Our wedding is the most important and beautiful event of our lives. Walking down the aisle and affirming our lifetime love for someone is something we’ll treasure and never, ever forget. However, these commemorations don’t come cheap. Celebrants, venue hire, flowers, catering, apparel, make-up, and everything else can all add up. So how can you save a bit of money on your wedding but still have something you and your loved ones will thoroughly enjoy? We give you all the tips here.
Reader's Roadmap
Combine your ceremony and reception in one venue
Weddings can become stressful and expensive when your ceremony and reception are in two completely different venues across town – or even in the country! You can reduce overheads and gain the approval of your guests by combining the ceremony and reception at the same venue. You can make it great by imagining whatever picturesque setting you can imagine, such as farms and woolsheds for a rustic, “country style” celebration, or oceanfront vistas and lush botanical gardens. You’ll definitely find a place you’ll both love!
Reduce your guest list
Does Aunty Beryl and Uncle Don you saw three times as a kid really need to be at your wedding? (Would they even remember who you are?) Don’t feel pressured into inviting absolutely everyone to your wedding to keep catering costs down – that is, if you decide to have catering at all. If people from far away really want to attend, consider streaming the ceremony online or posting the video to YouTube soon after.
Keep it simple
Don’t overthink it and don’t overspend. Do you have to spend $200 on a centrepiece for every table? A few native flowers and flora can stand in place and look brilliant; tying sparkly fabric to chairs in a bow also gives your space a fairy tale look. In the age of Spotify and streaming, do you need to hire a band or a DJ? Instead of a three-course meal, have a cocktail party and canapes as part of your reception instead. And if you’re looking for a classic cocktail, consider the timeless and delightful Bee’s Knees cocktail. Its simple blend of gin, honey, and lemon creates a refreshing drink that adds a touch of elegance to your cocktail party reception without breaking the bank.
Something borrowed (mostly everything)
Weddings, as much as we love them, are one-time events. Buying suits may make sense for men who will wear them to business and other formal events, but buying dresses for women make less financial sense. Hire out dresses instead of buying – which can save you significantly – as well as looking at alternatives to “traditional” wedding bits and bobs. Create your own stationery using Canva and print it in bulk, for example. Purchase used goods from Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace and pay them forward to other friends so they can save money as well.
How to pay for it all
Though it may be tempting to spend your savings or load up your credit cards to pay for your wedding, covering expenses with a wedding or personal loan may save you money long-term. By taking out a loan you’ll also have a set budget which prevents any potential blowouts. Personal loans also have lower interest rates than credit cards, and every repayment helps you get towards paying it off completely.
With all this in mind, you can have an elegant and fairytale wedding at a fraction of the cost!