Over 120 ways to save money on your wedding

7/5/2024

Hello to the frugal brides out there. Are you searching the internet trying to figure out how to afford the wedding you want? It’s so much more expensive than we realize, isn’t it? I want you to have your dream wedding. I know realistically you have a budget. We can’t all spend tens of thousands on this big event. I’ve compiled a list of over 120 ways to save money on your wedding. This is taken from my book, Happily Frugal. Make sure to get your copy and utilize the workbook. It has check boxes in each section of the budget as categorized below.

Learn more about Happily Frugal here.

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It’s wedding time. We have 5 goals.

Be united in marriage as husband and wife.
Have the wedding of your dreams.
Do not borrow money from anyone. The days of parents paying for weddings should be over. It’s 100% the couple’s responsibility to pay for their big day.
Stick to your budget.
Have one of the happiest days of your life.

All 5 of these things are possible. You can have a dream wedding on a budget.

The average wedding in America costs $33,391!!!
That’s according to The Knot’s survey for 2017 weddings.
That doesn’t even include the honeymoon. That’s a lot of money!
Let’s talk about how to not spend that much money.

Here are over 120 ways you can save money on wedding expenses.

Following these money saving methods could easily allow you to have a nice wedding for $5,000 or less. With a really tight budget, it is possible to have a simple wedding for less than $1,000. A low budget wedding is not a bad wedding. All weddings are beautiful.

priorities

First thing first, know that you do not need everything wedding pros tell you that you need. You do not need to pay ridiculously high prices for what you want. You do not need the grandest material items or the hottest styles. What you need is to stay focused on what you are doing. You are getting married. You are being united with the person that you love. You are not throwing an elaborate party for the sake of throwing a party. A wedding reception is a celebration of two lives being joined. It’s not a show off of how much money you have. Keep in mind what really matters.
Skip the wedding planner if that doesn’t fit into your budget.
Strive to do this without going into debt. What amount of money are you comfortable spending? How long do you have to save up for that?
Create a budget carefully. Be determined to stick to your budget, but also make it realistic. This is your wedding. You want what you want. Don’t deprive yourself of everything nice. Just don’t go overboard.
In your budget, prioritize the top things that are most important to you. For example, the rings, the photos, and the video footage will last your entire marriage. The food will last a few days. The flowers will last a little while. The decorations are for one day. The dress will only be worn for a day or two. Decide what the top things are that you don’t want to skimp on.
Be selective with who you choose to invite. The bigger the wedding guest list the bigger the budget needs to be.
Be serious with RSVPs. If you give them the privilege of being invited to your wedding – which means you want them there enough to pay for it – then you deserve the courtesy of a timely response. RSVP is required to save your seat.
Don’t invite dates. It is way too expensive to invite your cousin and a fill in the blank date that you two don’t even know.
Ask if there are discounts for paying in full early.
Negotiate when the prices are too high. If you can’t afford it, then get it somewhere else. That business may or may not be able to be flexible with their charges. They do have a business to run and their own bills to pay.
Don’t tell the vendors it’s for a wedding if you don’t have to. Renting a reception hall for a family gathering and a wedding can be two different prices. The same goes for cakes and flowers.
Pass on the fancy rehearsal dinner. Keep the rehearsal casual.
Strive for simple.

the location for the ceremony and reception

Don’t get married in a big city like New York, LA, or any metro area. Prices will be much higher. Get married somewhere that wedding vendors don’t have a lot of clients. It is much cheaper to get married in a rural area.
Have your wedding during the week instead of on the weekend.
Have your wedding outside of peak wedding season. Weddings are usually held May through November. If you can get married sometime in December through April, this will save you money.
Have your wedding in the morning and be home by that night. Reception vendors tend to charge more for later bookings.
Have your ceremony and reception in the same place instead of paying for 2 separate places to be rented and decorated.
Choose a more affordable venue. Your church may be free or low cost. Parks are very affordable. Event centers that aren’t wedding specific are less money.
If you are having a small wedding, a backyard wedding with family and friends can be beautiful.

the stationary

Skip the save-the-date announcements. They are cute, but the cutesy gifts can be pricey. You can go digital with your save-the-date.
Make the invitations yourself. You can buy fill in the blank cards in bulk or print your own invitations if you have a printer that can print cards or photos.
Order custom-made invitations and other stationary directly from a printing company.
Make the programs yourself or with family and friends.
You can also make other paper crafts yourself such as the name tags for the tables.
To save on stamps, hand deliver the invitations to the people you know you will see or can easily stop by their house.
You can also hand deliver some of the thank you cards.
Buy blank thank you cards in bulk at low-cost stores. There’s no need for thank you cards to be custom-made for your wedding.
For an extremely tight budget, you could skip the stationary and go with a more casual invitation style. You can make digital invitations to email out to your guest list. Digital invites are free to do.
You could also compromise between paper invites and digital invites. Buy paper invitations for family and close friends. Send a digital invite to everyone else.

the wedding party

Don’t let the wedding party get too big. The more bridesmaids and groomsmen you have the more money you are spending. Think about how much money you have to spend on each bridesmaid: their dresses, their shoes, possibly their jewelry, the flowers they’re going to carry, the gifts you’re going to buy them, etc… It adds up quickly. Then there’s attire and gifts for the groomsmen. Best man and maid/matron of honor may get additional gifts. There’s also the ring-bearer and the flower girl(s). The bigger the wedding party the bigger that part of the budget has to be.
Rent the attire for the wedding party.
Try shopping right after prom or homecoming.
Shop for your bridesmaids’ accessories such as shoes and purses somewhere besides the bridal shops and formal retailers. Department stores can have cute accessories.
You can make your own bridesmaid dresses.
Pre-owned bridesmaids’ dresses are still good dresses.
There are a lot of nice dresses that aren’t made for formal occasions. Your bridesmaids could get matching dresses from any store. The wedding party doesn’t have to be formal. I’ve also seen bridesmaids wear matching skirts and dress shirts or sweaters. That’s affordable and can be worn again.
Consider letting the wedding party not be 100% matching. Let them go with a color and choose their own dress. That may give some flexibility in each person’s budget.
Sometimes a bride and groom will ask the wedding party to purchase their own attire.
Skip hiring a makeup artist for the bridal party.
Skip paying for manicures for the bridal party.
Skip the wedding party. Focus on the bride and groom. It’s all about the couple anyway. Some people are content without a wedding party. For others, they dream of having their sisters and friends as bridesmaids. Do what is right for you.

the bridal attire

Some brides choose to buy a dress for the ceremony and another dress for the reception. Purchasing only one dress is a big money saver.
It’s not uncommon for women to buy a new dress for the rehearsal. That’s not necessary. You can skip that for a little savings.
Designer brands are going to cost quite a lot more. Choose a brand that isn’t associated with high price tags.
Choose simple elegance. The more elaborate a dress is the more expensive it is going to be. It’s up to you how much you’re comfortable paying for a dress intended for one day.
Shop at bridal stores that are in less visited areas. They are more likely to have lower prices than stores in big cities.
Buy a dress off the rack and alter it yourself.
Choose less expensive fabrics for your wedding dress.
Consider renting a wedding dress.
The bride can buy a formal dress not labeled as a wedding dress. You may be able to order it in white. You can also wear a colored dress. There are gorgeous dresses out there in many colors that would make a great wedding dress. While brides are spending around $1800 on average for the dress alone, ordering a formal dress not intended for brides can easily be less than $200.
If you or someone close to you is very talented at sewing, you can make your own wedding dress.
A pre-owned wedding dress is fine.
You can borrow a wedding dress from a friend.
You don’t have to buy new clothes. There are a lot of people who get married in clothes they’ve owned for a while. Not having a $$$$ wedding dress doesn’t make your marriage less valid. Do what you can with the budget you have. It’s okay for the bride to wear a nice church dress and the groom to wear a suit he regularly wears to church.
Choose to buy outfits that you can wear again. It used to be common for women to wear colored dresses and that dress would then become a nice church dress.
Casual weddings are the right fit for some couples. You’re allowed to wear a sundress for your wedding. The groom is allowed to wear khakis and a button up shirt with or without a tie.
Make your own veil.
Skip the veil if you want to.
Don’t buy your shoes from a bridal store. You can get dress shoes at a department store.
You can also wear nice shoes that you already own. If you’ve got a pair of shoes you love that would look great, why not?
Style your own hair or have a close friend do your hair.
Go light on the jewelry and accessories. A simple look is a timeless bride.

the rings

As with all things, shop around. A diamond ring of similar style and quality can be very different prices depending on where you’re shopping. Christmas time and Valentine’s Day always have sales on wedding rings.
Save money by getting fewer carats of gold.
You can save a lot by going with a diamond that’s fewer carats. The carat of a diamond is its weight. Try buying just shy of a carat and half carat mark.
You can save a large amount of money by choosing a gemstone other than a diamond. A diamond is beautiful and it is traditional, but there are other beautiful gemstones. White sapphire can be a more affordable option for a similar look. If she loves rubies, why not consider a ruby with small diamonds on the side? Do inquire about the durability of daily use on the gemstone of interest. Diamonds are the hardest gemstone and good for wedding rings. Some gemstones may be too soft to wear every day for 50 years.
Cubic zirconia or moissanite can be an option.
You would save a lot of money if you chose plain wedding bands with no gemstones.
Something else you can do is to get plain bands when you get married. Then save up the money to buy your dream rings.
She doesn’t have to have an engagement ring plus a wedding band. One ring is perfectly beautiful.
Tungsten is a cheaper metal that can be used as an alternative to gold. They also come in a variety of colors and patterns.
Titanium wedding bands are cheaper than gold, but look fairly similar to white gold.
Stainless steel rings are a very affordable option. They are long lasting and very durable. They can look pretty similar to gold rings. They also come in colors. You can get a stainless-steel band for under $20. The cheapest ones are plain bands. They can have patterns on them. They can have diamonds or other gemstones. They’re very creative looking. You may be able to get both his and her rings plus engravings for less than $50. Stainless steel bands may not be what you had in mind, but if you don’t have room in the budget for gold and diamonds this allows you to have a very affordable set of rings.
Wooden rings are also an option. They can be plain or have gemstones.
You can find decent pre-owned wedding rings for sale. A vintage ring from a family member can be sentimental… and free.
Silicone bands only cost a few dollars.
While rings are the norm in our culture, they are not absolutely necessary. Some religious groups do not wear jewelry at all. Others may not wear rings out of their own personal preference. It is possible to get married without a ring for either spouse. Couples may or may not purchase rings at a later date.

the wedding cake and other food

The more guests you have the more food you have to buy. Smaller weddings are more affordable.
Consider catering from restaurants instead of catering companies.
Don’t serve alcohol.
Have a morning wedding with coffee and brunch instead of a meal.
Skip serving a meal to a large group of people by having an evening wedding with dessert afterwards.
Have a buffet.
Wedding cakes do not have to be tiered. You can get sheet cakes for much, much cheaper. You can have multiple smaller cakes of different flavors with different looks for a lot cheaper than you can have one big, fancy cake. You could make several round cakes that are one layer, creatively display them on a cake table with decorations, have the same amount of food to eat, and save a ton by it not being tiered.
Have the family get together and bake smaller cakes. Of course, you want people that are good at baking and cake decorating using recipes that you two have tried and like.
Make your own wedding cake.
Choose a cake alternative such as cupcakes or pie.
For a smaller wedding with only close family and friends, have a potluck. You provide the main dish. Ask family and friends to bring in side dishes and desserts to share.
It’s a waste of money for leftover food to be thrown away. Make sure people take home the food or donate it.
If you’re going to have favors that are food, see what you can make yourself or purchase in bulk affordably.
If your budget is really tight and you are having a small wedding, you can do the ceremony at a low-cost location such as church, a park, or even at home. Then have everyone go out to eat at your chosen restaurant after the ceremony. Or you could have your ceremony near restaurants and people can bring their food back to the church or to a park for a picnic. A wedding at the park followed by a picnic is an option.

the flowers

Choose flowers that are native to your area. Exotic flowers are a gorgeous way to break the bank.
Choose flowers that are in season where you live.
Choose less expensive flowers. Roses are gorgeous, but not inexpensive. There are plenty of other flowers that are pretty that don’t cost as much.
You can get flowers from Farmer’s Markets and grocery stores cheaper than a floral shop. Many also have beautiful flowers. Inquire about purchasing in bulk or planning ahead to order for your wedding day.
In season, purchase directly from a flower farm.
Go with smaller or simple bouquets.
Grow your own flowers. Ask family and friends to help you with this. This does require an engagement that lasts long enough to be able to plant them and tend to them. You also need to be able to arrange them nicely in a timely manner.
Again, the size of the wedding party is going to increase costs. The maid of honor and each bridesmaid will have a bouquet.
Fake flowers from craft stores can be a budget option.
Have the flower girls scatter fake flower petals from a crafts store. That’s cheaper than real flower petals and you don’t have to worry about stains. You could put them back in the box after the wedding to be passed on to your family and friends.
Your centerpieces at your reception don’t have to have flowers. You could do a few flowers on certain tables, but choose non-floral décor for the guest tables.

the decoration

Hit the clearance section after the season is over. If you know you’re getting married next year in October, buy the decorations this November and December.
Make the decorations yourself. Go to an affordable craft store and make the decorations at home.
There are tons of baskets, jars, and decorative glass to be found at thrift stores. Get creative.
Instead of matching centerpieces, try decorating each table with its own unique look using what you can find.
If you have bought linens and accessories, keep them to let family and friends borrow for their events or donate them to the church to be used by others for free. If your family or any friends do this, consider borrowing what they offer.
Depending on the area you live, you may be able to rent decorations for a few days cheaper than it costs to buy them.

entertainment

If you are having a live band, musicians, or a DJ, stick to the schedule to avoid being charged for going over the time stated in the contract.
Use CDs with a good stereo instead of paying for a live band.
Make your own playlist and connect it to a speaker.
If you do want live music, ask someone you know that would enjoy taking a little bit of their time to play an instrument and/or sing.

photography and videography

Choose a photographer who is experienced, but fits the budget. Make a reasonable budget for this. Photography is an expensive business to run. I do recommend ordering photos through your professional photographer. One bad way to save money is getting the photo disc and ordering prints from your local department store. The quality of the photos will not be the same.
Ask guests to take pictures with their cameras or even their phones and send them to you within 2 weeks so you have all the pictures that were taken.

the honeymoon

One week is cheaper than two. A weekend getaway is likely affordable even by those with a strict budget. Make the most of this new chapter in your life.
Make your honeymoon somewhere in the continental U.S. that is not a common tourist destination. Of course, leaving the country will be your most expensive option. A tourist destination will be expensive. What are the biggest things you want from your honeymoon? Do you want to be on a beach? Do you want to be in a cabin stargazing while nestled in the mountains? Where are all the places you can get that? Choose lesser-known beaches or mountain towns. You can also look at the surrounding areas to your dream honeymoon. What are the options within an hour of that dream destination that’s a bit out of your budget? A hotel 20 minutes from that tourist town can be a very different price than the hotel in that tourist town’s downtown area right next to all the activities. You may be able to afford that destination you thought you couldn’t if you stay a short commute away.
Schedule your honeymoon outside of peak travel season.
Rent somewhere that has a fridge and stove so you can buy groceries and cook instead of eating out.
If needed, you can take your honeymoon a while after the wedding. Take a few paychecks to save up some money for the honeymoon.
Some people will skip a honeymoon for financial reasons. Nobody wants to miss out on their dream honeymoon, but forgoing a honeymoon is a reality for quite a few couples. If you can’t afford to do a honeymoon now, maybe you can save up and have a really nice couple’s vacation for your one-year anniversary.

One more thing...

I should mention one more thing. Eloping is an option. You could have a last-minute wedding in a park with family and friends. You could do a casual ceremony at your church and skip the formal reception. Courthouse weddings are a choice. Eloping can be a financial choice. It could be a personal preference of the couple. Either way it’s the most affordable way to get married. Do what’s right for you.

All of these things being said, you certainly don’t have to do each one of these things. Figure out your budget. Do what you are able to within that budget. Plan your dream wedding. Get as close as you can.

Here are two more things you can do...

Here are 2 more things that can give you more money in your wedding budget.

Start saving back for your big day long before you get engaged. Single ladies do this all the time. Envelope budget, bride-to-be!
Once you are engaged, utilize chapter 6 in this book to the max. Take your savings and add the money to your wedding budget.

Learn more about the book

What did you do to save money on your wedding? Tell me in the comments below.

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