A Guide To Low Budget, High Quality Weddings
Your wedding budget and wedding dreams don’t have to be at odds. Having an affordable wedding, happy guests, and lifelong memories is totally possible! We’ll share strategies for staying on budget and creative ideas to help you save.
The price tag for weddings can be a huge stressor. It’s your wedding after all - How do you decide where to splurge and where to trim? It can feel overwhelming, so take a deep breath: You’re getting married and it’s going to be great!
Rest assured, you can absolutely have an amazing wedding within your budget! There are plenty of ways to cut costs without your guests noticing. With some intentional planning and honest conversations, it’s entirely doable.
We have 5 simple strategies to stay under your wedding budget, followed by 30 practical ideas to cut costs.
Agree On Your (De)Priorities: Decide which parts of the wedding are important to you and which aren’t. Anything at the bottom of your list can be simplified or cut!
Hire A Wedding Planner: This may sound counter-intuitive, but planning services often include budget direction and vendor research.
Limit Your Guest List: Everything from food to invitations to chair rentals will increase or decrease with each guest, so smaller weddings generally cost less.
But don’t worry if you’re dreaming of a big wedding - See our list below for ideas to reduce per head costs!
Choose Your Venue Thoughtfully: In addition to the price of renting the venue itself, consider: Is outside catering allowed? Will you need to pay for extra set up time? Will it need much decorating to fit your aesthetic? Are tables, chairs and/or tents included? Any of these can save you hundreds to thousands.
Don’t Be Afraid To Eliminate: Many traditional elements to weddings are just that - Tradition. This is your wedding. If you find something isn’t meaningful to you, it’s ok to simply cut it!
Still feeling overwhelmed? Let’s dive into realistic ways to save money, so you have more to spend on what matters most!
30 Easy-to-Implement Ideas For An Affordable Wedding
Décor & Flowers
Choose local, in-season flowers
Repurpose ceremony florals or bridesmaid bouquets for the reception
Use non-floral decor, like dried fruit (one of my favorites!)
Lean minimalist for fewer materials, like bud vases for centerpieces
Repurpose household items (i.e. wine bottles, vases) for decor
Use more greenery & fewer flowers
Ask your vendors and venue if they have a “something borrowed closet” or décor you can use
Photo by Kelly Robbins Photo + Film
Dessert
Use a small cake for cake-cutting
Serve a sheet cake or non-cake desserts: s’mores, donuts, ice cream, etc.
Replace custom cake decoration with a simple cake topper
Photo by Jeeny Chung
Prints
Send digital save the dates and/or invitations
Request online RSVPs
Avoid heavy paper & cardstock
Use signage rather than printed programs
Buy digital fonts rather than hand drawn calligraphy
Skip escort cards and use a seating chart
Allow open seating and skip seating altogether!
Photo by Jane Jung Photography
Food & Beverage
Opt for a buffet rather than plated dinners
Swap out passed hors d'oeuvres for charcuterie boards
Limit open bar to beer & wine only
Offer his/hers/theirs cocktails to limit hard liquor & mixers
Buy alcohol from a source that accepts returns of unopened bottles
Photo by Olga Andreyanova Photography
Party Favors
Limit favors to one per party
Forgo any custom printing/labels
Photo by Lloyd Photo + Films
Apparel
Shop sample sales at your local bridal salon
Buy a used dress
Rent the groom’s suit or tux
Skip groomsmen boutonnieres
Photo by BreeAnna Lasher
Vendors
Hire early-career vendors
Inquire about discounts for upfront payments
Curious about how planners can help you save? Get in touch to learn more about our services.
