Save vs. splurge….vs. save again. It’s a balance, wedding planning, and we’re all for saving money where you can! With the constant shift in wedding trends, it’s helpful to check in often to find new sneaky ways to cut some costs. We teamed up with our friends at Be Inspired PR to gather current tips from the pros! (photo above by Lovers & Mountains from this Boho-Camp Wedding on a Budget)
PS: You’ll also love this list of 10 wedding planning tasks you can knock off without leaving the couch :)
Let’s get started!
1. Say “Sayonara” to Saturday
“Since Saturday is the most popular day of the week for weddings, it’s also the most expensive. How about a Sunday morning mimosa brunch wedding? If you can swing it, pick a different day of the week to save some serious cash. You should also inquire about any unbooked dates your desired wedding venue may be trying to fill.”
– Jenna Miller, Creative Director of Here Comes the Guide
photo by Kaylee Chelsea Photography from this Palm Springs Wedding on a Friday
2. Repurpose Your Flowers
“Decorate your ceremony so that you can easily repurpose the flowers at your reception. You may have to pay to move them, but the savings can be worth it!”
– Euri Wong, Lead Designer at Bloominous
photos by Sara K Byrne of Tess Made florals from ceremony to reception from Mad Maven’s Wedding
3. Consider Your Must-Have Photos
Here at GWS, we know your wedding photographer is one of the most important vendors for your day, which is why we say don’t skimp on a good one! Wedding photographers usually offer a few different packages so if your favorite photographer is slightly out of your budget, consider having them around for 8 hours or less instead of full-day coverage. The ceremony is a must! But decide on what you want captured based on what is important to you.
photo by Katie Pritchard
4. Forego Favors
“Unless they’re edible, guests tend to leave them on the table or don’t know what to do with them. It’s an easy way to save some cash!”
– Euri Wong, Lead Designer at Bloominous
photo by Studio Castillero from this Romantic Garden Wedding with a photo booth in lieu of favors!
5. Limit the Plus Ones
“One way to manage your guest list is by extending a plus-one only to wedding guests that are married, engaged, in your wedding party, or in a serious long-term relationship. Beyond that, you don’t need to offer a plus-one to every single guest! The only exception to this is a destination wedding: err on the side of generosity here so your guests don’t have to fly solo (literally)!”
– Jenna Miller, Creative Director of Here Comes the Guide
photo by Tara McMullen Photography from this Caribbean Destination Wedding
6. Take Advantage of Freebies and Offers
“It is one thing to cut cost, but it is another to take advantage of true value. At Generation Tux, we offer free swatches, a free home try-on and a free suit or tux rental for the groom with just 5 paid rentals. Our thought: not only do you get to save some money, but you also get peace of mind knowing that by taking advantage of all of our offers, everything will be perfect for your big day.”
– Nathan Bellah, Director of Marketing at Generation Tux
Bonus tip! Our GWS x The Tie Bar ties are just $19—MAJOR budget savors!
photo by Katie Pritchard // models wearing Generation Tux and The Tie Bar x Green Wedding Shoes ties
7. Pick a Venue or Setting that Looks Great Au Naturel
“A celebration on the beach or in a cool, industrial space requires very little décor—which means very little extra expense when it comes to selecting, purchasing, or DIY-ing your decorations. Natural beauty, for the win!”
– Jenna Miller, Creative Director of Here Comes the Guide
photo by Kaley from Kansas from this Tree-Lined Forest Wedding
8. Seek Out Trunk Sales for Your Dream Wedding Dress
“If you are a super fan of a particular designer, Trunk Shows are the way to go to get a good deal. You’ll get to try on the designer’s entire new collection, and get a discount if you buy during the event. It’s the best way to get the exact dress you want on sale.”
– Lanie List, Founder of Lovely Bride
9. Order Online!
“Working with an online Invitation vendor can be a great way to save money (and time) on your invitations because designer invitations require a lot more time at a designer’s rate and printing can be much pricier too! Design studios and custom printed invitations generally cost 6%-10% percent of your total wedding budget. Online invitation vendors stationery pricing works out closer to 2%-5% of your total budget. At Love On Paper, we offer easy and free online customization with an instant preview, enclosures for as many wedding events as you need and the option to add religious and cultural symbols and scripts. And for a luxury feel, you can order a signature folio or pocket with real gold or silver foil on Italian shimmer card stock for a fraction of the cost. This could mean a saving of thousands!”
– Andaleeb Firdosy of Love on Paper
Bonus tip! GWS is a HUGE fan of Minted (seen above) for really beautiful custom online wedding stationery. The free sample kit is a must!
10. Give Bridesmaids a Color Palette Instead of a Specific Dress
The best wedding trend to ever stick around and become a wedding classic is bridesmaids in different dresses! It was never an easy task to find the ONE dress that could fit several body types, and it’s why bridesmaids dresses got a bad rap in the first place! Your bridesmaids will thank you big time when you hand over a color palette instead, giving them the ability to find a dress within their own price range—and in their own style. We loooove Show Me Your Mumu for this!
And we’ll forever be fans of blush! Bridesmaids above wearing dresses from our GWSxMumu Blush Meadow Bridesmaid Dress Collection!
photo by Caitlin B Photo
///
Thanks so much to Be Inspired PR for helping curate this list of helpful tips!
Awesome tips..thanks for sharing!