The wedding services industry in the United States alone was worth $61.9 billion in 2022.
Weddings are notorious for costing a fortune. But you don’t want to compromise when it’s your big day! So how do you make it work?
The trick is smart wedding planning. A wedding on a budget doesn’t look cheap if you use some tips and tricks to reduce costs here and there.
Keep reading to learn how you can reduce your wedding reception costs.
Hire a Wedding Planner
This may seem counterproductive since wedding planners cost money. But wedding planners are a cost-effective hire to create a budget-friendly wedding reception!
Wedding planners have years of industry connections and knowledge. This means they can get you the best discounts, know how to save money in unexpected ways, and save you a lot of trial and error.
All of this adds up, and the price you pay for a wedding planner is less than the amount you end up losing without one.
Read here for more of our wedding planning tips and tools.
Wedding Reception Date
Most people want to get married on the weekend. This means those days are more expensive. Aim your wedding date for somewhere during the week to find the cheapest days to book venues.
Consider the time of year you’re getting married. Most people aim for months when it’s warm and sunny. So if you accept the chance of bad weather and plan accordingly, you’re going to find much cheaper venues in the off-season, allowing you to have a budget-friendly wedding reception.
Cut Your Guest List
When paying per head, you’ve got to prioritize your guest list. Work out how many people you can afford and then go through the guest to determine who should make the cut.
Some things to consider are which of your guests need plus-ones and if you’re going to allow children at your wedding. When you start going through the guest with these priorities in mind, it can help you ensure that your guest list matches your budget.
Choice of Flowers
Flowers make up a huge part of the wedding aesthetic, from the wedding party bouquets to the decorations to the centerpieces. When you add up their total cost, they’re one of the biggest expenses.
Reduce this cost by picking flowers that are in season. This means there’s lower demand, so lower prices.
Hire Student Musicians
Established wedding bands and DJs are very expensive. But you can find someone with the same skills who charge a much smaller fee!
Student musicians or people just starting out usually build their professional resumes. Since they don’t have as many references, make sure you thoroughly vet them. But once you find someone you’re happy with, it’ll reduce a huge portion of your budget.
Budget Wedding Planning
One of the most stressful things about wedding planning is how the bills rack up so quickly. Make sure you’re planning ahead, and use these tips and tricks to reduce the cost of your wedding reception.
Hiring a wedding planner is a great start. They help you avoid expensive mistakes and use their connections to get great deals.Smart choices on the wedding date, flowers, and music are also easy ways to cut down your budget.
Contact us for all your wedding planning needs! We want to help you make your dream day a reality.
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