Hi! So my name is Ashleigh McGarity and I blog over at This Bride Budgets, and Jean has so graciously allowed me to come over here and share my tips with you today! These wedding budget tips may sound counterintuitive at first glance; everything from “spend more money” to “increase the size of your guest list” to “order two cakes instead of one.” But don’t worry, I’ll have them making sense in no time.
5 Wedding Budget Tips
1. Order two cakes instead of one
We’re not talking two huge, multi-tier, elaborately decorated cakes here. No, instead order just a small one-layer decorative cake for the cake cutting ceremony. Then, have a large sheet cake in the back for serving the guests. No one will know the difference, and you’ll save a ton of money on all those other layers of cake that now won’t need decorated.
2. Spend more money…by hiring a wedding planner
Did you know working with a wedding planner can save you money? It’s true. They have a ton of experience working with couples who are on budgets. They have working relationships with a lot of local vendors, and tend to be a lot less shy about haggling, too. Their comfort and familiarity with the process and people involved can result in big savings for you.
In the Dayton area? Connect with Jean to see if working with a wedding planner is right for you.
3. Buy your linens instead of renting them
I know, say what? It’s common to hear “rent, don’t buy” as advice when it comes to saving money on your wedding. But when it comes to tablecloths and napkins, this is one place where that advice will cost you money. See, the rental price includes the labor-intensive cleaning process. If you buy them instead, you can save over 50%. That’s a nice chunk of change!
And a bonus? After the wedding you can resell them and recoup some of your money.
4. Stop looking at other weddings for inspiration
Okay, this is one of those “in certain situations” suggestions. It’s the “keeping up with the Joneses” situation. Your brothers all had limos at their weddings, so you feel you should have a limo for yours. Or everyone in your circle of friends had a full dinner at their wedding, so you feel you can’t have a punch and cake reception. There’s a handy exercise over at this post if you think you might be struggling with this particular issue.
5. Increase the size of your guest list
Now this is definitely one of those “in certain situations” suggestions. In general, the size of the guest list is directly tied to the cost of the wedding. But there is one time where increasing the size of your guest list is a good idea. Many venues have a minimum guest requirement. If you host a wedding there that is below the requirement, they have steep fees to discourage that. So if you’re considering doing so, do the math and see if you’ll indeed save money by getting your list up to that minimum. You just might be surprised!
Now you have five more ways to save money on your wedding. Take them, run with them, apply them as you see fit. Best wishes and happy nuptials to you!
A big “Thank You!” to Ashleigh for allowing me to share these wonderful wedding budget tips with you. For more practical ideas to save money while planning your wedding, be sure to check out Ashleigh’s blog at This Bride Budgets.
What do you think of these wedding budget tips? Let me know in the comments below.
Photo Credits:
Pink wedding cake – Weddings From The Heart
Reception room with wedding cake and guests tables – Childers Photography
Hearts, Joy, Love!
Jean
Don’t Forget These Items When You’re Creating Your Wedding Budget!
Looking for fun ideas, or need help with your wedding plans?
Weddings From The Heart can help. Contact me today at jean@weddingsfromtheheart.net or by phone or text at 937-581-3647!