Ellie
Getting married can be expensive, and no matter how much you have in the bank in savings, you may find the wedding of your dreams costs more than you can afford at the moment. Luckily, there are a few ways to keep costs down so you can still have the wedding of your dreams.
Start Saving as Soon as Possible
As soon as you think you will get engaged, start setting aside money to fund the big day. If you do get married, your future self will appreciate having as much set aside as possible. If you do not get married, you will still have a nice little nest egg. Try cutting back on monthly expenses so you can put more aside. If you have student loans, you may consider refinancing them into a new loan to reduce the amount you are spending each month. With a refinance, you can select your monthly payment and rate type before you sign your application to lock in potential savings.
Rely on Friends and Family
If your friends or family are organized or creative, see if they would be willing to offer their assistance instead of giving a present. Maybe someone plays an instrument and is willing to perform at the ceremony or reception. Or maybe you have a friend who loves baking or photography. If you know someone who has a space you could rent, they may consider giving you a discount or even lending it to you. This can help make your wedding fun for guests as they’ll get to see their contributions come to life on the day of the event. Think about the skills you have too. Perhaps you can barter your skills to receive something in return.
Try DIY When You Can
Doing as much as possible can save you a lot of money, but make sure you only try to DIY where you know the results will be worthwhile. It’s best to start DIY work long before the actual wedding so you don’t have to stay up the night before completing desserts, decorations, or anything else. One thing you can save on is wedding invitations. There are plenty of print-on-demand sites where you can design very attractive invitations yourself. They may not be quite as fancy as dedicated invites, but they are less expensive, and many guests will not care what their invitations look like. You could even have friends help with the food instead of getting a caterer. You can purchase wholesale food supplies in bulk and have your families or friends prepare it and serve it during the reception. You can even get cupcakes and desserts in bulk.
Look for Affordable or within-the-budget wedding bands. You don’t have to sacrifice quality or aesthetic beauty to get an affordable engagement ring. Classic wedding bands offer the highest quality materials at an affordable price and are the perfect choice for those seeking a timeless design that never goes out of style. From beautifully designed solitaires to vintage-inspired settings, these wedding bands fit every budget. Furthermore, all engagement rings are created using ethical sourcing methods and come with a lifetime guarantee, so you can trust that your ring will last a lifetime.
Avoid Expensive Wedding Cakes
Wedding cakes can get expensive, so consider using a dummy cake instead. You might have a pastry chef or even a friend decorate foam or cardboard with various colored icings. You can then serve cupcakes or a sheet cake from the store, and they will enjoy the dessert just as much. If you love the idea of cutting a cake, you could still get a basic, small white cake to cut during the cake cutting part of the reception. You might put it on top of a fake cake or get a cupcake tower with the small cake on the top.
