When you start planning your wedding, the amount of information out there can be overwhelming. There are endless tips on how to have a frugal wedding, what not to do, and how to create the most original reception ever. However, all of that information can make the planning process even more frustrating. In truth, there’s no right, wrong, or best way to have a wedding. However, you should have a party that makes the most sense for you and your soon-to-be spouse.
Create a Realistic Budget
Just this first step can be difficult to navigate once you jump into the wedding-planning world because you might not know what sort of costs to expect. In order to create a realistic budget for what you want, start shopping around for costs in your area. Call around for the higher ticket items. They include:
- Catering
- Venue
- Photographer
- Flowers and decor
- DJ or band
- Wedding dress
After that, you’ll have a better idea of what things will cost. Funding a wedding can be done in a few ways, including utilizing financing, dipping into your savings, or getting help from family. Though, make sure you’re being realistic about your finances and not putting your financial health in jeopardy.Â
DIY What You Can
Do-it-yourself projects can really help make a wedding more affordable, but it’s also a big undertaking. It’s important not to take on too many DIY projects if it’s not realistic and if the cost savings isn’t significant. Some great areas for DIY alternatives in your wedding include centerpieces, bouquets, simple decor, and wedding favors. Eliminating the need for a lot of flowers can be a big help for your budget, which is why centerpieces and bouquets are great project ideas. Wedding favors can be as simple as baked goods or seed packs, but try not to overwhelm yourself with too many projects and remember to ask for help.
Sentiment Over Cost for Gifts
Wedding party gifts are common in a modern wedding, but don’t feel obligated to find an extravagant gift for those you’re closest to. Not only are they there on your big day because they love you, but they also won’t expect anything expensive in return for being there for you. Some great sentimental gift options include photo books, a framed print, or a photo calendar created with your wedding photos. The photos and a thoughtful note will mean more than any price tag.
Ask for Help and Resources
Creating a budget and shopping around for wedding prices will help you to realize the costs you can afford and the things you need to cut down on. In order to help you save, don’t be afraid to ask for help and to utilize your friends and family to help you with resources they may have. For instance, if a venue is overloading your budget, consider any family members who have a piece of land or a backyard that would be perfect for your wedding. Honestly, that might make your venue that much more special.
Ask your friends to help you fill out invitations, see if you can get a discount from a cousin who is a DJ, or ask an especially talented friend who loves makeup to help with your glam. Many people will be happy to help.
Remember Your Future
Though having a big, extravagant wedding may seem like the most important thing, try hard to focus on the big picture. You don’t want to spend all of your hard-earned money on a fancy wedding and then not have the financial backing to buy a home, start a family, or save for retirement. Even if those things seem far away, your marriage is important to fund as well, not just your wedding. Buying a home will require a down payment, preparing for a baby involves substantial financial resources, and you can never start saving for retirement too early. You don’t want to put your future on hold because you overextended your finances for your wedding.
Create The Perfect Wedding for You
You might feel pressure from your family to have a certain kind of wedding, and you might feel like your wedding should look a certain way because of outdated traditions. However, it’s important to ignore the wedding traditions, pressures, and expectations that don’t align with the kind of wedding you and your fiance want. Feel free to elope, wear blue, have a small wedding, celebrate on a Sunday, eat pizza, skip the bachelor party, or dance to jazz if that’s what you want. Your wedding is for you, so it’s important not to lose sight of that. At the end of the day, having the wedding you want is the best way to make it original.
It’s great to read tips and ask advice on how to plan a wedding, especially when it can be so overwhelming and hard to figure out where to start. Those who have done it before may have some insight that you don’t have, but don’t allow those suggestions to take over your vision. Just remember that there are always frugal options to help make things more feasible, that sentiment means more than the price tag, and that your friends and family are there to help you. As long as your wedding fits within your budget, makes you happy, and sets you up for a great future, that’s all that matters.
