10 Tips for a Cheap Wedding

Featured Article, Home, Home & Family
on March 7, 2013
10 tips for a cheap wedding
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Financial struggles often lead to marriage discord. Expensive weddings often lead to financial struggles. These 10 tips for a cheap wedding will help you avoid both.

Make a budget and stick to it. Fox Business suggests that the bride and groom confer on how much to spend on the wedding and then plan together how to accomplish it.

Shorten the guest list. You obviously want to spend this important day with important people … not your old college roommate’s friend’s uncle. Be sure to calculate the likelihood of a nice gift vs. wedding costs per guest.

Research all costs. It’s not uncommon for an overzealous soon-to-be bride or groom to book an expensive venue, only to find out later that the venue rental is just part of the expenses associated with renting a wedding hall.

Ask for help. Got a friend who runs a deejay business or a relative who’s a caterer? Instead of asking them for a wedding gift, ask for their help with the wedding. Even if they can’t do it for free, there’s a good chance you’ll get a steep discount.

Advertise. Caterers, deejays, photographers and other wedding vendors need to get out the name of their business. One way to do that is to advertise at your wedding. In exchange for this advertising, you can ask for a reduced rate.

Cut costs creatively. You can’t eat a fake cake. But you can pretend to cut a fake cake and serve your guests a less-expensive sheet cake. No one will ever know. Invitations—most of which end up in the trash before the honeymoon even begins—are also a great place to start cutting costs without affecting the quality of the ceremony or reception.

Host the wedding. Why rent an expensive hall when your parents or aunt or grandparents or best friend has a finely manicured back yard the size of the Astrodome? Hosting the wedding reception at a large house can save you a ton of money.

Rent in numbers. Tuxedo shops are more than willing to cut a deal if you rent multiple tuxedoes from their store. The closer to the wedding venue, the better, just in case you need last-minute alterations.

Plan a simple honeymoon. Unless someone else is paying for that two-week excursion in Tahiti, keep the honeymoon simple. You’re starting a new life with your eternal companion. Enjoy each other without the pressure of being a tourist.

Plan. Plan. Plan. The more carefully you plan the wedding, the less likely you’ll run into unforeseen expenses. Planning will also make it easier to budget. Your planning will go better if you involve close friends and family in the preparation process.