Ways To Save On Your Big Day: Wedding Budgeting Hacks To Keep Costs Low

As of 2021, the average wedding costs $22,500. If your eyes are bulging out in shock at that sticker price, hold your seats for this next bit. The average price was roughly $12,000 more just five years prior, at $35,309. So over seven years, 2021 was the second most affordable year for tying the knot.

Unfortunately, the national average is on the low end for many states. In some states, such as New Jersey, Rhode Island and New York, you can expect to pay upwards of $40,000 to $50,000. If you’re getting sick just looking at these figures, no one will blame you. Though it’s understandable to want your wedding day to be the stuff that dreams are made of, the truth is that entering your union with massive debt and nothing tangible to show for it is unwise. The good news is that you don’t have to be the average. There are small things you can do to save big on your wedding day. Check them out.

Say I-Do On Sunday

Saturday is the most popular day to have a wedding. Understandably, Saturdays have the highest booking fee. You can save thousands on the venue and rehearsal dinner space by booking a Friday wedding. Better yet, if you book a wedding on Sunday, you can save up to $4,000 on the venue alone.

Direct Guests To Your Wedding Website

Cardstock, printing and postage can really add up. However, you can save up to $800 by sending a single save-the-date that directs guests to your wedding website, where they can do everything from RSVP, link to your registry and check what meal they prefer.

Use RSVP Postcards

Is your family more traditional, or are there several members who are not tech-savvy? When you send invites, you can skip the return envelope for the RSVP card by making the card a postcard.

Go Green (Quite Literally)

Wedding floral is a considerable expense, with many couples spending between $700 and $2,500 on blooms. You can cut costs exponentially by just using greens. The good news is that doing so looks beautiful and is trending right now.

Swap out Expensive Blooms

Yes, the more exotic and expensive blooms can add pizazz to your bouquet, but when it comes down to it, most people won’t be able to tell the difference between a black magic rose and a deeply colored dahlia. Swapping out the former for the latter can add up to a savings of $4 per stem.

Buy In-Season Blooms

Another way to save on blooms? Shop in-season. Better yet, shop local. Local, in-season blooms will ensure freshness and save you on transportation costs.

Stock Up On Alcohol Early On

If your venue allows you to do so, supply your own alcohol. Shop early at liquor outlets and buy when grocery stores run specials on beer, wine and spirits. In going this route, you can save up to $4,000 on liquids alone.

Opt for the cheaper options if your venue doesn’t let you bring your own booze. Forego the Grey Goose and go with Tito’s instead. Whatever version of two-buck-chuck your bartender offers, choose that. Your guests won’t know the difference, and you will save between $2,000 to $4,000.

Shop Second-Hand

You will be surprised by the treasures you can find at thrift stores, estate sales and yard sales. Instead of buying all your wedding décor new, shop secondhand to get everything for a fraction of what you would spend with a retailer.

These are just a few tried and true ways to save big on your wedding day. With these tips alone, you can cut the average wedding cost in half.