Let’s face it, when you hear of wedding planning you think of big $$$. Or at least that’s what you used to think. However, nowadays there are several different ways to make your wedding just as luxurious feeling and beautiful, without breaking the bank. The key you may ask? Knowing where to save your money when planning your wedding. While this may seem like a massive beast to tackle, don’t worry. This is quite literally what us destination wedding planners are made for.

Opt For An Off-Day or Season For Your Wedding

Not many of us are fans when we hear of “off day” when we think of our wedding. Okay, but hear us out. If you’re looking to save some major coin when it comes to wedding planning, we highly consider you think about what time of year and on what day.

The most popular days of the week to get married are Saturdays and Sundays. That means that most of the time, this is when venues, caterers, and a lot of wedding vendors will charge more $$ for their services or space. Since it is more sought-after by couples. However, days in the middle of the week such as Wednesday or Thursday are much less desirable by most couples. Hence why a lot of venues and vendors may charge less for their services or space for those days. In turn, you can focus on re-allocating your expenses in other areas for your wedding.

Keep in mind that we are aware that mid-week weddings are not the most desirable since a lot of wedding guests may have jobs to attend to. This is a good option if you’re planning on having a small intimate wedding/elopement, or if you don’t mind who attends your wedding.

Not only should you consider off-days for your wedding, but also consider off-seasons. The most popular seasons to get married are Summer and Fall. However, because of this, it can cause an influx in prices for a lot of wedding expenses. If you’re looking to save some money when planning your wedding, we highly recommend looking into an off-season wedding during the Winter or Spring.

Choose A Venue That Does All The Talking

If you want to know where to save money when planning your wedding, think about your wedding venue. A great way to save money when it comes to planning your wedding is to choose a wedding venue that looks great on its own. In better words, a wedding venue that needs little to no decor or additions.

While this may cost a little bit more upfront, the end cost may be well justified if you think about all of the money you will be saving. Choosing a wedding venue with beautiful scenery and decor can help save you major bucks when it comes to wedding planning. Bonus points go to the wedding venue that provides decorative florals/pieces for your wedding day. Not very common, but can happen if you’re lucky. More tips on how to choose your dream wedding venue are here.

Hire A Wedding Planner

Oops, shameless plug right here but with totally valid reasoning. While you may be thinking that a wedding planner adds to the cost of your wedding expenses, it actually can be the exact opposite. Appointing your wedding planner to handle a lot of the logistics when it comes to wedding planning can not only help minimize stress but help organize and manage your expenses. A wedding planner can help you determine splurge-worthy or save-worthy areas for your wedding. They also can help you keep within your wedding budget and offer you a wide variety of vendors within their network. All-in-all… get a wedding planner 😉

Paperless Wedding Invitations

Let’s be real, we all love the look of those pretty wedding invitations. Hate the cost. Who knew that sending out “fancy paper” could be so expensive, right? In order to cut down on this cost, you can consider going paperless for your wedding invitations. This means taking some time to either send electronic invitations or help manage your guest list via a wedding website. Psst.. us wedding planners love wedding websites.

Going paperless for your save-the-dates and invitations will not only help you keep track better on who is attending (or not attending) your wedding, but also save you on stationery and postage costs.

Go the DIY Route

A notable mention to all of you DIY’ers out there, is that choosing to DIY your wedding invitations is another cost-effective option. This way you still have the option of putting those creative juices to work, but you don’t have to pay a third party to make them for you.

Keep Your Wedding Florals In Season

So this goes without saying, that in-season flowers and food can significantly lower some of your wedding costs. Having in-season florals means that there is a surplus of these available, which means the costs won’t be as outrageous as out-of-season florals.

If you choose to have a wedding during the spring or summer, stick with florals such as gardenias, orchids, hydrangeas, peonies, daisies, baby’s breath, lavender, and roses.

If you choose to have a wedding during the fall or winter, stick with flowers such as roses, dahlias, peonies, chrysanthemums, camellias, carnations, tulips, or poinsettias.

This is all to say, choose your wedding florals carefully. Keep in mind the time of year when you’re getting married and what is in season during that time. This will save you big bucks when it comes to bouquets, centerpieces, and floral decor for your wedding.

Skip The Cake

You have no idea how many couples are shocked at how expensive wedding cakes can be. Let’s be real, they can be delicious but deadly. For your sugar intake and your wallet. A good chunk of the time, your wedding guests won’t finish the entire wedding cake. Now, who is left with all the leftovers?

Your best bet if you’re looking to save some money while wedding planning? Skip the cake and opt for a more non-traditional dessert that is much more cost-effective. Cupcakes, muffins, cake-pops, cannolis, lollipops, and cookies are just some of the many different options for desserts you can have at your wedding. This not only is less expensive than a traditional 4-layer cake, but it also lessens your chances for tons of leftovers. If there are any, we are more than happy to take some off your plate… just sayin’.

Limit Plus-Ones

Hate to break it to you, but your wedding guests can rack in major dollars for your wedding. I mean think about it, you have to think about seating them, entertaining them, and feeding them. All of this adds up my friends. In order to minimize the damage to your wedding expenses, a great way to save money is to limit your plus-ones. With fewer guests, this means less seating and less food you have to provide. Which in turn will lower some of your wedding costs.

Where to Save Money When Planning Your Wedding

Is all this money talk stressing you out? We totally get it! Making sure that our couples feel secure with their wedding budget and making decisions is our literal job. We go through extensive research and get to know our couples so intensely that we determine where to splurge and save for your dream wedding. We strongly believe that one of the major wedding expenses you should not skimp out on is your wedding planner. Although, we may be a bit biased. If you’re ready to take the plunge or just chat about any wedding planning concerns, we’re here for you. Click here and we can help ease any wedding planning stress you may have 🙂