A wedding can be one of the most expensive investments that a couple will make but it’s important to cut costs wherever possible so that a new couple doesn’t need to go into debt to support it. When planning a wedding it’s very important to find creative ways to save money and luckily there are many things that a bride to be and her groom can handle on their own.
Avoid the Wedding Planner
Not only do wedding planners cost a lot of money, they usually aren’t overly interested in cutting the overall costs of the wedding. Many wedding planners will actually talk a couple out of their budget because this increases their relationships with the vendors that service them. If the couple can locate a wedding planner that is willing to work within their budget it may be a good way to save time but it isn’t usually a good way to save money. Most wedding planning can be handled by the couple themselves.
Homemade Centerpieces
Centerpieces and floral arrangements are usually extremely expensive and they are usually marked up quite a lot simply because they are for a wedding. A creative couple should either make their own centerpieces and floral arrangements or find a skilled friend who will do it for them for the cost of the materials. Many friends would be more than willing to do this in exchange for a wedding gift. If floral arrangements need to be purchased then ordinary floral arrangements are often less expensive than bridal arrangements even if they are similar in quality.
Save Money on the Cake
Wedding cakes can run many of thousands of dollars depending on what the couple wants. A couple on a budget should consider having a friend make their wedding cake or consider a cheaper cake. While a wedding cake is a time-honored tradition, wedding cakes themselves will usually only last a few hours. Cakes that may not appear initially as elegant may taste better than a traditional wedding cake and a cake that is baked by a friend or relative will mean much more than a purchased cake.
Cut the Guest List
One of the largest ways that wedding costs can be reduced is by cutting the guest list. Each guest can cost several hundred dollars or more. A wedding on a budget should usually be restricted to family members and very close friends. It’s usually considered a faux pas not to allow the people invited to have a plus one so this also needs to be calculated into the wedding costs and the amount of people that need to be avoided.
Planning a wedding can be both stressful and expensive but it doesn’t have to be. By cutting a few unnecessary corners and avoiding the standard wedding expenses a couple on a budget can have a fantastic wedding without having to sacrifice anything important. The most important thing to remember about planning a wedding is that it is a celebration of love and not a show of money. As long as the couple makes the wedding a unique expression of their personalities and their love it is not necessary to spend a lot of money.
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