Tips on saving money on your wedding
Although a wedding ceremony is a joyous event, the heavy costs of the ceremony and reception, especially if the wedding budget is limited, may put a significant strain on the couple’s finances. The venue, catering, photographer, decorations, musicians, and more may add to the cost of the wedding.
Normally, since you want your special day to be as memorable as ever, you need to prepared to be to spend a small fortune on the things that matter most to you. However, that doesn’t mean you need to burn a hole in your pocket!
Here’s how to live the moment you’ve been dreaming of while keeping your wedding budget in check.
Create a wedding Planning checklist
List all the things you think you cannot imagine your wedding without.
Then categorize them into Apparel, Photo & Video, Flowers, Ceremony, Reception, Rings, Gifts and favors, Rehearsal dinner, stationary, transportation, and finally Miscellaneous.
This way you can decide what you are going to have on your wedding day and omit the unnecessary ones.
I put together a spreadsheet for you to sort out your thoughts. In front of each item, from the dropdown menu, you get to choose “Yes” or “No” and simply get rid of the ones you think are not necessary to have. My past couples had found it very helpful. Don’t forget to grab it.
Create a wedding budget calculation
Now that you filtered the things you want to have at your wedding, it is time to allocate a budget to them. Budgeting ahead of time and writing down or making a spreadsheet of your expected expenses will help you stay out of debt.
Using this information, you may decide how much money you should spend on wedding photography, music, and decor.
Make sure you constantly review your budget, since splurging can be incredibly easy. Additionally, consider investing a bigger sum for certain vendors that will elevate your wedding experience, like a professional wedding photographer.
Again, I designed a wedding budget spreadsheet for you to make your life easier. In front of each segment, I put two columns; How much you expected it to be and how much it really cost for you, eventually.
So then, in the end, you will have a precise idea of how much you spent on your wedding celebration. Make sure to download the wedding budget template Google sheet before you forget.
Have a wedding planner to control your wedding budget
The idea that a wedding planner might help you cut down the wedding cost on your big day may seem paradoxical at first. But it’s true!
A major part of a wedding planner’s job is keeping you from exceeding your spending limit. The fact that they have connections and knowledge in the wedding industry means they can help you save money in key ways!
I highly recommend you hire a wedding planner. It is very essential. The good thing about wedding planners is that they have a vast connection, and they have worked with the best vendors in the industry.
They know the best Dj, The best Wedding photographer in Chicago, The best florist, etc. Therefore you don’t need to spend time and energy looking for them anymore.
She/He provides you with a list of wedding photographers for instance, and you pick the style of photography you like the most.
Some people like Life-style Wedding photography (documentary wedding photography), some like Cinematic wedding photography, Some like classic wedding photography, and some light and airy wedding photography.
No matter what your taste is, the wedding planner can connect you with the right wedding photographer.
How to Find the right Wedding Photographer?
I have worked with these girls and I can not recommend them enough. Check out their websites:
Consider different days to control the wedding budget
Booking your wedding location on a Friday will save you a ton of money. Better yet, have your wedding on a Sunday! It’s perfect for intimate gatherings since the site cost and food and drink minimums can be reduced by up to $4,000.
Do your homework on photographers!
In Chicago, the average wedding photographer cost ranges between $3500 and $7000. The wedding photographers offer different wedding photography packages to choose from. But it all depends on what you want.
Here’s some advice from a Chicago wedding photographer:
Make sure to inquire about wedding photography packages. You will still have the best images ever taken of that special day.
Based on my experiences a wedding lasts between 6-10 hours, therefore I designed my packages to 6-8-10 hours of coverage to make it easy for the couples.
It is difficult to predict how many hours of coverage you may need. I wrote a blog post about it:
How many hours of wedding photography do you need?
If you are not in the mood to read, I get it. Book your free consultation session with me and let’s talk and I will help you figure this out.
Conclusion
Couples, don’t wait to save for your nuptials, as the wedding cost can be significant! Having a well-thought-out plan and sufficient funds can guarantee a flawless wedding.
Remember that the wedding is just one day and that it is equally vital to begin married life on solid financial ground.
If you found any motivation in what you read here, I encourage you to explore the rest of my site, especially the investment page. In addition, consider hiring my services for your unique Chicago wedding!
