The average amount spent on weddings in America today is about $30,000. However, an expensive wedding does not fit everyone's financial situation or desires. We’ve also seen a rise of couples who would rather spend less on a wedding and more on a big honeymoon or a downpayment for a house. Whatever the reason may be, if you are planning a wedding on a budget, know that it is possible to save in some key areas! Throughout our time as wedding vendors, and as a previous bride myself, I’ve found a few tricks to help lower the overall cost of a wedding. Today, I’m sharing with you my best kept tips!
Shop the "Used" Rack
Something that isn’t super well known is that some bridal shops have a small rack of “used” gowns for a discounted price. I put used in quotation marks because typically these are gowns that have only been worn for a couple of hours for a content day or used as sample try on gowns for clients who come in to shop. Most of the time, these are dresses that have not even left the store, they’ve just been worn a few times already. And the best part is, you wouldn’t even know! These gowns are often in such wonderful condition because the bridal gown specialists at the shop are taking such great care of them. I can’t speak for all bridal shops, but I have come across a few who have a rack similar to this and it is absolutely worth your time to take a look at these gowns! Bridal gowns can quickly jump to thousands of dollars, and this lesser known tip can save you quite a bit!
DIY Your Own Florals
This is something that I am so thankful I did for my own wedding! It is one of my favorite memories from my wedding week! I worked with an online floral company called Flower Moxie. They work with you to help you select exactly how much of each type of flower or greenery you need for your wedding and then send you videos with step by step instructions on how to create each arrangement necessary. They also have a contact you can reach out to at any point with individual questions. I placed my order shortly after getting engaged and received my flowers by mail 2-3 days before the wedding. I was able to work with my maid of honor, grandmother, and mom to help design all of the pieces necessary for our big day. Flower Moxie is a wonderful company that I truly cannot recommend enough!
Utilize Credit Card Points
Credit cards can be a huge help, when used responsibly! There are some wonderful credit cards with fantastic reward point systems. Using a credit card to pay for the things you were already going to pay for anyway for your wedding can actually help you get a highly discounted, if not totally free, honeymoon! Connor and I had cash put aside to use for our wedding, but we used a credit card to pay for all of our wedding expenses. Then, once or twice a month, we would just pay off the balance on our card with the money we had reserved. Connor and I took a smaller scale honeymoon in the US right after our wedding, and then by our one year wedding anniversary, we were able to use the credit card points we had accumulated to travel to Punta Cana for a week long all inclusive resort stay!
Ask a Friend to Bake Your Cake
We have a wonderful family friend who is a phenomenal baker. We asked her if she would be willing to make a small plain white cake for our wedding instead of ordering through a bakery. Once the cake arrived at our venue, we added some extra flowers from my Flower Moxie order to top it off. It turned out so beautiful!
Do Your Own Hair and Makeup
If you or someone in your bridal party is comfortable enough, do your own hair and makeup! I loved getting to do my own makeup with my bridesmaids by my side the morning of my wedding. Those are moments I will cherish forever!
Weddings are expensive, but there are some ways to help alleviate that burden if necessary or desired. I hope this list has been helpful for you as you decide on some of the details for your day!
