Where to Cut Costs During Wedding Planning

Author: Abigail Golder

There’s no secret that the cost of a wedding today can easily break the bank when it’s all said and done. In fact, the average wedding cost is over $30,000. While we would love for you to have your dream wedding with all the bells and whistles, we also know that it's important to save money where you can. Here are some ways to cut costs during wedding planning that just might save you a ton in the long run!

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Don’t Overdo the Pre-wedding Events

Let’s face it, the events leading up to the wedding are fun, but they can really end up in the long run. This includes the engagement party, bridal shower, bachelor and bachelorette party and even the rehearsal dinner. There’s no need to skip out on these events entirely, but there is certainly opportunity to cut some major expenses.

Décor for these events is nice, but not many people will remember the decorations of your pre-wedding events, especially once the big day comes around. If you do add decoration, keep them simple. Believe it or not, the dollar store is a great place to get things like glassware, utensils, and other décor.

Weddings aren’t just expensive for the bride and groom. Wedding guests, especially the bridal party, spend a significant amount throughout your particular wedding season. A great way to save everyone some cash is by diligently planning an inexpensive bachelor and bachelorette party. Plan a “staycation” in a nearby city and take advantage of summer discounts. You can also combine the bachelor and bachelorette parties and just get a hotel suite big enough for everyone and split the cost.

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The Wedding Coordinator

They say time is money, right? Wedding planners sure can save you a ton of time, but they might not help you cut costs during wedding planning. Hiring a wedding planner throughout the planning process can easily cost you $5,000 and sometimes close to $10,000, so if you’ve got a frugal budget, this is probably a good place to cut.

Don’t fret though, there are plenty of ways to survive the planning process without the help of a professional. In this case, Google is your best friend. There are hundreds of tips and tricks for wedding planning out there so if you can find the time to do some research, everything will fall into place. In order to cut costs during wedding planning, you should definitely keep a detailed spreadsheet of all your expenses and estimate what each piece with cost ahead of time.

Regardless, a wedding coordinator is an expert in the industry, so if you can manage to find one that fits your budget, he or she might be able to save you some money in the long run.

The Credit Card Trick

Depending on your current financial situation, you may want to look into opening a new credit card before purchasing anything wedding-related. Some credit cards offer bonuses and rewards for spending a certain amount of money within the first few months. These rewards can be used for many things, including the honeymoon activities!

Many credit cards give you enough points to qualify for a round trip flight, which could end up saving you hundreds of dollars. Think about it like this, the money for the wedding was going to come from somewhere. You might as well use a credit card and pay it off right away to get the rewards points. If your credit is good enough and a hard inquiry won’t make or break you, look into some travel credit cards. It’s basically free money!  

The Cake

If you’re hard-set on a five-tier wedding cake, then go ahead and skip this section, but know you could be missing out on a ton of savings! The cake can prove to be very costly – upwards of $500. We aren’t suggesting you skip out on dessert, but there are tons of delectable options to satisfy a sweet tooth.

Having a dessert bar instead of a wedding cake is a great way to please a variety of people. Offer cookies, brownies and cupcakes that are decorated to correspond with your theme. If you are set on a cake, there is a different approach to take – a cardboard cake. I know it sounds crazy, but you can have all the beauty of a cake and eat it too! The top tier is an actual cake so that the bride and groom can still have their “cut the cake” tradition. The rest of the guests enjoy a slice of the delicious (less expensive) sheet cake that was cut in the kitchen!

While the average cost of weddings might be daunting, don’t let the number fool you. There are plenty of ways to cut costs during wedding planning. At the end of the day, your big day with family and friends is all about the love and memories shared.


About the author: Abigail is a DIY bride with an upcoming wedding date in September! She's been planning her Colorado wedding from her home in Arizona with a some help from her wonderful friends, family, and of course, her future hubby. She is a Freelance Content Writer who loves to share a great story. Originally from Colorado, Abigail grew up in a small town called Montrose and she still spends much of her free time in the mountains hiking and skiing.


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