I must admit that I love getting a bargain. Whether it is at a restaurant, on tickets or when I am shopping. So when I found an article with great money saving tips when it comes to planning an event I just had to share them with you! Over the next four weeks I will be sharing with you 40 great money saving ideas for your wedding, or any event, you are planning. If you know of any other great money saving tips when it comes to planning your event feel free to share in the comments section below.
1. Host your ceremony and reception at the same place. Having your entire event at one venue can usually get you a better deal with the venue. It will also save you on transportation and time spent going from one location to another as well as decorations and flowers for multiple venues.
2. Call in favors. Don't be afraid to ask friends and family members to lend a hand when planning your big day. For things like invitations, photography, flowers, cake and food it is always a great idea to ask around and to keep your friends in mind. If you ask a friend to help you in celebrating your big day they would probably be more than happy to donate their time as a wedding present to the happy couple.
3. Make a List of Your Must-Haves. Every bride and groom imagines their big day differently. Not having a cookie-cutter wedding and just focusing on what the two of you care about can save you tons of money. If you want to have a big dance party putting your money towards a great DJ is more important than spending thousands on flowers. The bride and groom-to-be should sit down early in their planning process and decide on their must-haves so that during the wedding planning they are not wasting time or money on things they don't really care about.
2. Call in favors. Don't be afraid to ask friends and family members to lend a hand when planning your big day. For things like invitations, photography, flowers, cake and food it is always a great idea to ask around and to keep your friends in mind. If you ask a friend to help you in celebrating your big day they would probably be more than happy to donate their time as a wedding present to the happy couple.
3. Make a List of Your Must-Haves. Every bride and groom imagines their big day differently. Not having a cookie-cutter wedding and just focusing on what the two of you care about can save you tons of money. If you want to have a big dance party putting your money towards a great DJ is more important than spending thousands on flowers. The bride and groom-to-be should sit down early in their planning process and decide on their must-haves so that during the wedding planning they are not wasting time or money on things they don't really care about.
4. Find a Low Cost Resort. If you have your heart on a destination wedding booking at a smaller resort and booking the whole venue for your entire event can score you great deals and make the entire trip enjoyable for you and your guests. Many venues will offer great packages if you book far enough in advance and guarantee a sizable group.
5. Have a Separate Wedding and Reception. If you just want close friends and family at the ceremony but still want to celebrate your marriage with all your friends having two different dates can be an easy way to save. This allows for more focus to be on the reception when it comes to your budget. And for all those girls who hate to just wear something once, this option lets you wear your wedding dress twice!
5. Have a Separate Wedding and Reception. If you just want close friends and family at the ceremony but still want to celebrate your marriage with all your friends having two different dates can be an easy way to save. This allows for more focus to be on the reception when it comes to your budget. And for all those girls who hate to just wear something once, this option lets you wear your wedding dress twice!
6. Host an Off-Season wedding. Having your wedding in the late fall through winter provides for great decoration and theme ideas while also getting you multiple discounts. Most venues don't host as many weddings during this time so they are usually flexible when it comes to pricing. Another perk of hosting a wedding during this time is that out-of-town guests will not be able to attend if there is a potential for bad weather.
7. Go Vintage or Second-Hand. When it comes to the wedding day apparel a dress and tux can cost thousands of dollars. If you know a great tailor and are willing to shop around you can get a great deal on your wedding dress and tux by looking in local consignment stores, browsing online sites like Once Wed or wearing your mother's or other family member's dress.
8. Create a Relaxed Feel. If you keep the celebration relaxed you can be amazed at how far you can stretch your budget. The last wedding I was in was at an all-in-one venue, the ceremony in the garden (no needed decorations there), brought in their own food and drinks and the flowers were put together by a family member. If you keep the celebration low-key you can do things your own way and save tons!
9. Use a Free Venue. If you are looking to host your wedding at a church that you have been a member at for a while, more than likely you will be able to book the venue for free. This is a great way to save money by having the ceremony and reception at a venue like this. Just as a reminder, if you do get a venue for free it is always a nice gesture to make a donation to the church as a thank-you.
7. Go Vintage or Second-Hand. When it comes to the wedding day apparel a dress and tux can cost thousands of dollars. If you know a great tailor and are willing to shop around you can get a great deal on your wedding dress and tux by looking in local consignment stores, browsing online sites like Once Wed or wearing your mother's or other family member's dress.
8. Create a Relaxed Feel. If you keep the celebration relaxed you can be amazed at how far you can stretch your budget. The last wedding I was in was at an all-in-one venue, the ceremony in the garden (no needed decorations there), brought in their own food and drinks and the flowers were put together by a family member. If you keep the celebration low-key you can do things your own way and save tons!
9. Use a Free Venue. If you are looking to host your wedding at a church that you have been a member at for a while, more than likely you will be able to book the venue for free. This is a great way to save money by having the ceremony and reception at a venue like this. Just as a reminder, if you do get a venue for free it is always a nice gesture to make a donation to the church as a thank-you.
10. Serve Buffet Style. When it comes to the food at a wedding you can get great deals if you serve buffet style. Most people will only take what they want to eat having food not be wasted if each person's plate was pre-plated. You can also work with your caterer on buying the food at places like Costco or Sam's Club getting you great deals on buying in bulk. You can find tons of creative ways to serve simple food like veggies, dips and meats that you buy wholesale or in bulk.
What money saving techniques did you use on your big day? Don't forget to come back next Tuesday to get the next 10 money saving ideas for your event!
xoxo
Megan
xoxo
Megan
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