged wedding flowers?
10. Let them eat cake.. or not.
If you have a full meal planned to be served with your guests and it already includes dessert, you really don’t need to get a huge wedding cake (unless, of course, you really want to!).
To save some more money, you can get a regular round vanilla cake from your local bakery and ask for extra flower stems from your florist (or you can buy them off the grocery the day before! You can even use artificial flowers!), and stick em right on the side of the cake!
If you opt to buy a cake on your own, like something from Costco or your favorite bakery, ask your venue if you can drop it off 2 days before and if they can store it in their kitchen fridge (yes, it will not be fresh, but if you are only using it for photos, and not serve them, will that really make a big difference?) This helps a lot, and it’s another thing that’s off your list!
You can also rent (or invest!) a nice cake stand to elevate the look of the cake! It’s great for photos! Now you have photos cutting the cake without breaking the bank!
Want a truly DIY wedding cake? Create a Rice Krispies wedding cake for display and have the kitchen serve the slab cake that you bought from your local grocery store!
Check out cake alternatives that can be fun and will also save you tons of money!
11. Sharing is caring
Instead of individual printing for wedding menus or programs, consider charts instead. You can have a big welcome ceremony program, 2 menu printouts per table, and a bar (great framed as well – print this on your computer and get a frame from your discount store!). This minimizes extra printouts! Not only do these save you money, but it is also eco-friendly!
Don’t get carried away with many individual things like place cards, personalized tags, etc., especially if you are trying to save money on your wedding. Creating charts and general large prints saves lots of money and less waste!
12. Easy on the gifts
It’s fun to give away wedding favors and gifts. We love giving too! But there are creative ways to make your wedding welcome bag, wedding favors, and gifts budget-friendly.
A few options are tea bags/coffee, individually wrapped cookies, chocolates, etc. These are super easy favors; bag them and add a simple and elegant pre-made “thank you” sticker!
Our favorite go-to place for beautiful affordable packaging and thank-you tags is Creative Bag! Tons of creative options!
PRO TIP: When shopping for packaging, always bring your product and try it! Another good thing to consider is that they stack well so that you won’t have a hard time packaging and delivering them in bulk!
And just like that, voila! You get classy and affordable gifts, and also something that your guests will surely eat or drink!
13. Creative Buffet
If you are not a big fan of buffets (we, of course, can’t blame you!), be creative and do either family-style or food stations. You can put green salad and pasta on one plate, for example. This might not be a major cut, but it will cut the service and plating time, saving labor costs!
Opt for easy-to-prepare meals and do not require much maintenance (i.e., chaffing dishes, lamps, etc.) Cold salads and room-temperature meals will help!
14. Consider buying out a restaurant (this is one of the most creative ways to save on a wedding!)
How to save money on a wedding venue is to consider a restaurant venue! This works best if you are planning a breakfast/luncheon wedding or even a non-weekend wedding! Restaurants will be more than happy to host your wedding on non-busy days!
Some restaurants already have an in-house band and sound system that your DJ (or your iPod!) can easily plug into!
If you plan on buying out a restaurant, we suggest having a wedding designer/consultant help you map out the floor plan with the restaurant to ensure that the transition between meals, dancing, and other activities is planned accordingly and flows well.
Consider smaller venues that can still bring the magic into your big day!
PRO TIP: Restaurants have a specific layout and might not always be “wedding-ready.” Invest in a wedding or event consultant. If the restaurant has its own wedding coordinator, always ask them to help you figure out a floor plan before booking to avoid running into problems later on!
15. Creatively limit your guests
This one is pretty hard to do. We get it. Not only is it hard to do, but it’s also hard to come up with a reason why “so and so” is not invited.
We have a trick that will help you; find a small venue or book a restaurant (as mentioned earlier!) that will only fit your “small” wedding guest list. From there, you can tell that one of your family members gifted you the venue, or you have contacts in-house, and who would like to take advantage of it! This way, you can actually limit your guest list without feeling guilty!
TIP: You can throw a luncheon/bbq/get-together after your wedding weekend if you’d like to invite people from your “B list” and have a “mini” celebration to give them tribute for being there for you and your partner through the journey. It’s a nice gesture, but it also will be HALF the cost of what you will be paying for a wedding/dinner plate! Talk about a creative way to save money on your wedding!
16. DIY Wisely
We are big fans of smart DIY wedding projects. But it is always good to point out that you should never underestimate the labor, mental load, and experimentation needed on your actual wedding day to execute and put in place your DIY plans.
If you are DIY-ing your centerpieces and other decor items, assign a specific person (or hire help/server/bartenders from staffing companies!) to execute these tasks! Sure your family and bridesmaids can help, but most DIY projects will require cleaning and moving things, and that might not be something you would like to get your guests to do.
TIP: You can DIY as much as you can behind the scenes; ensure you have a designated team to execute for you. Also, ensure that your DIY projects are easy to put in place or have detailed instructions with them!
17. Consider having a backyard wedding
If you have already cut down your guest list, a backyard wedding might be a great option for you. You have many options to serve, like food stations, sandwich bar, sangria bar, dessert station, and minimalist designs.
As we are also in the middle of a pandemic, the micro intimate backyard wedding is very fitting! Definitely one of the 20 creative ways to save money on your wedding!
PRO TIP: When doing a budget for your backyard wedding and comparing it to a venue, always consider the amount you will spend on cleaning and prepping the backyard and the post-event cleaning needed, as these will easily add up. Make sure to compare ALL the costs involved before and after.
18. Airbnb is your friend
One thing you can skip is booking hotel blocks. It might seem like a great idea if you have a good deal, so you can compare the pricing and CONVENIENCE!
Overall, renting an Airbnb might be good for you if you have lots of family from out of town coming together for the wedding! If you rent a house big enough and have everyone over anyway, it can be a great space for a rehearsal dinner! Double duty!
19. Consider a brunch wedding (one of our fave Ways To Save Money On Your Wedding: Cut Down Costs)
Because why not pancakes and mimosas? If you are looking for a more relaxed vibe, then a brunch wedding is great for you! Brunch menus will come up at a more affordable price! A creative way to save money on your wedding.
You can have a great duo band in the background singing/playing classic jams that everyone can sing to and enjoy! A small dance area will also come in handy for the truly hardcore dancers on your guest list. We love this idea so much!
PRO TIP: Find a venue that gives you the option to black out the windows or at least dim the bright windows. This can help transition from brunch to dancing if you’d like to do a little dancing and partying! More tips here if you’re looking to DIY your brunch wedding!
20. Transportation
You can still rent a car, but you can skip out on the luxury ones! You can rent a nice white car and embellish it with artificial flowers. Or if you have a kind friend who can help you out, that’ll be great!
Also, there’s always UBER, which might not be able to embellish, but you can UBER a high-end vehicle to take you around. You can reserve this ahead of time – what a great convenience! Also, great for photos!
21. Consider pre-arranged / a la carte (one of our fave ways to save money on your wedding!)
Consider purchasing things with little to no customization. Many pre-arranged and a la carte wedding flowers will be a more affordable and budget-friendly option.
Remember, elegance doesn’t always come with a hefty price tag; sometimes, it’s about the thoughtful touches, the personal connections, and the creative flair you infuse into every detail.
Your wedding day is a reflection of your unique love story, and with these savvy savings strategies, you’ve embraced the art of celebrating without excess. From DIY décor to strategic choices in vendor selection, each decision adds up to a celebration that’s not just affordable but deeply meaningful.
Also, no one needs to know how much you’ve spent on something. If you choose these strategies wisely and elegantly, you will pull off a beautiful and elegant wedding without breaking the bank!
