I love weddings! I have organised my own one and filmed friends’ celebrations so over the years I gained some experience to the point that I wanted to become a wedding planner. Wedding planning can be as exciting as it is stressful. Knowing your budget from the start and using tricks and tips to stay on budget can make the planning go more smoothly.

There are so many things to consider when planning your wedding. It’s so much more than the dress and the reception dinner. Once you have decided on a venue, the style and the size of your wedding you can start to actually make real preparations.

Knowing how to save yourself time and money on some of the basics can give you more spending freedom on some of the smaller items. The wedding industry is full of “must haves” and expensive novelties that can be hard to navigate. Take a look at some of the helpful and money saving tips that we have listed below to help you with your plans.

Plan Far In Advance

Setting up a longer engagement period is one of the best ways to start saving money. The booking prices for some of your vendors and reservations can be much lower than waiting until the last minute. The advantage of booking early will not only guarantee your spot at your desired location but give you lots of time for making the arrangements for the rest of the reception.

Give yourself time to do a good amount of research. There are plenty of wedding sites and planners available online. Don’t miss out on your opportunity to sign up for special deals and samples when you can find them.

Avoid Saturday Weddings

Prices for bookings can be nearly doubled if you are looking to get married on a Saturday. There are only so many spaces during the year and the vendors charge a premium price to get a Saturday date.

Consider a Sunday brunch wedding or even a Friday evening party after the work week. There are plenty of options. Even if you are just looking to keep it simple and have a courthouse wedding you can schedule it through the week with a small reception at a restaurant.

Bring In Your Own Vendors

Weddings involve much more than just the church and the reception hall. It nearly almost works out to a cheaper price if you get to customize your own list of vendors for the event. Ask about bringing in party rental equipment, a caterer and your own decorations and entertainment. If you get stuck only using the venues services you could see a lot of padding in your final bill.

Fake Your Cake

A full size, a mutio-layers real cake can cost you a fortune. If you are looking to cut your food costs, consider having only the cake topper made from real cake. The rest of the layers can look real but are purely decorative.

Keep The Bar Simple

Most new brides will tell you that the largest amount of waste was found at their bar. To keep things on budget and simple for everyone, consider leaving out the option for spirits.

If you provide a good selection of beer, wine and spiked punches those who choose to drink will be able to find something that they like. Always make sure to have a good supply of non-alcoholic beverages as well as including water and coffee.

DIY Your Decorations

With tools like Pinterest and online markets like Etsy it has become even easier to create most of your wedding decorations yourself. Choose artificial flowers for your bouquets and centerpieces and make your guest favors by hand.

Use Your Friends Help

If you have family and friends, especially your wedding party that has offered to help take them up on it. If you know someone that is a baker, photographer or a DJ ask them to perform at your wedding. This can not only make your day more customised and memorable but save you a lot on vendor costs.

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