How to Plan a Wedding on a Budget

It’s easy to be tempted by expensive decisions when planning for one of the most special days of your life. Planning a wedding on a budget doesn’t automatically mean you’ll need to sacrifice quality or the experience. A well thought out budget will help you prioritize and hone in on which elements are really important in making your big day everything you imagined.

Set a Budget

Creating a budget doesn’t need to be a daunting task. We recommend outlining categories and then setting ratios for each item based on what is important to you. Do some initial research to determine average costs for specific products or services. This may help in determining areas you want to focus on or cut out completely. Common wedding budget categories are listed below to get you started: 

Reception: 55%

Ceremony: 12%

Photography: 10%

Wedding Planner: 10%

Dress and Tux: 8%

Miscellaneous/Cushion: 5%

Host an Intimate Wedding

One of the easiest ways to keep costs down is to limit the number of wedding guests. While it  may be tempting to invite everyone you know, celebrating with the most special people in your life is what you will remember most. Additionally, a smaller guest can allow you to create a better wedding experience. Rather than stretching a budget to accommodate a large guest list, which can mean avoiding higher ticket items or special touches, fewer guests allows you to spend more per guest.  

DIY When You Can

Crafting items for your wedding (or enlisting the help of your creative friends) allows for you to add personal elements, while saving money. Pinterest is a great website to source easy DIY wedding projects, from centerpieces to placecards. Tap into your family and friends who might have hidden talents like writing calligraphy for your envelopes or even baking treats for an eclectic dessert bar! 

Choose Your Flowers Wisely

The Knot 2017 Real Weddings Study revealed that 2017 the national average spend on wedding flowers in the U.S. was $2,379 with high spenders paying around $6,050. That’s a lot of money for something that doesn’t last very long. Consider using faux flowers or an alternative, like candles, for centerpieces that are just as beautiful as fresh florals. If you prefer not to sacrifice the look of real flowers, a cost-effective solution is to select in-season flowers for your celebration.

Wedding Cake Dessert

Do you find having a three- tier cake unnecessary? Think outside of the cake box and opt for creative and cost-effective options like cupcakes, donut bars, cake pops or even sheet cakes from a local grocery store. Keep a single-tier cake on display for you and your partner to savor. This keeps costs down, while making sure you still have picture-perfect desserts to feed guests’ sweet tooth cravings.