Getting married is an exciting time. And for some, it can also be a costly time. The average cost of a wedding in 2018 was $33,391. Although a memorable day, not everyone has the luxury of getting assistance with their wedding expenses.
Wedding costs vary from dress, attire, entertainment, food, invitations, and decor. For those footing the bill themselves, it may be worth exploring different ways to reduce wedding expenses.
Below are 5 tips to reduce wedding expenses. Learn tips and trips to help alleviate your costs.
Negotiate
Many people don’t realize that their dream vendor may be willing to negotiate on their price. While this may not work for every vendor, you don’t always have to opt yourself out of what you love. We found an amazing photographer that we loved and negotiated 18 percent off her rate. Doing this put us below our budget.
Discuss your budget, ask for modifications and see where there can be room for price adjustments. This doesn’t just apply to photography. This applies to every area of your wedding. Negotiate your room rates, adjust your floral arrangements, and ask for flexibility in price based on the number of hours the DJ will work. There are a lot of ways to make what you want work in ways that may not break the bank.
Ask Family and Friends for Referrals
People are willing to reduce their prices when there’s a personal connection. Don’t be afraid to use your resources and leverage them. Ask friends and family for contact information of vendors they know and use this as a point of reference when reaching out to them.
Not only will you be more familiar with the type of service they provide, but it can also result in a discount. So reach out to your family and friends for their recommendations and referrals.
Do it Yourself
Decorating offers a great opportunity to put your own personal touch and use your creativity. Social media sites such as Pinterest and YouTube have afforded us the ability to get access to great ideas. YouTube is also great for receiving broken-down instructions. There are a number of things you can do yourself with a little creativity and ingenuity.
There are a lot of things you can easily collect and incorporate into your wedding in order to reduce wedding expenses. You can collect mason jars, wine bottles, candles, and other pieces of decoration that you like. You can order your flowers in bulk and have a girl’s night in with your bridesmaids to make arrangements. If you don’t think Save the Dates are a big deal, grab a tripod and camera with a timer setting, find great scenery, and take your own photos.
Pinterest is always a great place for inspiration. There, you can find amazing DIY ideas that might inspire you to take some things into your own hands. Doing it yourself gives you an opportunity to really personalize your wedding and save on costs.
Look for discounts and coupons
If you have a particular website that you plan on getting your wedding supplies and items from, join their mailing list and wait for the perfect discount to come through.
Sites like Zazzle and VistaPrint offer discounts to subscribers often. You can even go as far as creating your design and saving it so that when the right opportunity comes all you have to do is make the purchase and apply your discount code.
Find a caterer
Getting a venue that allows you to bring in your own food and drinks can save you quite a bit of money. It can make a difference in hundreds to thousands of dollars. The truth is, many venues that cater their own food make the majority of their money from charging you for it.
If you can find a venue you love and shop around for catering that you can afford, you can come out on the other side when it comes to savings.
Read: Save Money with These 4 Meal Planning Tips
