Home » 5 Ways to Be Frugal On Your Wedding, But Not Look Cheap

5 Ways to Be Frugal On Your Wedding, But Not Look Cheap

There are only a handful of things that a person usually experience once in their life. One of which is getting married – well, ideally. Your wedding day is your special day, and that can easily make the event astronomically expensive. On average, an American couple will spend around $22,000 for their wedding. That includes the expenses for ceremony, reception, dress, and everything else that comes with exchanging vows, But it does not have to be.

If you have money to blow, go ahead and and have the works, but if you dont , being frugal can go a long way. It is not being cheap, but being practical. Marriage is not about the immaculate church, nor the glamour of the dress but the start of having a family. Meaning money can be better spent on buying a house, and eventually, childcare. The average starter home in America is $250,000. Most lenders want 5% down, which is about $12,500. You could use that as a down payment.

If that was a bit eyeopening, let’s take a look at how you can save on your wedding.

Wedding Dress

In the US, a wedding dress can cost from a humble $400 to a grandeur $6,000. If you watch the show “Say Yes To The Dress”, those designer dresses cost between $1,500 to $3,000, sometimes even up to $10,000. But they all have one thing in common, as a bride, you only got to wear it once. There is not a single sign of practicality to spend a fortune on a dress you are only going to wear once.

If you want to save money on a dress, you need to be creative and resourceful. You can have your mom’s dress altered to your liking, or check out a local bridal shop and look for a simple dress, usually its a little cheaper and have them embroidered or designed according to your vision.

Speaking of wearing it one time only, consignment shops or online is a great place to look. Yes, it was worn one time before, but you could get the designer dress you want for half of the cost.

Invite Your Closest Friends and Family Only

Weddings are a celebration and as much as we want to share this momentous and happy event to everyone we know, it is not a good idea to over bloat your guest list. Remember that every person in your ceremony means money spent. One person means a fee to pay for food, favors, parking, and other things.

Keep your ceremony more intimate and don’t succumb to the feeling of obligation to invite everyone you know to your event. If you need a guide, study your potential guest list and remove at least 20% of the people. That second cousin you last saw 10 years ago probably shouldn’t make the cut.

Venue Package

One particular aspect of a wedding that can consume a huge chunk of your budget is the venue. According to some surveys, a wedding venue can easily cost 50% of your overall budget. It is important to trim down its cost or at least make the most of it. Some venues can give you a nice package and include services like decorating, lighting, catering, and even photography.

If you can look for a place that can both hold your wedding ceremony and be your reception area, then you just hit a jackpot. It means less cost for you because there is no need to pay separately for a church and reception area. And economical to your guest too, there is no need to arrange complicated transportation.

Borrow Bridals Car

There is really no need to rent out a limousine or any fancy car, for that matter, as a bridal car. Not only do they come with a hefty price tag but they are too short-lived. You are only going to use them for a couple of hours.

The funds you save from this could make extra payments to your car loan or to your savings account. If you want to arrive and leave in something fancy, ask to borrow or a friend or family’s car.

Make Your Own

Wedding extras like invitations, flowers, and other decor, when put together can be expensive and be a waste of money. Flowers are pretty, but they don’t last long. If you intend to use real flowers try to order as minimal as possible and use them for centerpieces or for special parts like your flower girl, bridal bouquet and bridesmaids flower. Opt for fake flowers when you need them as a backdrop.

Invitations can be ordered and be customized, but that comes with a price. If you are crafty, you can always do your own invitations. It does not need to be anything extravagant, but if you aren’t creative, turn to social media or other websites where you can send digital invites.