Is Getting Married Getting Expensive?
According to The Ascent, a Motley Fool Service, “the average cost for a 2022 wedding sits at around $27,000.” Yes, getting married is a big deal, and possibly one of the biggest days of your life, but $30k is A LOT to spend on one day of celebrating. Whether it be a house payment, car payment, or the new business you’re starting, everyone has other financial obligations that don’t go away just because you’re getting married. If you’re looking for ways to cut costs on your wedding day but still get everything you want, consider these five tips from a professional photographer:
1 – ALWAYS FOCUS ON WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU
This is your day! I always recommend first sitting down and making a list of the most important aspects of your wedding. Whether it be the venue and flowers or the food and music, you should focus on investing in the things that matter most to the two of you! If you do this while simultaneously crossing out the items you really don’t care for, you’ll be surprised at the difference it’ll make.
2 – DO IT YOURSELF
I say this cautiously, and not about every aspect of your wedding. Please don’t ask your uncle “Ted” to take your wedding photos because he’s taken pictures of your nephew’s tee ball games before. You will regret it. I’m talking about things like florals, decor, and beverages to name a few. I’ve seen brides saves hundreds on florals using easy DIY tricks they found on Youtube, and it still looked stunning!
3 – CUT BACK YOUR GUEST LIST
One of the biggest wedding costs is the venue and catering. Cutting back the guest list means:
- Being able to find a smaller, more affordable venue
- Spending less on food and drinks – $20-30 per plate adds up when you’re inviting hundreds of guests
- Investing the money you save here on things that matter more
4 – CONSIDER A NONTRADITIONAL VENUE
Think of places like recreation centers or national park event centers. Since they aren’t “wedding venues” they won’t charge thousands for 8 hours on a Friday and they most likely have more open availability. I know what you may be thinking, “those aren’t very picturesque.” But with a little creativity and the right decor, you can make any venue a wedding venue!
5 – GO ELECTRONIC
Many will say differently, but I see nothing wrong with digital invitations, save the dates, thank you cards, etc. – especially when you’re on a tight budget! Just think about, depending on the number of guests you have it’ll cost anywhere from $25-150+ just to send out your invitations, let alone design and print them too. That can add up really quick and could go towards something more important to the both of you.
Conclusion
Saving money on your big day is important! That’s why its important to have a good budget and be open to ideas. With those two things and a bit of creativity (as mentioned above in #4) anything is possible.For more wedding planning tips and resources, check out my website and related posts, and don’t forget to subscribe!
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