How to Save on Your Wedding Without Being Cheap

Typically, the months of June and September are what you’d consider the season for weddings, periods of time when tying the knot is in full bloom.

Summer is winding down, and couples are searching for venues, caterers, churches, cookies, cakes, entertainment, dresses and everything else wedding related as the leaves start to fall and temperatures get cooler.

The race for crafting the perfect day heats up in Fall, and whether you’re trying to jockey for position for the perfect venue, schedule in advance for that amazing photographer or DJ, you can’t overlook how costly this event is going to be, and whether you’ll get caught up in the pomp and circumstance that come with spending far too much for just one day.

Some couples resign themselves to that mantra “it’s just one day,” and thus are equipped to piece together the perfect wedding day, minus a bottom line could jeopardize your financial future.

To pay back a school loan, a car or even putting money toward a lender who gave you a mortgage is one thing, but the idea of racking up bills to the tune of $10,000, $20,000 or even $50,000 for one day and starting off as a couple in that much debt seems seriously questionable if not downright ludicrous.

The average (yes, average, meaning some go far beyond or below this) for a wedding in 2017 was around $25,000 ($25,764), with a range between $19,323 and $32,205, with 50 percent of those couples below the $15,000 mark, minus the cost of a honeymoon.^[1]

These numbers, again, represent an average, and that can fluctuate depending on which state you’re holding this event in, such as a New York, Chicago and California wedding versus one that’s less of a larger city.

To prove that point, look no further than couples in New York City, who spend more than $75,000 for wedding day festivities, versus the lower end (New Mexico) at $17,584, giving, per this report, an average of $33,391 in the United States.^[2]

To think that a wedding is inching, in some states and cities, close to six figures is mind-blowing, but couples and families alike who are putting out this kind of money argue that it’s inflation mixed with want and need, and splurging for the sake of saving memories that you can’t repeat, especially if you go on the cheap.

But this isn’t so much about being frugal and frustrating your family or significant other but rather a new couple, fresh off their spoken vows and ensuring nuptials, starting out in debt, versus trying to piece together a modest, eventful and remarkably gorgeous wedding, devoid of a price tag that is hard to swallow.

The irony of spending far too much on a wedding comes full circle with money being the leading cause of divorce in the United States and other countries.

A study done with 2,000 British adults proved just how money woes are a stressor, if not the sole reason for splitting up. One in five said money is the biggest reason they argue and fight, and one-third said financial insecurity and “pressure” is the biggest hurdle they face, with that same study showing an increase in splits in 2016 versus the previous year, up 5.8 percent.^[3]

Another study conducted in 2017 said that 21 percent say money is the reason they divorced, but the real number centers on the 25-44 range, 24 percent to be exact, which say money is the cause of their divorce.^[4]

That demographic is telling in that most marry when they’re in that bracket, so adding to the financial stress of marriage and money in general is the potential to find yourself in a huge hole the moment you say “I do” to marriage and money woes in the same breath.

Planning a wedding on a budget might not sound exhilarating, but it can be done, and you can find small, significant ways to save and not sacrifice the event or go without, just because financially you’re trying to make the best decisions.

Here’s how to plan a perfect wedding, and save in the process.

Guest Traffic: Learn not to invite every person you’ve ever met

One of the bigger missteps occurs at the very beginning of the planning stages, and that is coming up with a suitable guest list.

Naturally, immediate family is a no-brainer, but as you start piecing together this who’s who of your life, you’ll notice that first draft is heavy, to say the least.

If you’re staring down the proverbial barrel of 250 to 300 guests at a wedding, you may want to start thinking about retooling that total, making sure you’re not including your first boss when you were 16 years old or your sixth cousin on your divorced mother’s side.

You get the point.

The average cost of catering at a wedding is around $4,000 with most dishing out between $1,800 and $7,000 for just food, with a $41 per plate average, and $28 for buffet style.^[5]

Consider that 300 person guest list, and imagine if you can get it to 150. At $41 per plate, you’ll save $6,150.

This doesn’t make you look cheap, but rather going the route that is common among couples: keeping the wedding small and intimate, a phrase that is used often with wedding planning.

Finally, the guests you have almost certainly won’t all show up, so keep that in mind as well. You’ll get about 83 percent of your total, so if you do hit 150 or want to bump it up to 170 or 180 range, you should be good if your target is around 150 to start. [https://rsvpify.com/percent-of-guest-list-expected-to-come-wedding/">[6]

Day Dreamer: The most important day of your life, but it doesn’t have to be a Saturday

The wedding venue is by far the biggest chunk of change you’ll dish out for your wedding day, with an average of around $16,000 for a few hours.^[7]

That’s why when considering your wedding, timing truly is everything, whether you’re talking about what day or time of year. For those who are planning weddings this month, you might want to reconsider the typical Saturday, summertime wedding and instead look to save money on choosing to get married on a Friday and look toward months when weddings aren’t overly popular, such as February or during the winter or very late fall, early winter months.

Roughly 7 out of 10 weddings will take place on Saturday, according to a 2017 study.^[8]

But a closer look shows that you can save thousands by choosing Friday, mostly due to the fact that the venues (again, your highest priced piece of the wedding), vendors, entertainment, etc. are much less expensive on Friday than they would be on a Saturday.

It’s simple supply and demand; there’s only so many Saturdays in the summer, a more popular time to get married, versus trying to nail down a photographer, venue or DJ on a Friday, when chances are they’re not booked.

This also allows for increased flexibility if you have a particular venue in mind that is booked up for the next two years or more. A Friday or even Sunday might allow you to set the date you want, without the exhausting wait time.

If you’re still not having luck or have a tighter budget than you originally imagined, you can always get married in a beautiful backyard setting, on the beach or some other place that isn’t tied to an exorbitant cost.

Dress and Smile for Financial Success: Wedding dress, photographer costs can be cut

Not many brides to be or couples in general want to hear about making things “cheaper,” which has a connotative meaning that suggests your wedding is going to be poorly done and look like not much thought, love or care was put into it.

The nice part about the venue, as mentioned previously, is that with a few dollars put toward decoration, flowers and other more modest expenses, you can have a wedding location that is essentially no charge.

Finding that balance also plays into other avenues as far as the dress, photographer and entertainment (band or DJ) is concerned.

For those who are looking to save in that regard, you’ve got some room to move.

The average wedding budget sets aside $4,019 for a live reception band, $2,630 for a photographer and another $1,912 for a videographer and $1,509 for a wedding dress, along with the average DJ costing around $1,231.^[9]

The grand total for these extras is in the neighborhood of $10,000, and that’s not including venue yet.

You can save on all of these if you think through what decisions to make to either eliminate or compromise. You don’t need a band and a DJ for reception, so go with the latter for price purposes, and a videographer isn’t always necessarily, either. If you really want to get creative for your music and entertainment, just ask a friend to do it. Seriously, haven’t you ever been at a wedding and thought, all you need is an iPod and some speakers that aren’t cheap.

Some creative wedding planners (which should be you, because if you hire one it’s another $2,000) put cameras on the table or even get cost effective video or photo booths that are less expensive than said videographer and/or photographer.

Wedding dresses can be rented these days, if you’re not so much into the preservation aspect of it.

While most men and women are waiting longer now than ever to get married, you’re still seeing most marriages occur, for women, when they’re 27 years old and men around 29, inching closer to 30.^[10]

That suggests that finances are more of a concern, since that same study showed 1980, the average age to get married was 22, and 20 years of age in 1950.

But even those who are prudent in the process of eventually getting married doesn’t always equate to wedded bliss if you’re prone to put the events of your wedding day ahead of long-term financial planning.

Not many couples flip through books of wedding cakes, taste test or buy a dress or tuxedo with their retirement plans or financial futures in mind, but then again maybe they should.

Sure, that conversation isn’t going to be all too romantic as part of the planning stages, but nothing kills the mood more than fighting over money, not being able to pay bills and struggling to save money.

As much as couples truly deserve to revel in wedding season in September, they also must find a way to temper that excitement and make sure they’re considering not just the planning, prep and wedding day specifically but also what overspending on a wedding is going to mean once the walk down the aisle, the dancing, the partying and the joy can quick turn sour if you’re short on cash when the day is done.

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