No matter what your wedding budget is, most brides find themselves wanting to find ways to save money on their wedding. Everything adds up so quickly when you’re wedding planning! Because of this, we have put together a list of some ways that you might be able to save money on your wedding as you’re planning.
10 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding
Here are 10 ways to save some money on your wedding if you are a bride on a budget!
Limit your alcohol
One way to save money at your wedding is to limit the amount of alcohol that you’re buying! There are a few different ways that you can go about this.
For starters, you can try to find a venue that will let you BYOB. This puts you in control of exactly how much alcohol you’re purchasing.
Another way to do this is to offer beer and wine only. This can save you a lot of money on alcohol, and guests will still appreciate that they have some options to choose from. If you really want to offer liquor, but still want to save some money, then you can consider offering a few pre-determined signature cocktails!
Shop at wedding dress sample sales
Sample sales are when bridal shops sell their gowns that other brides have tried on during their appointment at a discount. There is nothing wrong with these gowns – the shop just needs to make room for more gowns to come on!
Our Semi-Annual Clearance Sale is coming up soon – July 14-17, 2022! We are getting so excited for it! Today, we’re going to give you all of our advice on who to bring with you to your appointment!
Our Semi-Annual Clearance Sale is essentially our version of a bridal sample sale! We have a large selection of bridal gowns that are at a discount ONLY during this sale. These gowns are between 20-80% off! Between both our Bel Air and Hagerstown locations, there will be hundreds of discounted gowns for you to choose from!
These gowns are all ready-to-wear, meaning that you will take them home with you the day of your appointment! Keep in mind that you may need alterations and/or cleaning. If you are looking for your dream designer gown while getting a great deal, then this sale might be right for you!
Save on flowers
There are quite a few ways that you can save money on your wedding flowers, from not having flowers at all to purchasing fake flowers! Here are some options for you:
- Choose an outdoor venue with natural beauty to limit the amount of flowers you need.
- Choose in-season flowers… out-of-season flowers will be more expensive to get!
- Purchase fake flowers (or rent them!)
- Re-purpose flowers between the ceremony and reception (ex: use the bridesmaids bouquets as the reception centerpieces!)
Cut your guest list
One of the biggest ways to save money on your wedding day is to make your guest list smaller. This can save you money in so many ways! It may save you money on the number of chairs you need to pay for or rent, catering costs, the amount of alcohol that you need to purchase, etc.
Do-It-Yourself as often as possible
Another huge way to save money on your wedding is to DIY as many items as possible! This includes invitations or various décor items.
Consider unique catering options
There are so many ways that you can save money on catering.
One way is to choose a local restaurant over an exclusive caterer. You will have to compare quotes, but they can often be less expensive but just as delicious!
Another way to save money on catering is to choose some non-traditional options. This could include food trucks, a pig roast, a taco bar, etc.
Have a brunch wedding
Having a brunch wedding can save you money in a couple of different ways! For starters, brunch food items will typically cost less than most dinner food items would. Plus, you will usually be able to save some money on your venue by booking it during the day versus at night!
Save on your cake
There are a few different ways that you can save money on your wedding cake. The first (and most obvious) is to not have a cake at all. A lot of couples nowadays are doing away with the traditional wedding cake and choosing other (more budget-friendly) options – cupcakes, cake pops, parfaits, ice cream, etc.
If you still want to have a cake, another option is to have a small cutting cake for you and your spouse to cut, but have sheet cake to serve to guests. It is just as delicious and saves you some money!
Another way to save a little money on your cake is to go for buttercream frosting instead of fondant. It is less expensive and, honestly, tastes better!
Shop at thrift stores
A huge way to save money is to shop around at local thrift stores to shop for décor! You can find some really great items – vases, old books, linens, and more.
Plus, you can always upcycle some of these items! You’ll be amazed at what a fresh coat of paint or spray paint can do!
Save time with your photographer
Finally, another way to save some money on your wedding is to hire your photographer for less hours. If you don’t feel like you need shots of everyone dancing throughout the night, then you can send your photographer home after they capture the first dances and cake cutting!
And if you’re worried about capturing your exit, you can have a staged one for photos before the actual end of the reception!