Are you wondering how to pay for the wedding of your dreams on a small budget? It’s entirely possible to create a memorable event without overloading the credit cards. All it takes is some time and research. Start here for budget-friendly wedding ideas.

Make a Budget

Although beginning with this might seem like an obvious choice, many dive right into planning and purchasing without first determining how much they’re willing to spend. Start with your big number, the highest amount you’re ready to pay for the day. From there, divide this larger number by category. Categories include:

• Officiant
• Wedding venue
• Photographer/videographer
• Wedding dress, tux, and rings
• DJ or band
• Food

There are many more things that you could include here. However, these tend to be the main categories that people spend on. After you’ve decided how much to pay for each part of the wedding, you can research money-saving ideas for the event.

Money-Saving Wedding Ideas

There are oh so many ways to save money on this day. We suggest making a list of what matters most to you and compromising in less critical areas. For example, maybe you want an expensive dress but aren’t as concerned about who officiates the ceremony. Spend in the categories that matter most. Here are some other ideas for saving:

• Create a playlist and have a friend handle the music instead of hiring a DJ.
• Let friends or family help with photography.
• Have an afternoon or morning wedding – if you do this, you can save a lot. You will likely only need to provide cake and punch and can skip buying a large dinner for all the guests.
• Consider a small guest list – the fact is the fewer people at the event, the less it costs. If you opt for a party of 50 or under, you can save significantly.
• Have a money tree or a way for guests to give the new couple cash. Then use what you receive to help pay for the cost of the wedding.
• Choose Evites rather than paper invitations.
• Get your dresses and tuxes through the internet or thrifting. 

Consider our wedding package made for brides on a budget. Not only do we offer a beautiful venue, but we take care of linens, set up, take down, and more. Check it out here.

Be Creative

There are many ways to save on your wedding day. It’s a myth that a beautiful wedding has to cost thousands and thousands of dollars. Most of the time, you can get the majority of the things you want at a much lower price if you’re willing to look at it differently. You might consider:

• A weekday celebration.
• A micro-wedding.
• Elopement – and then hosting a large party later, after saving up some money.

To Wrap Up…

When looking for budget-friendly wedding ideas, the main things to remember are to stick to your agreed upon spending limits and spend the cash where it will have the most value. Save money in the less significant areas, and remember to be creative and ask friends or family to help out! Enjoy your day!