Five Foolproof Ideas to Plan a Frugal Wedding
Five Foolproof Ideas to Plan a Frugal Wedding
You’ve pictured out your dream wedding since you were little. There’s all of your friends and family gathered around, your dapper groom waiting for you down the aisle, and you—in the perfect Disney princess–esque dress you’ve seen in the movies.
Fast forward to the present day. A nightmare hits you, and you ask yourself, How can I possibly afford all that?
Well, fret not. You can still achieve your dream wedding without having to break the bank. Read on to know how you can plan a frugal wedding (without it being cheap).
1. Cut Down Your Guest List
It’s nice to see all your family and friends gathered together on your big day. But if you can’t afford to have everyone, don’t push it.
Instead, think about how intimate and sincere your wedding will be the more you cut down your guest list.
Only invite people who really know you individually and as a couple. Your direct family and closest friends should be enough to give you a good time on your wedding day.
Start by cutting your guest list by 20 percent. If that has been easy for you, try another 20 percent. You’ll be surprised at how much you can save on additional costs doing so.
2. Find a Flexible Venue
Renting a reception venue often gets a bulk of your overall wedding expenses. Minimize your venue costs by looking for cheaper options.
Some reception halls give you discounts for nonweekend events. Don’t hesitate to negotiate on the price once you’ve found a venue you like.
Another pro tip is to find a location that isn’t popular as a wedding reception venue. There could be a function meeting hall or a rest house in your area that could host an intimate wedding event.
If you’re short on budget, you just have to open your mind to all venue possibilities!
3. Buy Dresses off the Rack—Even Your Wedding Dress!
Custom dresses are a pain in the pocket, so avoid ordering them altogether. You’ll save more on costs if you buy your bridesmaid dresses off the rack. You might even land a gold mine and find ones that are on sale!
Even your wedding dress doesn’t have to be custom-made. You may find the perfect one hanging on the rack in a wedding boutique near you. If you pay cash, the seller may even drop the price even lower.
If buying brand-new still doesn’t suit your budget, renting a wedding dress won’t hurt. In fact, it could save you heaps on costs.
Another option is to buy a secondhand wedding dress. It helps to buy it from someone you know who wore a killer dress. Just alter it to your liking and voila—you’ve got a custom wedding dress without the crazy price tag.
4. Go for Affordable Wedding Rings
Your wedding bands symbolize your union as husband and wife. But they shouldn’t cost you a fortune.
Do your research and look for a store that offers the least expensive wedding and engagement rings.
When choosing one, don’t just rely on the low price tag. Make sure you like the way it looks and feels on your finger. Remember, you will be wearing this ring for the rest of your life. So choose it wisely.
You can opt for less expensive yet durable materials such as titanium and sterling silver. They can also be personalized to hold a deeper meaning for you as a couple.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Instead of asking for wedding gifts, ask for wedding help.
If you know friends or family members who can be of great help to your ceremony, request for their service. Whether it be an events singer or a wedding photographer, these additional services will greatly help you cut on costs.
Plus, the familiar faces will make your celebration more intimate compared to hiring strangers to work on your wedding.
It’s the Memories That Count
Planning an inexpensive wedding does not make your wedding any less beautiful. At the end of the day, it’s the celebration itself—the union of two people—that matters.
Your wedding may not be the one you’ve dreamed of since childhood, but it will be something that you will remember and won’t regret in the future.
