According to a 2017 survey, the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. was $30,000. $30,000 is a lot of money, but rest assured: You don’t have to spend all that to have an incredible wedding.
These tips and tricks will help you save big on your big day.
By fixing marriage day and dates
Consider getting married on a Friday or a Sunday. Venues often charge more for Saturday weddings, while booking on an “off night” could get you discounts on everything from the space itself to the catering.
Another easy way to save money is to consider getting married in the “off” season. In many parts of the country, wedding season runs from April to June and September to November.
Outside of those months, venues are less expensive.
Skip the open bar
Alcohol is one of the biggest wedding expenses, especially if you’re doing an open bar. But there are more budget-friendly options that your guests will still enjoy, like wine and beer packages that include signature cocktails.
If you really want to save money, buy the alcohol yourself—you won’t be subject to markups from the caterers, and you can likely return what you don’t use.
Think outside the box when it comes to dessert
Wedding cakes are pricey. The average cost is $540.
So you can save some money by going with something less traditional, like pie or cupcakes. If you have your heart set on a cake, buy one from the store and dress it up with flowers.
Order wholesale flowers to make your own centerpieces
Your bouquets will be in basically every photo from your wedding. So you might want to go with a professional there.
But you can definitely order flowers from wholesale vendors and DIY your centerpieces with some friends to save some money.
Hire a day-of coordinator instead of a wedding planner
It might be tempting to hire a person to plan the whole shebang for you. But if you’re on a budget, find a day-of coordinator instead. They’ll be less expensive and can still handle logistics for you so you can save and truly enjoy your big day.
Before you hire someone, though, check with your caterer and venue to see if they’ll have a day-of coordinator on-hand that’s included in your fee.
Planning a wedding might seem like a daunting task—especially when you’re creating a budget and figuring out how to pay for it. I hope these tips will help you.
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