How To Have The Wedding of Your Dreams on a Budget You Can Afford

You don’t have to break the bank to have a beautiful and memorable wedding day. Here’s how to save cash without looking cheap! First and most importantly — remember that you only truly need three things to have a successful wedding day: you, the person you love, and an officiant. Everything else is optional. Remembering this will help you make some tough financial decisions during the planning process.

Research to the 10th Power
Scour the Internet for checklists and ask all your friends that have been married for planning advice. For most couples, their wedding is the large event they have ever coordinated and being informed is your best weapon to saving. Educate yourself on the average cost for each element and look for creative alternatives.

Talk the Talk

After you’ve done the research, talk to your fiance and determine the “must-have” items that are important to each you. Once you have created your list, talk to the key decision makers about a realistic budget for the entire wedding.

Date Savvy
When it comes to selecting your perfect wedding date, there are two ways to save. First, consider a non-Saturday, for even bigger deals, ask about Thursday and you will be astonished. Second, look for opportunities during non-peak months.

Save the Splurge
A common mistake made by those newly engaged is running out and splurging on their first wedding purchase. They haven’t yet realized that everything is 5x more expensive than they thought. Save the splurge for after you’ve had a chance to research costs for all major elements of your wedding.

Do The Math
When it comes to your guest list, it’s all about numbers. The more people you invite, the more people that will come. Multiply that by 2 and it starts to add up quickly. Especially, since most of your guests don’t actually live in Indiana and are looking for a reason to come visit. We know it’s hard, but keeping your guest list to only the most important people in your life will have a large impact on your overall budget.

Stay organized and record all of your wedding expenses!