Unless you’re getting hitched in a chapel with five guests or your parents are paying for it, a wedding can be very expensive. Fortunately, there are a few ways you can reduce the biggest costs.
Some aspects of a wedding are more expensive than others, but for all parts of the wedding, there are several ways you can minimize the costs. If you want to have a beautiful and memorable wedding but don’t want to overspend, here are some of the biggest wedding costs and how you can minimize them:
1. Venues
The venues for your wedding ceremony and reception are arguably the two most expensive costs of a wedding. Oftentimes, couples spend most of their wedding budget on venues. However, there are several ways you can keep this expense at a minimum:
- Look for more intimate places to wed, such as great wedding venues in Kent and other locations.
- Keep your guest list short. Not only does this simplify your venue requirements, but a small guest list also reduces the other costs of your wedding as well.
- Book your wedding during off-peak season, preferably on a weekday.
- Look for a place a little bit far from the city. These places tend to be less expensive than venues in the city.
- Ask about discounts and promos whenever possible.
2. Decorations
Decorations are another crucial aspect of a wedding. For this reason, the cost of decor can run quite high. Fortunately, there are a lot of ways you can minimize it:
- Have a minimalist wedding. Choosing minimal yet tasteful decor is an excellent way to keep costs low as well as put the focus on you and your partner.
- Hire a local florist and choose cheap yet beautiful flowers instead of imported ones.
- Make the decorations yourself.
- Choose a venue that is beautiful in and of itself to minimize the need for beautification.
3. Attire
Wedding dresses and tuxedos can cost thousands of dollars, making it some of the biggest expenses of a wedding. If you don’t want to spend that much money on wedding attire, here are some strategies you can try:
- Rent a dress or tuxedo. You can get a beautiful piece while spending half of what you would pay for a new one.
- Buy a minimalist dress or suit. Simplicity can still make you look stunning on your wedding day.
- Ask bridesmaids and groomsmen to wear dresses and suits that they already have. Choose a simple color like black or white that everybody is bound to have in their closet so they don’t have to pay extra for their wedding attire.
- Shop for discounted dresses. There’s no harm in wearing last season’s styles.
4. Food and drinks
Another considerably large expense of a wedding is the catering, including alcohol. Here’s how you can keep this cost low:
- Hire a local restaurant that serves up good food for a fraction of the catering price.
- Choose a simple menu. As long as the food is tasty, guests are bound to be happy.
- Buy the alcohol yourself (if the venue allows) to save on liquor costs.
- Stock the open bar with local drinks.
Getting married is an expensive affair. Nevertheless, there are many ways you can keep the costs as low as possible without sacrificing the beauty and memorability of your special day. If you want to save money on your wedding, start planning with these tips in mind.