7 Fabulous Wedding Budget Tips . . .
no matter what your budget!
Planning your wedding or helping a friend with his or hers? After you have whittled the guest list down to the final number, there are other ways in which to save some money on the wedding! See below for some tips on how to do that and still have a beautiful wedding!
This is a new one I’ve seen – skip the bread basket! These days, folks are concerned about their carb intake, so do they really want (or need) a big roll with the salad or dinner? By skipping bread, your guests can enjoy the deliciousness of the main meal, savor every morsel and not feel soooo full! And, there will be less waste!!
Flowers are beautiful and there are many ways in which to lower those costs.
- Moms and dads and even grandparents forgoing the corsage/boutonniere.
- Groomsmen not having boutonnieres.
- Have the bridesmaids carry one stem of a flower – a big sunflower, a hydrangea in the color scheme of your wedding, a single rose, or even baby’s breath. Or have them carry much smaller bouquets and follow the trend that Duchess Meghan has seemed to start!
- Use bigger flowers in the arrangements – they will still look nice and full, but the per stem pricing would be lower. Carnations are a lovely filler and are not as expensive as other flowers. Using more greenery in the arrangement can be less costly.
Arrangement by Ory Custom Florals
- Be sure to repurpose your flowers – bridesmaids’ bouquets can become décor on the bar or memorial table and those ceremony arrangements can become décor in the front of the head table/sweetheart table or on the gift table. Your wedding coordinator can easily transport them while cocktail hour is happening!
RSVP online – yes, I am a bit of a traditionalist and think wedding invitations should be mailed via U.S. Postal Service (it is something tangible that guests can post on their refrigerator to create excitement for your big day!!). That being said, the idea of collecting the RSVP’s through your free wedding website is quite nice! It’s more accurate, as your guests put in their information (yes/no, food choices, song choices, etc.), it’s all in one place, and can save you money in both the printing and mailing of reply cards! (Of course, it still doesn’t guarantee that you won’t need to chase down those stragglers who haven’t RSVP’d by your due date!)
Chalkboard Sign/Mirror to list the program for the day. If you are like me, I always like to know who is in the wedding party and try to figure out how they know the couple! Why not use one chalkboard sign or mirror to list the “program” or schedule for the festivities and one to list the names of the wedding party! And, while printed programs are lovely (and can double as a fan if someone gets hot), most are left over (either not everyone took one or guests chose to only have it for the ceremony and not keep it). It may be nice to have a couple as keepsakes, but not 80% of the 150 that were ordered!
Offer other desserts – Yes, a 3- or 4-tier wedding cake can be beautiful, but there are wedding guests who don’t like cake (that would not be me!), so most of it can go to waste. Instead, get a little cake in a fun flavor the two of you would like for the cake cutting and then have a dessert buffet for your guests. That way they can choose a couple of small items they would love as the perfect “sweet treat” after a fabulous dinner! (Chocolate for me, please!!) Pies are also a great option!
Shannon from Starry Night Bakery setting up this dessert buffet for a wedding I had in June.
Keep tables simple – no need for chargers, or 15 candles and 3 vases of flowers on each guest table! Less is more! Guests will love the streamlined look. Keep stemware simple, too.
Just have beer and wine for those who like something stronger than tea, sodas or water to drink! Most people are fine with beer & wine and adding liquor to the bar selection, adds more expense (even if you supply your own!). The selection can always be ramped up a bit with a signature drink or two to add variety! Another savings is to not have champagne for everyone for toasting. There seems to be more and more wedding guests who just don’t like champagne; I’ve seen many full glasses be tossed and no one drank from them. Of course, if you like champagne, make sure there is a bottle for the two of you!!
Hope these tips help with shaving off some expenses of the wedding. If you have another to add, please share in the comments below!
