How to save money on your wedding day
When you decide to get married you realize that a world full of possibilities and above all, of expenses opens up to you! Today I have gathered 6 tips so that you can make a super personalized wedding, with your style and at the same time save. Do not miss these 6 super tips that I have prepared to save money on your wedding!
6 tips to save money organizing your personalized wedding.
Plan ahead and you will save a lot on your wedding
My driving school teacher always told me "look far ahead, anticipate the circumstances". This saved me from having to slam on the brakes when a car cut us off. It was a bit difficult for me because I was always concentrating on what was happening a few meters in front of me. When I learned to look far away, I realized that time gives you power . It allows you to function without stress and to be able to think of the best solution.
It is the same that happens with everything in life, having time to plan and anticipate what will come is essential to be successful. When we talk about saving money on an event as important as your wedding, that's super important.
Entering the world of weddings is learning a new language that is often not governed by logic. That's why if you take your time to do research, you will begin to familiarize yourself with this world and you will be prepared to know what you want and what you don't. Misinformation is expensive, because you can end up buying things you don't need , just because a certain provider advises you to.
Time allows you to search well, be creative by imagining different options, make a budget, visit different suppliers and negotiate with them. Also, if you sign up for their newsletters, they will probably send you an offer or discount that you can take advantage of (I do!). If you don't have time because you're getting married and you only have one option for catering, you'll end up paying what they ask for.
Photo by Lorena Carnero
It is also fantastic because you will have a thousand ideas to give for Christmas and for your partner's birthday! It's a way to give useful gifts and then not have to buy everything all at once, right before the wedding. The same happens with your gifts, you can ask for Christmas to give you a part of your wedding dress or flowers , for example.
Season and day of your wedding
The concept of supply and demand also applies to the world of weddings. It is natural that prices are higher at the time when everyone wants to get married and you have to order a year in advance because otherwise there will be no room. Couples are willing to pay anything, so providers don't have to cut prices.
But if you want to celebrate the wedding right at the beginning of the season or when it is already ending, surely you can find better prices. And if you plan to get married out of wedding season, then you can negotiate prices for sure ! This is like traveling during the week or outside the holiday season, it is much cheaper.
Photo by Lorena Carnero
You can also consider getting married on a date that in the municipality where you get married is not a party but where you live is. For example, if you live in a big city and most of your guests do too, and you want to get married in the country, you can decide to get married on the day of your city's main festival . This will make most of the guests free from work and at the same time, since it will be a weekday when you get married, the price will be cheaper since there will not be as much demand.A space that gives you freedom
Many of the classic and well-known spaces to celebrate weddings work only with their own suppliers and force you to hire them. This makes your wedding more expensive because there are more intermediaries between you and the supplier and it does not give you the freedom to choose.
Go for a celebration space where you can bring your own caterer, photographer, flowers and whatever else you want and aren't tied down with your own offerings . In the following points you will see a lot of ideas to personalize your wedding and save even more, but this point is very important to make your wedding to measure.
Cristina + Ramon, a bohemian wedding with a van
If you know some vineyards where they can sell you the wine directly, if you have someone you know who has a catering company or if you buy the flowers to decorate directly from a wholesaler, you will personalize your wedding. You do not have to give up the decoration of the space, or have top quality products to cut the budget, there are many other creative ways to save money organizing your wedding.
Marta + Albert, a rustic wedding and trip around the world
Another option is to do as Marta and Albert , who decided to rent a rural house and spend a weekend with friends, to celebrate their union (and that they were going to go around the world, what envy!). That is ultimate freedom.
Or celebrate your wedding at a relative's house, as Miki and Sam decided in their mother's spectacular garden.
Miki + Sam, bohemian wedding in a beautiful family garden
The menu
If we start from the basis that you want an authentic and original wedding and you don't like weddings that are all cut from the same pattern, I encourage you to think of a different menu from the classic one . It has happened to all of us that we have gone to three weddings a month apart and the menu is copied.
I know some couples who hired some fishermen to make them a freshly caught seafood paella at their rustic wedding. In addition to being original and cheap, everyone was delighted with the quality of the food.
Another option is to organize a barbecue. Surely you have organized barbecues with your friends and it has been the best Saturday plan. Collaboration, relaxation, communication and collegiality, all united to cook a collaborative meal. It is a way for all your guests to participate in your wedding and you do not have to decide who sits with whom. The groups will be organized organically and everyone will have a great time.
Miki + Sam, bohemian wedding in a beautiful family garden
Another idea that I love is asking 4 or 5 friends to each make a different cake (cheescake, red velvet, sara, coulant, carrotcake,...). Surely you have friends or relatives who are master chefs and will surprise you with their creativity. In this way you will have a few handmade cakes that everyone can enjoy and you will not have spent a fortune with a classic wedding cake (which, in the end, nobody eats).
Miki + Sam, bohemian wedding in a beautiful family garden
shared music
I love that friends and family feel part of the event and that they don't come to your wedding as just visitors. A good idea is to create a Spotify Collaborative List and send an email to all your guests asking them to collaborate in choosing the music for your wedding. It's good that you play several songs beforehand and that you tell them what style you want, and so they add the "great songs" that will make you dance "all night long". This is how people start to cheer up and get excited weeks before your wedding! At the same time you save the money it costs to have a few hours of DJ (a lot).
think DIY
Put yourself in creative "on" mode and think about what parts of the wedding you would like to personalize and have your special touch. One idea is to make some parts of the decoration of the space by hand, with the help of your guests. You can organize a weekend before the wedding to make paper garlands or hand draw the cards for each table. You can also organize a floral workshop, as Marta did with the help of her friend Rosa for the crowns of the guests and the flowers of the space.
Ruthie and Rory, a wedding in the vineyard
Recycling or reusing is also a super good idea to be more eco-friendly and not spend so much money . If you are a book lover, why not decorate the space with old books? Or visit second-hand stores to find details that will be perfect on the tables or in the photocall. Baskets, old frames and other things you can find at your grandmother's house will give it your personal touch.
Marta + Albert, rustic wedding and trip around the world
Search the web or ask your friends who have already married if they have garlands, string lights and decorations that they will no longer use. They can let you or sell it!
What do you think? I have given you many tricks so you can save money on your wedding . Now you just need to make a list of all these ideas and decide what you will put into practice. Once this is done, mark on your calendar when you have to start preparing each thing and who you have to talk to. Remember "look far ahead, anticipate the circumstances". And if you liked this post, subscribe to my newsletter in the form below and you will receive inspiration for your wedding every week (and some more surprises!) A hug <3 Mireia