1. CREATE A BUDGET Saving money on your wedding begins with a strict, clearly defined budget. Use the following steps to create it.
· Set your budget - Look at the savings you. both have and see how much you can actually afford to put towards your wedding. Are both your parents are chipping in ? Great! Add this to your budget.
· Create a spreadsheet - Generate a list and add up all the expenses you can think of. Start gathering some quotes from the big ones first like your venue, photographer, band/DJ, church or celebrant etc . Then add those others smaller items in.
· Make Educated Estimates for Other Expenses - This is for elements that are dependent on numbers such as: invitations, food & beverage etc. If you are self catering you will need to estimate how many people you plan to invite to your wedding and then work out the average cost per person. Hot Tip: Always OVER cater! If you’re at a venue your coordinator will be able to provide this for you.
Consider travel costs for some vendors (If possible get recommendations for locals).
· Note : If the sum of all these figures exceed your budget you may need to compromise on what you want to prioritise and that may not be essential to your day. Make a list of things that are important to you both and prioritise for those.
2. COCKTAIL STYLE The beautiful thing about weddings today is that you can do anything! Gone are the days when meals were strictly sit down. We're spoiled with yummy food trucks , canapés and buffet style catering.
Things to consider when planning a cocktail wedding; scattered seating for guests, ways to entertain guests (garden games, photo booth etc) and decorations.
3. GUEST LIST This is the part our couples find the hardest, choosing who to invite to their special day. Our recommendation is to write a list of all the family and friends you would like to invite if money wasn’t a limitation. Once you and your fiance have done this, start to go through and ask yourself these questions:
· Are we CURRENTLY close with this person?
· Do we foresee them being in our future?
Hopefully you were able to cut some numbers off your list. Now show this to your parents (if you feel it’s necessary) and ask if they feel you are missing anyone or if they have anyone they feel to invite (generally they would pay for their guests).
Speaking from experience we don't speak to 20% of the guests we invited but felt guilty not inviting.
4. UTILISE YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY You’d be surprised how much money you will save if you have any friends and family who are talented & creative and have access to transport (fancy cars) and decorations.
5. AVOID CUSTOMISATION As soon as you ask a supplier for a customised wedding product they will bump up their prices and I mean BUMP! A good example of this are wedding invitations. If you find a template you like that has already been created then take advantage of it.
6. MID-WEEK WEDDING Now this one can be controversial but surprisingly not uncommon - a mid-week wedding! Most venues have a cheaper rate for events throughout the week in comparison to a Friday or Saturday night. But what about my guests? You will find that friends & family are able to take the day off work to attend the ceremony with a few months notice.
7. VENUE SELECTION Choose a venue that has natural beauty and one that does not need a crazy amount of decorations. This will save money on suppliers, manual labour and delivery costs.
8. FLORALS
Wedding flowers are expensive. If you decide on a color scheme for your wedding, you can reduce your floral budget by relying on seasonal, locally available flowers to match it. Some brides can go a little overboard with the amount of florals purchased for their wedding day. Be realistic as to what your budget allows for and what is essential for you. If you don’t want to compromise on the amount of floral arrangements you have, discuss with your florist about how to make your floral vision most affordable.
9. MUSICIANS VS DJ
· Hire a Band ($2,500 plus)
· Hire a DJ (around $500- $1000)
We love a live band and the atmosphere that comes along with it, but you will find costs associated with a band greater than a DJ. If you decide to go for a DJ the key is choosing the right one.
10. WEDDING DRESS SALE The greatest way to save money on your wedding dress is to purchase one on sale and altar OR buy your dream dress sample so off the rack.
As soon as you say the word custom the $ goes up. I personally saved $ on my wedding dress because I did just that, allowing us to use that extra money elsewhere.
To be super organised for your wedding day our NH Wedding Director has created the perfect wedding planner.
Click the below link to purchase yours today!
Already have a wedding planner/ diary? That's ok! We have created helpful worksheets that are also available to purchase via our shop.
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