Wedding Season: 15 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding

You don’t have to spend a fortune to have a beautiful wedding.

In this post, I’m going to share with you 15 tips to save money on your wedding.

1. Off-Season Months – In some parts of the country, July, September, and October are the most popular months to get married. This means that venues, caterers, and other wedding services will be more expensive during those months.  Check the availability of the location and month of your wedding. Also, consider getting married on a Friday or Sunday, as most weddings are booked on Saturday.
2. Small Wedding – Many couples prefer an intimate wedding. Not only will the cost be cheaper, but it can be even more special with family and close friends. You can limit the number of plus ones to couples you know very well.
3. Sell your Dress – There are many things that you can sell on eBay and Craigslist after the wedding. You will probably never use your dress again and unless it’s a tradition in your family, your daughter might want to pick her own dress. Sell everything that you don’t need after the wedding to offset the cost of the celebration.
4. Negotiate – Shop around for the best prices and negotiate with wedding vendors. You don’t have to settle for the first venue or wedding florist that you visit. Check out these tips to negotiate with wedding vendors.
5. Focus on your priority – What is important to you? That is a question you have to ask yourself when you start planning your wedding. Think about what your priorities are and spend the budget accordingly. For example, you might not care about having a cake and five desserts, but want to invest in the honeymoon.
6. Photographer – Hire a photographer for the ceremony and a couple of hours during the reception to save money. You don’t have to have the photographer until the last person leaves.
7. Create a site – Create a free site to save money on the wedding invitation. This way you save on printing and cards.
8. Save on the favors – Your wedding party favors don’t have to be expensive. There are several cute and cheap DIY wedding favors.
9. Save on the kids – Ask the caterer for a discount for the kids. If you will have kids at your wedding, inquire about a special menu for the kids or a discount.
10. Hire students – Hire student musicians and photographers. It will be much cheaper than hiring a professional.
11. Ceremony and reception – Host the ceremony and reception in the same place to save money on the venue and other expenses.
12. Reception – Having the reception at a restaurant (even a fancy restaurant) can be cheaper than renting a venue, hiring a caterer, and paying for other items.
13. Buffet – Even if you rent a venue for the reception, you don’t have to serve dinner. Dinner can be one of the most expensive costs at a wedding, but you don’t have to serve a cake, four desserts, and several other dishes. Make it simple!
14. Photo booth – Create your own photo booth to save money. Having your own photo booth is fun and will be a lot cheaper than hiring a professional.
15. Shop on Black Friday – Take advantage of big sales to shop for your wedding! Get a discount on your wedding dress and other items to save as much as possible.