Weddings are never meant to be cheap – that’s not what a wedding is about. However, your wedding budget should be practical, and they should always – always – be affordable. You don’t and shouldn’t under any circumstances spend more than you can afford on your special day – while getting married is something magical, you will most definitely regret spending too much and going into debt over a mere 24 hours.
It’s never worth it to splurge too far on your big day – but there are plenty of ways to save your cash and still have the time of your life, and a memory that won’t fade for decades to come. The average wedding costs $26,444 in the US, according to Cost of Wedding – but you could sculpt your perfect day with much less dough. Here are four quick and easy tips to keeping your wedding beautiful and within budget.
Limit your guest list
You don’t need to invite everyone you know – and more importantly, everyone you don’t know – to your wedding. Limit your guest list to immediate family members and close friends if you’re aiming for a frugal wedding – and even when price isn’t an issue, you should still consider limiting your guest list to only people you know and really care about.
Choose the right venue
Some venues cater only to wedding receptions, while others exclusively handle wedding ceremonies – and these could all require separate catering and other services.
Instead, look for full-package wedding venues, wherein you pay a single price for the entire wedding – the reception, ceremony, cuisine, and even transportation. If you pick a full-package wedding venue in Long Island like Windows On The Lake, you’ll save both money and time spent planning and contacting several businesses.
Skimp on the centerpieces
Don’t blow your budget on any single insignificant piece of decoration in your wedding. It just doesn’t do the visual trick when you have beautiful centerpieces accommodated by a lackluster accompaniment of decor. It’ll also lead you to fall into a trap of paying more for your wedding, as you feel obliged to live up to the centerpiece idea. Go with a budget and a theme, and stick to it.
Get wedding help instead of wedding gifts
It’s obligatory for wedding guests to bring you gifts – but if you want to make your day more memorable for a smaller cost, ask them instead to help with the wedding. They could help prepare hand-made decor, or play music, or even bake a special cake.
Frugal, affordable weddings aren’t just simple or boring – they can be a chance to come together and innovate with friends and family.