I love browsing Pinterest. If you’ve ever spent any time on it, you’ll know that it’s full of drool-worthy images that will make you rethink your entire life–especially your wedding. There are so many inspiring photographs of amazing, over the top, and incredibly fabulous weddings.
Gone are the days when a less than perfect wedding was enough. Today, the bar has been raised so high–but you don’t have to bow to any pressure. While it may sound intimidating (and ridiculously expensive) to pull off a fabulous event, it doesn’t have to be. Here’s how to have a wedding on a budget:
1. Get creative with the venue.
If there is one line item that seriously eats into any budget, it’s inevitably the wedding venue. There are hundreds of extremely beautiful venues to choose from that will likely exceed all your wildest expectations. But before you rush to book one of them, are there really no other alternatives? Of course, there are!
Think local restaurants, someone’s backyard, or an inexpensive location like a beautiful public park or conservatory. Your venue does not need to be restricted to places that are advertised as wedding venues. There are many other places with equally if not more beautiful scenery for a perfect venue.
2. Ditch expensive catering.
Food plays a huge role in any festivity but if you’re going for a budget-friendly approach, you might not want to fork over thousands of dollars paying per head. Instead, consider having a buffet versus a sit-down dinner. Or you could even rally your most skilled friends and family to put their culinary strengths to the test—you know they won’t disappoint!
3. Shop around before settling on a dress.
Your wedding dress can make or break the entire event for you. Buy the right dress and it will be a wedding to remember, but with the wrong dress, you may never want to see your wedding photos again. Thankfully, wedding dress shopping has never been easier. Shop around, compare prices. Spending a fortune on a dress isn’t necessary with all the affordable options available. Trunk sales are also great for deep discounts and so is buying a pre-owned gown–it’s most likely only ever been worn once. The key is to take your time and find a look that’s perfectly you.
4. Bust some moves without a hired DJ.
A majority of the time, we all know what kind of music we like. And more importantly, we know what music our guests generally like. We all have that one friend that knows how to string beats together. Hire them, create a playlist, and focus on making sure your guests have a fun time! They won’t notice the difference.
5. Keep the décor light.
Sometimes less is more. Fewer flowers and fewer accent pieces can elevate an entire look so that it feels effortless and classy. Having too many flowers can be overpowering–and unnecessarily expensive. Instead of buying wedding flowers, visit your local flower shop or grocery store the day before the wedding. You’ll be sure to find something that will work beautifully for your needs at a much lower cost!
6. DIY Hair and Makeup.
While it is an amazing feeling to get pampered by an expert, getting creative around hair and makeup could easily save you hundreds of dollars. If you’re really gifted, you could DIY a style using Youtube videos or other online tutorials, or you can go to the mall and get a lesson at the makeup beauty counter. Having dedicated stylists coming to style your bridal hair and makeup from the venue easily racks up the total wedding bill.
The bottom line on hosting a fabulous wedding on a minimal budget? Keep it simple. Your wedding budget is not tied directly to the quality of the event–so feel free to enjoy your big day without getting into crippling debt over it! Focus on what matters to you and don’t sweat the rest! Your married self won’t regret it.
Tell us your tips for how to have a wedding on a budget in the comments–then shop gorgeous (and affordable!) bridal picks!
Bola Sokunbi, founder of Clever Girl Finance, is a Certified Financial Education Instructor, money expert, CEO, and best-selling author. Sokunbi aims to help women like you take charge of your finances, stop living paycheck to paycheck, build real wealth, and get you in control of the life you really want to live.
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