We understand that weddings are expensive. We also understand that their are certain aspects that should not be ‘low budget’. However we do know a few ways to cut a few corners to save where you can. From our experience and education we are sharing with you some tips to create a beautiful, stress-free and budget friendly wedding.
Lets focus on where you are able to cut a few corners and save some cash when it comes to the wedding. Now please know that this is all suggestions and you need to remember that it is your wedding and nobody can tell you how to make your dream wedding a reality.
One things we suggest before you start planning and spending money, sit down with your fiancee and write down a list of all the aspects of the wedding. Ask the question, what is the goal of the day, do we want a huge party, a small celebration, an adventure with amazing photos. Start thinking about what is important to the both of you and where you feel the most money should be spent. There is no right or wrong way to create a wedding budget as long as it creates the wedding day you are dreaming of.
Venue, we all know this is where a large portion of the wedding budget goes to. Depending on what city or town you are getting married in will change the overall costs of all vendors especially venues. When it comes to community halls you can normally book them at a fairly reasonable cost however depending on the look of the hall this might not always save you money. Ensue that the inside and outside of the hall is a look that will work with your wedding style. If the walls are painted bright yellow and you want a romantic wedding with red, white and black having the black-splash be yellow will leave you feeling less than impressed. However if you are planning a fall wedding with colors of yellow, orange and burgundy the yellow walls would not negatively stand out. Just something to considering when deciding on venue (community hall or otherwise.) If you are planning on draping the ceiling with fabric the cost of the rentals and set up/take down will add to the budget. A few other questions to think about when picking a venue:
Where is it located? Is it easy for my guests to find? Is there enough parking? Can we get taxi to the venue? Hotel near by? Do I want the ceremony and reception in the same location
Where is it located? Is it easy for my guests to find? Is there enough parking? Can we get taxi to the venue? Hotel near by? Do I want the ceremony and reception in the same location
Where is it located? Is it easy for my guests to find? Is there enough parking? Can we get taxi to the venue? Hotel near by? Do I want the ceremony and reception in the same location? How far is it from my ceremony location?
What is included? Do they have tables and chairs? Do I need a kitchen? Does it allow or wheelchairs, walkers or baby strollers?
What staff does it include? Do they set up and take down chairs and tables? Do I need to clean the venue? Do I need to flip the venue if so do I have the time or man power to do it?
Does it fit the style of wedding? What will the venue look like in the month of the wedding? Is there enough lighting or plugins for extra lighting? Does the venue have a corkage fee? Is there a bar? Am I allowed real candles? What can I use for decorations and hanging things? Do they only work with certain vendors? What outside vendors can I bring in?
The list could go on however once you get thinking about the venue from a wedding viewpoint it will trigger questions. That being said ensure you get everything in writing to ensure you are not surprised with an extra cost or service. Not every wedding needs to happen at a hotel or golf course however if you want to simplify the vendor list, planning or invoices a ‘all in one’ venue might be a good choice for you.
We will be honest, we love wedding decorations and flowers! However this is one way you can save for the big day.
We did a little research and we are providing you with some inexpensive wedding flower options:
Gerbera Daisies.
Hydrangeas.
Daisy Spray.
Solidago.
Alstroemeria.
Carnations.
We all love Costco and when it comes to wedding flowers and love doesn’t waver. However we do suggest this with some condition. When ordering flowers online it is sometimes challenging to guess how many of a flower you will need or want, this may cause issues. Another challenge is knowing which flowers hold up best in hot, cold, wind, rain and transportation. Because of these reasons we suggest talking to a professional florists before ordering any flowers. This also bring us to our other suggestion, order bouquets from a local florist. Their is a reason they are called professionals, they understand flowers in a way a ‘typical’ person dose not. Do not be afraid to ask questions and ensure you know what you are getting. A few other ways to cut down flower and decor costs are to re-purpose. Having beautiful arrangements on the arch at the ceremony can be taken off and moved to the reception and displayed either on the head table or elsewhere depending on the floor plan. Keep it green, and no we do not just mean environmentally friendly. Greenery is a great way to fill in space and add texture where flowers or other decor is not. There is an endless list of greenery types, this is another great question to ask a florist. Another option is using either all silk flowers or a combination of silk and real. If you want a flower that is out of season, not hardly or rather pricey we think silk flowers are a great compromise. You are even able to rent silk bouquets and centre pieces from wedding vendors if you do not want to take the flowers home after the wedding.
Okay so what else can you save a few dollars on? Here are a few tips we have picked up along the day of our many weddings:
- thrift is – if you have the time go around to thrift stores and see what unique decor you can find
- marketplace – you have all seen the many FB groups, these are great way to save money and reuse decor
- rent – renting decor may seem expensive however this is a great way to cut down on labour, time and stress
- vendor referrals – when you have hired a wedding planner they often have connections with vendors and can save you some money with their wedding vendor relationships
- keep it simple – the smaller weddings with simple yet elegant decor an save you time and money
- personal – use things you already have or borrow from a family or friend
- off season – a lot of times vendors will have a reduced rate in the off season (November-March)
- week days – similar to off season, vendors are happy to fill in their week days with another wedding and will often provide a discount to those couples
- small towns – when it comes to small town or countryside wedding often you are not paying ‘city prices’
What do you think? Do you have any cost saving tips and tricks to share with us?
We will be posting another blog in the future focusing on those things you do not want to cut corners on so make sure you are following us on Facebook and Instagram.
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