Guests Can Deal With a Limited Cocktail Hour Menu
Every wedding is expensive. There's food, alcohol, attire, and decorations, among dozens of other costly fees. Luckily, there are a few ways to cut wedding costs that can potentially save you thousands of dollars. Here are 20 ways to save thousands on your wedding.
1. Choose a Nontraditional Location
Forego the ballroom or pricy banquet hall, and consider a less expensive but still impressive venue like a botanical garden, art gallery, or community center. You can even see if someone will let you throw your wedding in their beautiful private residence.
2. Negotiate Every Vendor Contract
Most wedding vendors are open to negotiating and rarely list their bottom line. Don't be shy about asking for discounts, package deals, or to remove optional add-ons, like extra lighting, travel costs, or certain premium ingredients. You can also try to book a popular vendor during an off-peak time.
Rocsana Nicoleta Albu on Pexels
3. Limit the Cocktail Hour Menu
Don't feel pressure to offer a full spread during your cocktail hour. You can save a lot of money by scaling back to a few elegant and delicious bite-sized items plus one signature cocktail.
4. Ask Talented Friends or Family to Help
Consider asking your friends and family who have photography skills, are musically inclined, or can bake to contribute their talents as a wedding gift. Make sure you clearly outline your expectations and be kind to them.
5. Use Digital Invitations, RSVPs & Websites
Wedding invitations are heading toward extinction, and this is great news. Don't pay for printed invites, postage, and reply cards with elegant digital options or custom wedding websites. Offer a printable version for people who prefer to have a physical copy.
6. Borrow or Rent Decor and Linens
Don't buy centerpieces, candles, and vases that will just take up space in your attic for years. Borrow what you can from friends and family, and then rent whatever you can't find. This alone can save you a few thousand dollars, as long as you're willing to put in the time.
7. Have a Smaller Wedding Party
Each member of your wedding party will require attire, bouquets, gifts, and hair and makeup. Some members will foot the bill themselves, but you still might be on the hook for some of it. Having a smaller wedding party can reduce the cost of your wedding. You might upset a few people, so be sure to explain to them that it's because of costs.
Jennifer Kalenberg on Unsplash
8. Time Your Ceremony and Reception Strategically
Scheduling your ceremony for early afternoon or late morning lets you serve a lighter brunch-style meal, rather than an expensive three-course dinner. A shorter reception can also help you save on staffing and entertainment costs.
9. Bundle Vendors from the Same Company
Find a company that offers various wedding services like photography, videography, and catering. Negotiate for a lower fee if you bundle their services. This will be easier for them to execute and should be less expensive for you.
10. Skip the Full Bar
An open bar with every type of spirit and a selection of beer and wine is astronomically expensive. To save a substantial amount of money, offer a drink menu with a few red and white wines, a couple of local beers, and one signature cocktail.
11. Select Seasonal and Local Flowers
By choosing flowers that are in season and won't cost an additional fee to transport, you can save quite a bit of money. Seasonal flowers are also more abundant, which can give you some leverage in pricing.
12. Eliminate Unnecessary Items
Don't go for any upgrade despite the temptation. Also, remove any unnecessary items from your wishlist. This can be costly and often doesn't add that much to the event.
13. Host the Ceremony and Reception at the Same Place
By hosting both parts of your wedding in the same location, you avoid transportation, logistics, vendor travel fees, and you can duplicate your decor. Guests, staff, and rentals stay in one place, and coordinating the day will be easier.
Jeremy Wong Weddings on Unsplash
14. Hire a DJ
Wedding bands are great, but they are expensive. You can cut your music costs down quite a bit by hiring a DJ. Another option is to curate your own playlist or ask a friend with some DJ experience to handle the responsibilities.
Kofi Nuamah Barden on Unsplash
15. Limit Add-Ons
Add-ons can make a pricy wedding spiral out of control. Many vendors drive up their "day-of" price by adding extras, such as full-day shoots or extra lighting. Pay only for what you truly need. Trust us, you won't notice the stuff you didn't buy during your big day.
16. Serve a Sheet Cake
A huge, tiered wedding cake is shockingly expensive. All you need is a sheet cake that can be served to your guests and allows you to take some photos. Most guests don't even eat the cake, so it's quite a frivolous expense.
17. Limit Your Guestlist
From seating and favors to food, every guest adds costs. Be selective with who you invite to your wedding, and accept that it makes the most fiscal sense to only invite close friends and family. Skip distant acquaintances or work-only contacts.
18. Offer Buffet or Family-Style Meals
Instead of a plated meal, offer your guests a buffet or family-style meal. This requires fewer servers and is far less labor-intensive, which means you get to save money.
Victoria Priessnitz on Unsplash
19. Simplify the Attire
Bridal gowns and tuxedos cost a fortune. You can save money by shopping sample sales, renting attire, or going with off-price retailers. You can even ask the wedding parties to wear clothes they already own.
20. Book Early
Booking your venue and vendors early can help you take advantage of lower pricing. Make sure that your prices are locked in and don't shoot up as you approach your wedding day.
