Making a budget-friendly wedding is not that big of a deal. All you need to do is shorten your guest list, downscale on decoration and menu, and… wait a second.
Sure, Reducing costs is not that difficult, but how do you do it without compromising quality? Is there even a way to do so?
Of course, there is, but you have to be extra crafty. With that in mind and without further ado, here are some tips on how to make a budget-friendly wedding without compromising on quality.
1. Start a realistic budget
Sure, having a private helicopter drop you off at your wedding will be incredibly memorable, and downscaling from it will seem like a letdown. However, this is always a risk when you set the bar too high.
No one denies that you want to feel like a king of the world or a princess on that of all days but bear in mind that you can do that without being too excessive.
The biggest problem people make while budgeting is omitting minor expenses or underestimating some. So, download a wedding budget template, rework it to fit your needs and expectations, and see what you’re left with. Remember that you have to cover all these expenses and that while your budget may be fixed, there’s only so much you can cover with it.
2. Shop around for a venue
According to the staff of Minneapolis Event Center wedding venue, you should never take the cost of a venue for granted. Owners of different establishments sometimes take an arbitrary cost for their services. In other words, people automatically assume that if one venue charges something for a service that’s objectively 7/10, other comparable venues charge a similar cost. An assumption is the mother of all errors.
Why not shop around? Even if you like the first place you encounter, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to develop a reference point. Remember that, this way, even if the first offer is the objectively best one, you’ll just reinforce your idea of getting the right venue. It’s really that simple.
3. Pick an off-peak wedding day
Sure, most people marry on a specific season for a reason; however, moving your wedding date a bit allows you to have the wedding of your dreams for a much lower cost. After all, when all the vendors are not booked, and every catering and organizer is available, you have much more negotiating power.
Now, an off-peak wedding day can mean many things. If you have the luxury of doing so, you could pick a weekday. During these days, you get a massive discount on a venue. The problem is that your attendance may suffer. Fortunately, even this problem has a solution. Namely, if you schedule far in advance and make a consensus among the attendees, you may see a far better turnout than you originally expected.
4. Manage your guest list
This is something we’ve already mentioned in the introduction. The simplest way to have a cheaper wedding is to have fewer people. You see, most costs are determined per attendant, which is why this is the simplest and the most direct way of downscaling.
The truth is that this can even make your wedding… less unpredictable. People drink at weddings and get overwhelmed by emotions. Some become euphoric/ecstatic, while others become melancholic. You cannot know how some people will act under these circumstances. With fewer people attending, this should be less of a problem. Also, when you downscale a list, you usually stick to people you know better (under various circumstances), adding a degree of predictability.
5. Renting suits and dresses
No one knows if a suit is bought or borrowed. The same thing goes for a dress. The only difference is in cost, which is why this move is a definition of not compromising quality by reducing cost.
Remember that this move may help you increase the quality of your gown/suit since renting is always cheaper than buying. This means that you can get much more expensive attire at a fraction of the cost.
Also, bear in mind that it just might be a shame to spend so much money on something that you only intend to wear once. Sure, some people are uncomfortable with making this kind of compromise, but speaking of methods that won’t affect the quality of the wedding, no course of action is more straightforward.
6. Hire younger photographers and videographers
Modern equipment is available even to those not in major photographic studios. You can easily save a small fortune by hiring skilled but young photographers and videographers.
Another (hidden) perk of this is that you’re getting someone who has an incentive to try their hardest. After all, a young photographer is eager to earn their first recommendation, so they’re bound to give it their best.
Overall, while the experience plays a part in this process, with the right attentiveness and equipment, you won’t be able to tell that much of a difference.
7. A local musician or a DJ
Similarly to what we’ve discussed in the previous segment, you can save so much money by hiring a local musician, band, or DJ rather than going for a professional entertainment company. You should also go to them directly to reduce the intermediary costs. This is a model that benefits everyone, and it will give you a completely memorable experience. Also, you might provide exposure to an upcoming star, meaning you’ll be doing a good deed.
Most importantly, if you’ve already heard them perform, then their quality is not in question, and you’ll know that the entertainment at your wedding will be at an all-time high.
Wrap up
Your wedding day is a special event that deserves a sacrifice, but you shouldn’t get too indebted to set it up. They say this is the most important day of your life, but this statement is not honest. Every subsequent day is more important, which is why some couples make it and others don’t. While the luxury and lavishness of the wedding don’t affect the divorce rate, your household finances must. You must have these priorities set in place.
