Tips to save money on your wedding

Wedding budgets vary from couple to couple, but it never hurts to save some money on your wedding items. Here are some tips to save money on your wedding date. Wedding expenses include a bridal dress, shoes, cake, catering, venue, invitations, flowers, photographer, decor, and a makeup artist. You can cut some costs by being savvy in some areas and still have the big day you dreamed of.

1.) Use Silk Flowers

Silk Flower Rental (Website: Something Borrowed Blooms)

Even if you love fresh floral arrangements, mixing a few silk arrangements into your wedding decor might help save you money. Don’t worry silk or high-quality plastic flowers can still look elegant. You can rent beautiful silk arrangements from Something borrowed blooms or a local vendor. They sell bridal bouquets, bridesmaids bouquets, floral crowns, cake florals, and centerpieces in various color schemes. The benefit to renting is you can return the items and you aren’t stuck with boxes of wedding decor. Now you can also buy silk flower arrangements from vendors on Etsy or Amazon. Another alternative, use create succulent centerpieces, use lantern centerpieces, or use floating candle centerpieces (with vases from the Dollar store). I used fresh floral arrangements for my wedding and I was heartbroken to see them go into the trash at the end of the wedding day. Focus on fresh florals for only items you really care about such as your bridal bouquet and your sweetheart table decor. You can also use silk florals for large floral centerpieces on stands to surround you at your wedding ceremony or behind your sweetheart's table.

2.) Rent your wedding dress

Lace Dress from Rent the Runaway (Website: White Reversible Take A Bow Dress by HAH for $30 - $50 | Rent the Runway)

White Gown from Rent the Runaway (Website: White Award Winner Gown by Badgley Mischka for $65 - $90 | Rent the Runway)

Modern White Gown (Francois Drape Gown by Fame & Partners for $41 - $66 | Rent the Runway)

Bridal or Bridemaid Gold Gown Gold Kaylee Gown by Theia for $41 - $66 | Rent the Runway

Wedding dresses can get really expensive and you might not need to conserve the wedding dress. I loved my wedding dress but I haven’t been able to repurpose it. You rent your bridal dress from Rent the Runway. I rented my rehearsal wedding dress from Rent the Runaway and I loved it. There are a lot of dress rental online stores to choose from.

3.) Skip the wedding cake

You don’t have to serve wedding cake at your wedding if you are working with a small budget. You can create a dessert bar with grocery store pastries or give out another sweet treat such as ice cream (from the grocery store).

4.) Skip the open bar

My wedding guests didn’t really take advantage of the open bar. You can serve non-alcoholic drinks instead or limit the bar choices.

5.) Cut the wedding guest list

Don’t feel pressured to invite every single person that you (or your parents) know. Instead, focus on a guest list of people that will support you on your wedding day like close friends and family. I had a micro-wedding and I loved the intimate feeling of having just close friends and family.

6.) Don’t splurge on the wedding veil

I used a simple $20 veil from Amazon and my photos came out amazing. You can also skip the veil or borrow a veil from a family member.

7.) Skip the fancy bridal jewelry

Rent Oscar de la Renta Drop Earrings (Website: Long Beaded Drop Earrings by Oscar de la Renta for $65 | Rent the Runway)

Crystal Earrings (Crystal Mini Madeline Earrings by Mignonne Gavigan for $25 | Rent the Runway)

Pearl Hoop Earrings Stardust Pearl Hoops by Lele Sadoughi for $25 | Rent the Runway

Pearl drop Earrings (Pearl & Crystal Drop Earrings by Lele Sadoughi for $45 | Rent the Runway)

I spent about $200 on my wedding clip and earrings. I haven’t worn it since the wedding. Just rent from rent the runaway or another online store. You also buy nice simple pearl earrings from Shein or forever 21.

8.) Send out virtual invitations or simple postcard invitations

Facebook post or banner editor (Website Home - Canva)

Minted (Website: Unique Art, Home Decor, Holiday Cards, Wedding Invitations from Independent Artists | Minted)

I don’t think that many guests really keep wedding invitations as a keepsake. So, if you have a small budget just skip the invitations and send out a Facebook event invitation. You can use the Canva website to create free custom posts or banners. My sister bought an Etsy template and printed her invitation at office depot. Walgreens has some lovely postcards that you can create as wedding invitations.

If you really want an invitation for your photographer to use in your wedding details photo, you can order a custom sample invitation card from Minted or Etsy. If you do decide to order invitations, I suggest waiting for a sale from the Minted website. Skip on the fancy invitation cuts, thick paper, and Gold foil. I regretted spending so much on wedding invitation upgrades.

9.) Skip Fancy Wedding shoes

You don’t need designer shoes to get married. If your wedding gown is long, you most likely not be able to see the heels. My wedding heels were a lovely birthday gift from my husband. But trust me no one noticed what heels I was wearing. You can use a pair of nude heels.

Also, if you normally don’t wear stilettos or heels, your wedding day is not the day to start wearing heels. Wear heels at a height that you are comfortable walking in for the entire day. Keep in mind that your wedding is outdoors… don’t wear stilettos. Your heels will sink into the ground.

10.) Skip fancy centerpieces

If you have 100 or more guests, it can get tricky to find centerpieces for all the tables. You can use dollar-store candles if your venue allows it or you skip the centerpieces altogether. Instead, focus on your head table or your sweetheart's table. Your photographer is going to primarily focus on taking photos of your sweetheart's table.

11.) Hire a photographer for a few hours
If you are working with a small budget, hire a great photographer to photograph the part of the wedding that is most important to you such as the ceremony or the couple's portraits. You don’t have to hire a photographer for an entire day if you are working on a small budget. My personal recommendation is to cut costs in other areas to ensure you have a few elegant photos of your special day. You will most likely have a few wedding photographs displayed in your home forever. Your photographer can take ceremony photos and a big group photo of everyone at the end of the ceremony within an hour or so.

12.) Backyard or weddings at a family home

I loved the Covid backyard weddings! I loved how you can transform a backyard into an elegant outdoor wedding reception and ceremony with some candles and fresh flowers in some small vases. The cool thing about making choosing your backyard as a venue is you aren’t restricted select decor or vendors. Check out Pinterest for some backyard elegant wedding inspiration.

I hope these tips help you. Enjoy your wedding date and have fun planning your special day.

Much love,

Carol