A wedding is a one-day event that requires intensive planning and preparation that can even take months to turn out as colorfully as you may desire. Due to the huge financial expenses involved while planning for the wedding, you may face a financial drain if there is inadequate planning. Finding smart wedding planning tips will enable you to have a manageable budget and make your wedding a success. Here are the top 10 you should know about.
Wisely Choose Your Wedding Date And Month
August to December are the peak months when many couples tie the knot. During these months, vendors exaggerate the prices of different commodities due to the high demand compared to the low supply. You should consider having a wedding in either January, February or March. These three months are the off-peak seasons.
You will save a lot by marrying during the off-peak seasons since the prices of different commodities are low due to the low demand in the market. An average wedding costs roughly $22,500, but this price can be low if you marry on a weekday since the wedding venues will be cheaper than on weekends.
Limiting The Attendance
A large fraction of a wedding budget goes to food and drinks. You should consider limiting the number of guests to attend your wedding to minimize the expenditure. It is advisable to invite close people who you would not like to miss out on your big occasion.
Simplify The Menu
The menu’s simplicity will determine how much you will spend on meals. Ensure you choose delicacies that are not costly, but all your guests should be satisfied.
Rent A Wedding Dress
An average wedding dress retails for around $500. This price can be lowered by over half if you rent a wedding dress for your special occasion. You will spend approximately $200 to rent your wedding dress and return it after your special occasion.
Wise Venue Choosing
Many weddings take place at venues near urban centers, which escalates the budget due to the high charges for hiring the venue. It may be difficult navigating through high traffic when trying to access the wedding venue, which may easily lead to accidents. Three thousand one hundred forty-two people perished in accidents in 2019 due to distracted driving.
You should consider choosing a wedding venue on the outskirts of the urban centers. Such wedding venues are cheaper, providing a perfect ambiance for your wedding. The venue should also be away from any distractions. You can also have your wedding ceremony and reception at one venue to minimize the cost of hiring two venues and any logistics costs.
Use Friends’ Talents
Entertainment is key during weddings or any other event. Outsourcing the services of a professional musician, DJ, or even photographer may cost an arm. It is wise to approach your talented friends in various entertainment areas and request them to render their services on your special occasion. At the end of the ceremony, you can even give them a small token of appreciation, and by so doing, you will save a lot of money by booking the entertainment services elsewhere.
Print Your Invites
Commercial printing of invites is expensive and takes a long time. You can consider hiring the services of a graphic designer to design the invite for you, then you can print the invites for yourself at home at a much cheaper cost.
Avoid Limousines
Limousines can charge you an average of $200 per hour and $1000 per day. You can request your friends’ vehicles or even hire private vehicles at a cheaper rate to save on these costs.
Conduct A Civil Wedding
Over 5.5 million U.S. unmarried couples live together due to the high wedding costs. You could consider doing a civil wedding since it will save you when hiring a wedding venue and preparing meals for guests.
Purchase Affordable Outfits
When shopping for the grooms’ suits and bridesmaids’ dresses, consider purchasing affordable outfits. You can consider having simple suits for the groom instead of the costly tuxes that may be worn only once. For the bridesmaids’ shoes, you can purchase simple shoes and then later decorate them for your lifestyle.
With the right tips, planning for a wedding should not be hectic. Ensure you minimize the wedding expenditures as much as possible by inviting a manageable number of guests and having a simplified menu.