General Savings:
- Create a comparison chart to track what’s included in venue prices you’re quoted. Some places claim to include everything but leave out something you need.
- Determine your budget and prioritize. A rule of thumb: food, beverage and venue should be about half of your budget.
- Many public spaces available for small rental fees, but must be equipped to handle a big event. You could blow your budget on rental items.
- Book one location for your ceremony and reception. You won’t have to pay multiple site fees, plus there’s no need for transportation between each one.
- Belong to an organization? You may have access to your group’s venue.
- Many colleges offer beautiful, reasonable priced spots for students and alumni to tie the knot. Find out if this is a viable option for your event.
- Most places charge a premium for Saturday night. Try an afternoon wedding or a Friday or Sunday-night event.
- Plan an intimate Sunday brunch. A morning ceremony, followed by an early-afternoon meal, is likely to be easier on the wallet.
- Time is of the essence. Schedule a 3-hour event instead of a 5-hour one.
- Prune your guest list. Since so many wedding elements are charged on a per-person basis, aiming for fewer can save you big.
- Avoid overage fees from limo drivers, photographers and other pros by sticking to a prearranged schedule.
Photo Savings:
- Though you shouldn’t trust your wedding photography to just anyone, ask friends if they know of a pro who does weddings part time. A photographer who has other sources of income, can usually afford to charge less.
- With digital photography, a pro’s out-of-pocket expenses may be relatively little compared to the prices of his packages. Always negotiate.
- Lessen photography cost. Schedule toasts, cake cutting, and bouquet toss for soon after dinner so the photographer can capture moments and leave.
- If a photographer whose work you love isn’t in your budget, ask to order proofs and albums after wedding, then save up, or use some of your gift money.
- Getting prints of every image is expensive. Ask photographer if instead of getting hundreds of images in proof, you can select maybe two hundred.
- See if your photographer puts images online. You may find that you don’t need printed proofs at all.
- Hire an associate photographer. Many pros have photographers working under them who they contract out for a discounted rate.
- See if a professional videographer will edit amateur footage.
Eat & Drink Savings:
- Cut bubbly out of your budget; let guests toast with whatever they’re already drinking.
- A choice of entrees is more expensive than selecting a duet plate (a combo of two items, such as filet mignon and lobster tail).
- Choose a three-course meals instead of the usual five-course meal.
- An afternoon tea or dessert reception can be a great personal touch and a
money-saver at the same time. - Fondant on cakes is expensive because it requires extra labor. Go with buttercream or cream cheese frosting.
- Instead of a cake, serve mini cupcakes. They save money because they don’t require much product or decoration.
- Instead of a huge confection, purchase a small cake for cutting and supplement it with a sheet cake, served from the kitchen.
- When it comes to fruit fillings – go seasonal. Strawberries can cost $10 a flat or $30 a flat depending on the time of year.
- If your baker charges more for multiple cake or filling flavors, limit yourself to your absolute favorite.
- If cake price is calculated by averaging the costs of different flavors, plan your cake. Don’t have most expensive flavor on the largest section.
- For a vineyard wedding, we might put the cake on a wine barrel. It can be inexpensive but have a big impact.
- Couples usually save top layer of wedding cake for their first anniversary. Don’t think you’ll end up eating it? Forgo the extra layer and save money.
- Have a small ceremonial cake and do a delicious dessert buffet with lots of mini pastries, cakes and other sweets.
- The least expensive minis are those made in sheets and sliced (as opposed to each one being crafted individually). Think brownies!
- Classic cheesecake is less expensive than traditional wedding cake. Arrange cheesecake on differing height pedestals and put out a selection of sauces, like chocolate, kiwi, mango, and so on.
- Trim bar tab-serve beer, wine, and a signature cocktail in wedding colors.
- If you serve a signature cocktail, negotiate with venue for a reduced price.
- See if venue allows you to bring in wine, then negotiate to nix the corkage fee, which can cost $10 to $25 per bottle.
Ride Savings:
- Go with a limousine rather than a stretch SUV; they tend to be almost double the costs of limos.
- Most limo services charge by the hour; fewer stops can mean a smaller bill. If you’re having a limo for you and your bridesmaids, have everyone meet at a central location (your home or a hotel). Have the guys do the same.
- There’s no rule that says you must have a limo. Ask a trusted friend to play chauffeur for you and your groom on the big day.
- Consider hiring a private chauffeur to get behind the wheel of your car. This can amount to significant savings.
Decor Savings:
- Save by doing things yourself or having friends help you. If you decorate your own reception venue, ask if you can have access to the room the day before. Trying to do everything on your wedding day will be too stressful.
- Do one thing in abundance and it will make a big impact. Gather tons of branches – even from your backyard – and place them in large vases.
- Use plants as decor. You’ll get more bang for your buck because you and your guests can take them home after the wedding.
- Save money on buying flowers wholesale and then pay a florist to do simple arrangements.
- Using fruits and vegetables is a big trend right now and will need fewer flowers to fill arrangements. Plus, apples cost less than orchids.
- Study up on flowers. Once you know what’s in season, make your selections from those and see how much further your floral budget goes.
- Go green! Greenery can create a modern look that’s beautiful on its own at a fraction of what you’d pay for flowers.
- Keep an eye on the calendar. Flowers are generally 15% to 30% more expensive on Easter, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and in prom season.
- Personalize your reception space with artistic photographs.
- Stay simple. Much of the florist’s fee is labor–the more elaborate, the more expensive. Roses, tulips, or even orchids submerged in water are very elegant.
- Try groupings of the same flower in different hues for an affordable, stylish look. Cluster vases in different configurations on each table.
- Candles are inexpensive but in abundance they create a romantic ambiance.
- Marrying around a holiday? No need to spend a fortune on flowers or decor when your reception spot is already decked out.
- Find out if your reception site has in-house decor you can use. You might be able to score things like plants and votives to dress up your space.
- Create your own artwork, monogram or motif on your computer. Use it throughout your wedding – on menus, programs, etc – for a chic look.
Paper Savings:
- Instead of paying extra for your invitations to arrive assembled, gather your bridal party and set up an assembly line.
- Stick to the basics. Upgrades, like colored ink and foil stamping on invitations and other printed materials, boost your bill.
- Printed menus on guest tables. Popular? Yes. Necessary? No.
- Some reception venues will create simple menus for you. Find out if your venue will provide that service.
- Go to a crafts store for do-it-yourself invitation/program kits. With a computer and creativity, you can get inexpensive, one-of-a-kind results.
- Having a professional calligrapher to address your invitation envelopes is pricey. Recruit a pal with pretty penmanship for the task.
- Or use a calligraphy font on your computer to address envelopes. They’ll look just as good.
- Order thank-you notes when you order your invites; some stationers give bulk discounts.
Music Savings:
- For a quartet to play during your cocktail hour, hire talented students from a respected music school.
- Or instead of hiring a separate group, ask your wedding band to include a cocktail-hour performance by members of the band in their package.
- Save hundreds by booking a DJ for dancing instead of a live band.
- Choose a top quality 5-to 7-piece band with a great bandleader.
- Stick to the must-haves. You don’t really need saxophones. And while bongo player is fun, it’s not a crucial element in a band.
- Use simple staging tricks to give a smaller band more presence. A bandstand with up lighting makes a big difference.
- A fun, unexpected luxe look: Have band members change clothes after dinner to perform some great rock music for dancing.
- Stay local. If a band travels more than an hour, that will increase your costs.
- If you have your heart set on a band that isn’t local, book them just for the reception and find a local quartet for your cocktail hour.
- A singer who also plays an instrument will save you money.
- Serve musicians a budget meal and save 50% on their dinners.