9 ways to cut your budget | New Series for Brides

According to a survey through The Knot , the average wedding costs $35,329 not including the honeymoon…Ouch! Couples are constantly looking for ways to create their dream wedding and I promise it is not impossible. Hopefully these tips are helpful for anyone still planning or even pinteresting their best-day-ever!

1. 1. Consider marrying during off season/holidays. Many venues offer lower rates during these months. (November-April) You may think a wedding during colder months could be dreadful but it’s a great time to add fun details such as scarves, matching bridesmaid coats or a hot chocolate bar at the reception! Also, if you’ve ever dreamt of a Christmas wedding, you can save BIG TIME as most churches, hotels and banquet halls already have up gorgeous decorations and saves thousands on your budget.
   2. Same ceremony & reception location. This one is pretty simple. Most venues offer a lower rate for hosting your whole day with them to save them from booking multiple weddings in a day or having to turn down another couple.
   3.  Host at a non traditional venue. Consider a local park or a friend/families back yard. A lot of parks only charge a small rental fee vs. a venue that could potentially cost nearly $8k+
   4.  Host earlier in the day. I know for some people this isn’t ideal but just think how fun it would be to throw a brunch reception with mimosas, pastries, and omelets. This could cut food cost by nearly half of that of a dinner reception and still have time for an afternoon of celebration without running until midnight.
   5. DIY when possible. In 2018 the possibilities are endless when it comes to DIY. I have had brides get their decor from thrift stores that you would NEVER know it. No joke. Check out this wedding where the bride, over the course of about a year, collected her center pieces and most everything else from thrifting and I guarantee you’d have never known. 

1. Throw a “stock the bar” party. When possible and if the venue allows you to bring your own liquor, I highly encourage to host this fun event. It’s a get together of friends and family where each person brings a bottle of wine or liquor for you to use during your wedding. What does this mean for you? FREE ALCOHOL! This will cut down on those cost substantially and those guests will know whatever they bring will be available at the wedding for them to drink.
2. Recycle items from former brides. Brides all over the country are using awesome sites like Wedding-recycle and Bridal Garage Sale to score big on gently used unique items anywhere from table numbers, party games and more!
3. Skip what you don’t need. I get that you want to go all out for the biggest day of your life but if you start buying things you don’t need, you will question afterwards why you thought is was a “must have”. At the end of the day it is all about you, and only you! Would you rather buy to impress your guests or  possibly save thousands?
4. Absolutely do not skimp on what is most important to you. What will be most important once the day is over? How about 10…20 years in the future? Will it be the food everyone is eating or the floral center pieces? Will it be the photos and videos captured? Everyone is different but if you go in knowing and planning what will last and budget for that differently than the rest, you may save yourself some regrets in the future. I take photos because it is the one thing that will last after the wedding is over. Some couples spend more on flowers or decor than they do on their photography and really there is nothing wrong with that but those other things you cannot carry and pass onto generations like you can with a wedding album.