Planning your wedding with the person you love is extremely exciting, but it’s also easy to get carried away. Many reality shows and magazines depict over-the-top weddings, but though they are beautiful, they may not fit within your budget. The good news is that you can still have a fantastic celebration without breaking the bank. Here are some ways that you and your partner can work together while putting together the perfect and affordable wedding.
Create Realistic Expectations
Before you call any vendors or set up a venue, it’s vital that you sit down with your significant other and make some realistic expectations of what the wedding will cost and what you can afford. Even if you aim for a smaller celebration, you’ll often be surprised at how the costs add up. Do a little research. As of 2023, the average wedding costs around $30,000. Much of that will go towards the venue and the cost of the rings, among many other assorted costs.
Don’t be frightened by that number. You don’t have to spend that much on your wedding. Look at your current expenses for everyday life and see what you have left over for your celebration. Spending more than you have on your wedding day is not advisable unless you have a solid plan and the resources to pay it off.
Consider Your Money Personalities
While talking to your fiancé about expenses, it’s also wise to look at each other’s money personalities to understand where each of you is coming from. There are several different personalities, including the saver, which is someone who may be more comfortable saving for long-term goals or emergencies rather than spending all the money on the wedding. There’s also the optimist personality that is OK with spending money because they believe everything will work out in the end. Your partner may have a different personality than you, so keep that in mind during your planning.
Whatever you do, remember to always work as a team. Come up with a fixed budget, and don’t overspend without talking to each other. Also, don’t be pressured. Many vendors might try to budget-shame you or tell you that you need to do things a certain way or buy specific items, or your wedding won’t be how you dreamed it. Stick together with your partner, and you’ll create a celebration you both love.
Create A Plan For Each Expense
While you create your budget, there are various important parts of a wedding that you’ll want to consider. You’ll need a definite date so you know when the bills will be due, you’ll want to formulate the guest list to see how much food and supplies you’ll need, and then you’ll need to start researching vendors, from the folks supplying the music to the photographer. Reach out to multiple vendors, tell them exactly what you need, ask for a quote, and then compare them to get a good price.
There are ways to fulfill the requirements of your wedding while also sticking to your budget. For instance, the decor, including flowers, centerpieces, and place cards, are all nice. You likely want them at your wedding, but add it all up, and it can become expensive. Look for similar items on sale and consider dollar stores, which often have many colorful decorations for cheap.
Also, you’ll likely want to feed your guests at some point, but you need to look at the numbers first. How many guests will be coming, and how many courses do you plan to serve? Will you need to pay a caterer and apply silverware and table decorations? It can add up. Ways to save may include inviting fewer people or serving only one simple course. Another idea is to make the wedding into a potluck where everyone brings their own dish. You might even consider making the food yourself.
Go Eco-Friendly
Since the venue will likely be one of the most costly parts of your wedding, see how you can save money on where you hold your celebration. Typical wedding venues are expensive, so how about throwing an eco-friendly wedding outside? Pick a day with good weather, and you can have a wonderful occasion without paying for lights and electricity. Shop with local flower vendors or find a naturally beautiful spot that speaks for itself, and you could cut the cost of flowers out completely.
Beware Of Hidden Costs
Once you have all the major expenditures set up and you’ve found the best prices, you’ll be on your way to a great, frugal wedding. While that’s a great start, you must also be aware of the many hidden costs that can seemingly pop out of nowhere. If you don’t plan for those, you could break your budget.
Some hidden costs could be tied to your bachelor and bachelorette parties. It’s easy to be so focused on the wedding that you forget these extra activities. Sometimes, what seems obvious is often forgettable, like the cost of a tip after a dinner out or the hotel rooms during an overnight trip.
There are various other hidden costs of which you should be aware, including:
- Gas mileage while setting up the wedding
- Taxes
- Costs to clean up, set up, and break down the venue
- Marriage license
- Outfit alterations
Whenever you reach out to a vendor or get a quote, ensure that you’re getting the full picture so you can add the total figure to your budget. Once you have all the details, you can confidently choose what to add and take away from your wedding.
Conclusion
While the wedding day is one of the best times of your life, the preparation leading up to the big moment can be quite stressful if you let it. Sit down with your fiancé and create a plan of action on day one, and you can have a blueprint to success and eventual wedded bliss.
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at Blufashion. She has been steering the website’s content and editorial direction since 2018. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra’s expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.
