Easy Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding
Here you are, you have your ring, your *fiance*, you’re living in this euphoric state of
newly engaged bliss. The time has finally come to start setting your dream wedding into motion.
But the time is also 2022, inflation is at an all time high, suddenly you’re overwhelmed by the
realization your wedding budget won’t carry you as far as it could have a few years ago. Don’t let this daunting reality discourage you! There are so many ways to not only stick with your
budget but also achieve your dream wedding without major sacrifices. As wedding planners in Southern California, we know all the tips and tricks for saving money during the wedding planning process and how to keep our couples on budget! Here are a few super easy and super helpful tips to save money on your wedding.
Stay Organized
The first and probably most crucial tip to staying on or under budget during wedding planning is to stay organized! It’s so easy to get overwhelmed with all the details, big and small, that go into planning your big day. From venues and color schemes, to plate settings and centerpieces. Truly, you have to stay organized or else you’ll blink and your wedding budget is blown! Communicate with your partner and wedding planner. Together, you all can create your overall vision from the start and set a realistic budget. Once you understand what your priorities are, this will help guide you as to selecting where you are willing to spend a larger portion of your budget…and where you’re willing to make cuts/sacrifices for things that are less important.
Keep notes and make lists!! Trust us- lists will be your best friend while wedding planning! This will keep you all on track and on the same page. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of booking a venue, purchasing your dress, and locking in a photographer and DJ just to realize you haven’t left much for the smaller details. Setting realistic limits from the start and keeping track of even small wedding purchases can help your money go further.
Shop Smart
Shop smarter, not harder…is that how the saying goes? Either way- be sure to do your research before jumping into scheduling appointments, signing contracts and purchasing wedding decorations. There are a lot of easy ways to shop smarter! For example: a lot of bridal boutiques will host trunk shows for designers where they offer discounted wedding dresses. If you find a boutique you love, google them and see if they have any coming up! Also, if you’re not concerned about rocking “last year's” styles, shop the rack. Oftentimes bridal boutiques need to make room for new styles coming in and they will offer their floor sample dresses at discounted rates.
A super easy area to shop smarter in is decorations! Once you have your theme and/or color scheme set in stone (by following tip #1 and setting your vision from the start), shop your local craft store during their after season sales or go thrifting! You’d be surprised what kind of gorgeous and unique finds you can come across that will be perfect for your big day without breaking the bank!
Another great way to “shop smart” is to get connected with people who have been there, done that…AKA Facebook groups! This is the perfect place to get honest insight on all of your vendor options, price ranges, who’s worth the extra few bucks and who isn't. Hesitant on a caterer or not sure who to choose for your DJ? Ask for recommendations in local California wedding Facebook groups. You’ll be surprised how much truly helpful information you can get from joining pages like these…and your budget will surely thank you.
Keep it Simple
This tip can apply to literally every aspect of your wedding planning journey. When deciding on a venue, keep its natural beauty and what it has to offer in mind. Could you get away with simple decor and benefit off of a naturally eye catching landscape or structurally appealing event space? On the flip side, if the venue you’re looking at has a relatively plain space and it is going to take a lot of glamming up to make your vision come to life, make sure to take into account if the cost of these decorations are in your budget.
A harder, but often rewarding aspect to keep simple, is the guest list. While your big day is ultimately about creating the perfect day for you and your partner and you want all of your friends and family there, don’t forget that you’re footing the bill for every guest you choose to invite to your celebration. Keeping the guest list small and intimate could ultimately allow you to splurge on other aspects of your day, and may even alleviate some unnecessary stress in the long run.
Go Digital
We love this tip because it saves not only money…but your precious, precious time as well! We live in a time where technology rules our day to day lives. We can literally have any bit of information in the palm of our hands. So while paper invites and save the dates are a beautiful touch, these can add up really quickly and eat away at your budget. With so many amazing and free wedding websites available, going digital with your invites is a very easy way to save some money in your budget (and time in your day).
These websites also create a one stop shop for wedding information that your guests can easily access. From RSVP, to day of information, registry, and places to stay. You can share all of the useful information that your guests will need at the click of a button. Not to mention, we typically see that our couples who choose to send digital invites get their RSVP’s way quicker as they don’t have to rely on the postal service to not lose your invites/your guests RSVPs.
Now listen, we understand that paper invites are still a nice sentiment and you may not want to miss out on the excitement of your loved ones receiving their invite in the mail. So, you can always choose to utilize these websites to send out a majority of your invites and then send the paper invites to select family and/or close friends.
Get Creative
Don’t be scared to get your hands dirty! If your floral budget ran out way quicker than you expected (this happens a lot as florals add up QUICK), you can still create your dream centerpieces or bouquets without going over your budget. With TikTok and YoutTube tutorials all over the internet now, DIY projects have never been easier! Recruit your besties for a night of crafts (and a little wine) to create pieces for your big day.
Need inexpensive bridesmaids gift ideas? Paint them something! Create a homemade gift for them that is super meaningful to your friendship! The possibilities are endless and they will probably end up cherishing it so much more than the typical bridesmaid gift.
Don’t have it in the budget for all of the decor you envisioned for your big day? Make it a treasure hunt by searching thrift stores and antique shops for beautiful pieces that fit your vision. Or you can make it more personal and incorporate items you already spent years collecting that are significant to you and your partner. These items can range from anything from brass candle
sticks, antique postcards, to comic books or brewery growlers. Trust us, personalized wedding items beat fancy and meaningless any day of the week!
At the end of the day, your big day should be a celebration of love between you and your
partner and there are so many ways to reflect that without breaking the bank. These are just a
handful of tips to help you achieve your dream wedding while finding ways to save some money
along the way. If you’re located in Southern California and need help in your wedding planning
process, look no further than Finerr Weddings and Events! With so many years of knowledge and networking in the industry, we can provide you not only with guidance in your planning process but also endless insight and tips to help you stay within your budget while also planning the wedding day of your dreams! Learn more about what we offer @ www.finerrweddingsandevents.com