One of the most memorable days in your life, a shared moment of two families coming together in the name of love, could also end up being one of your most costly days. Americans are spending an average whopping amount of $35,329 on their wedding, according to the Knot. If you’re a budget-conscious bride planning her wedding day, don’t let these numbers scare you away. There are brilliant ways to save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on your special day.
Below, we listed 5 ways you can save big on your wedding day:
Rent your wedding gown
Brides in America spend an average of $1,631 for a wedding gown – five times the amount that grooms typically spend on their wedding attire. One budget-friendly approach would be to rent your gown. Renting out a fancy dress would save you hundreds of dollars that you can put toward other expenses, such as your honeymoon or a downpayment for a new house. You could also visit vintage and secondhand shops or search for a used dress online. Your perfect dress could be just a few clicks away!
Create your own bouquet or buy from a local wholesale shop
On average, couples spend $2,141 on flowers. That can be a prohibitive price if floral arrangements aren’t at the top of your priority list. If you’re creative or know someone who is, design your own floral bouquets and decorations. Your decorations will have a more personable touch without the high cost.
Throw a buffet
A buffet table will give your guests the luxury of choosing what they want to eat – plus, it’ll slash costs compared to having individually prepared meals for everyone. And when it comes to drinks, decide against having an open bar and instead, hand out drink tickets to your guests to considerably lower your costs.
Create your own song playlist or have a friend DJ
Plug in your playlist and press the “play” button to save money on having to hire a DJ or live band. You might even have fun curating your own playlist and this ensures all your songs of choice will be played on your special day. Regardless of whether there’s live musical entertainment or not, everyone will be sure to have a great time and dance the night away.
Fake your wedding cake
A new trend picking up in the wedding industry is a faux cake made of decorated cardboard with a small section of real cake on top. Fondant and decorative tiered cakes are super expensive (and prone to melting if you’re having a summertime wedding), so instead have additional sheet cakes to serve your guests and use the cardboard “cake” for cake-cutting photos and to have as a decoration. Also don’t feel obligated to follow traditional wedding cake trends – loads of new brides are replacing cakes with smaller, cheaper alternatives like cupcakes or macaroon towers.