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7 Ways to Save Money on Wedding Planning

The average American wedding costs more than $33,000. As a result, a 2018 study revealed that about 75 percent of engaged couples expect to go into at least a little bit of debt to cover the costs associated with their wedding.

You should know that you don’t have to break the bank to put together plans for the perfect wedding, though. You can avoid digging yourself into debt while also giving yourself almost everything you want on your wedding day.

Here are 7 ways to save money on wedding planning without sacrificing much at all.

1. Begin by Creating a Wedding Budget

Before you start taking tours of wedding venues and checking out different DJs, sit down with your soon-to-be spouse and create a wedding budget. Write down how much you can afford to spend on each and every aspect of your wedding.

By doing this, you’ll be able to steer clear of looking at venues or DJs that you know are out of your budget. It’ll make it a lot easier for you and your significant other to make wedding plans.

2. Think Outside the Box When Choosing a Venue

Booking a venue is one of the most important parts of planning a wedding. You’re going to spend at least a few thousand dollars on it in most cases, if not way more.

Consider alternative venues for your wedding. For example, if you know someone who lives on a large plot of land, why not have an outdoor wedding and save yourself a ton of money in the process?

3. Research Your Various Wedding Vendors

There are a bunch of different vendors that most couples hire to help with their wedding. Here are some of the vendors you might be thinking about hiring:

  • Caterer
  • Photographer
  • Videographer
  • DJ
  • Driver

Don’t be afraid to spend several weeks researching the various vendors in your area. One place might offer very affordable bus rentals for your wedding, while another has much higher prices.

Shopping around for vendors is one of the best ways to save money on wedding planning.

4. DIY as Many Things as You Can

Many brides cringe at the mere thought of DIYing anything for their wedding. They’re already going to be busy enough doing any number of other things.

But there are some simple ways you can DIY your wedding to save money. You can:

  • Create save the dates and wedding invitations on your own
  • Make wedding favors to hand out to wedding guests
  • Come up with a creative way to display table numbers

Doing these things yourself could save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars during the wedding planning process.

5. Avoid Overspending on Wedding Flowers

Many wedding planners will tell you that you should devote about 10 percent of your entire wedding budget to buying flowers. That means that, if you’re spending anywhere close to what the average couple pays for a wedding, you’re going to spend about $3,000 on flowers.

You can do better! While flowers are an important part of a wedding and set the tone for it, you can cut way back on how much you spend on them and still get what you need out of your flowers.

There are some grocery stores that can design gorgeous flowers for a wedding for a fraction of what a florist would charge you.

6. Bring in Your Own Alcohol and Bartenders

“Open bar” are two words that most wedding guests are going to expect to hear when they walk into your reception. But the problem is that paying for an open bar at a venue can be very expensive.

Think about buying your own alcohol instead and hiring a few bartenders to help serve it. It’ll limit the selection you can provide, but it’ll also cut your alcohol costs down dramatically.

7. Cut Back on Spending in Other Areas of Your Life

When you’re in the middle of planning a wedding, ensure you’ve paid off debt, for instance, a car title loan. Also, you shouldn’t go on vacations, buy cars, or make any other extravagant purchases. You should save, save, and save some more.

By saving as much money as you can, you can reduce the chances of you ending up in debt after your wedding day. It’ll allow you and your new husband or wife to get your life together off to a good start.

There Are So Many Ways to Save Money on Wedding Planning

It’s easy to lose your mind when you’re planning a wedding and spend more than you wanted to on it. It’s why so many newlyweds end up in debt after their wedding.

Find good ways to save money on wedding planning and use them. Even if you only use two or three of the suggestions listed here, it’ll make a big difference in your wedding spending.

Check out our blog for more tips on planning an amazing wedding on a budget.

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