21 Easy Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding

21 Easy Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding
  1. Make a list of wedding priorities. Have a discussion with your partner about what is most important to each of you for your wedding. This will make budgeting and planning much smoother. It'll also give you the freedom to spend-up in the areas that are most important to you.
  2. Set a firm budget and stick to it. This is KEY to saving money and not over spending.
  3. DIY your wedding save the dates and invitations. There are so many customizable and beautiful wedding invitation templates online. Most templates cost between $0.83 - $3.00. The average template cost being $1.99 per print.
  4. Rent your wedding flowers. Couples save an average of 70% of their flower budget when they rent wedding flowers. Renting flowers also gives you a great, wilt-free option that ensures you get the exact floral look you want.
  5. Get married on an off season. Venues and vendors often charge more money during peak wedding season. Stretch your budget by getting married during the off-season (November - March). This not only saves you money, it also gives you more options of venues and vendors because they have more availability.
  6. Use a simple spreadsheet to keep track of spending. This is a simple step that makes all the difference. The easiest way to this is to use google sheets on your phone so you can easily track your spending wherever you are. (You can also share the editing access with your partner, so you can both track your spending.)
  7. Use friends or family for your Day-of-Coordinator. Day of coordinators generally cost between $1,000 - $1,500. Asking a friend or family member is free. They also know you and your preferences better than a hired coordinator. (Tip: You could also consider having two friends work together to coordinate your day.)  
  8. Offer a paired-down bar. Open bars can cost you anywhere between $30 - $79 per guest. That means a wedding with 150 guests will cost between $4,500 - $11,850. Ditch the high-priced open bar and limit your bar to a few options of beer, wine and a signature cocktail.
  9. Choose a venue with natural beauty. Use nature or beautiful architecture as your backdrop. This saves money on decorations. It also makes your photos look amazing.
  10. Keep the bridal party small. This saves you money on bouquets and boutonnieres. 
  11. Negotiate Negotiating with venues saves an average of 10%-30% (That's $1,200-$3,600 of savings on a venue that costs $12,000). Negotiating with vendors can save 10%-20%. Ask for packages, special offers or any extras they can include within your budget. You wont know if you don't ask! 
  12. Keep your guest to A-list only. You don't need to invite distant relatives or acquaintances to your wedding. Keep your guest list small and only invite the people closest to you. This saves you money on food and venue space.
  13. Use the same venue for your ceremony and reception. This saves you the cost of having to pay for two venues. It also simplifies things for you and your guests on your big day.
  14. Get creative with your wedding desserts. Get a smaller (but still amazing) wedding cake and use sheet cakes for guests. (Costco sheet cakes serve 48 people and only cost around $26.99. They also taste amazing!) There are other fun options like donuts, cupcakes and macaroons that your guests will love!
  15. Limit Plus-ones. There is a high chance that singles coming to your wedding will know other guests. Don't worry about giving everyone a 'plus one,' it's not necessary and can quickly eat up your budget. 
  16. Use the same DJ for Ceremony through Reception. DJs often have packages that include the wedding music, reception and dance. Keeping with the same DJ will lower costs and limit the number of vendors you have to communicate with.
  17. Ask family and friends for help. Your family and friends LOVE you! Give them the opportunity to help you with things like decorating, set-up and tear down. This will save you the cost of hired workers. 
  18. Don't use a wedding planner. Wedding planners typically cost $1,500 - $5,000 for partial service planning and $3,200- $5,000 for full-service planning. There are tons of free online wedding planning checklist online. These checklists can help guide you and make the planning process smooth without breaking the bank. 
  19. Have a buffet instead of a plated dinner. Plated dinners between $65-$85 per person. They tend to cost more because more staff are needed to prepare them. Buffets cost $40-65 per person. Buffets are a cheaper and give your guests more options.
  20. Skip the wedding favors. Your guests are happy enough to come celebrate you on your wedding day, they don't need little trinkets to bring home. So skip the small favors and use your money on other parts of your wedding.
  21. Do a cash giving option on your registry. Give your guests the option to give you cash instead of gifts. With cash gifts, you can put the money towards things like honeymoon, paying for the wedding or buying items you truly want for your home.