Wedding Tips How to Have a Dream on Half a Budget ...

When it comes down to it, some things are more important to you than other things. For example, if you really don’t want to cut down the guest list but don’t mind if there aren’t flowers on every table, then cut out the flower centerpieces. Make a list of priorities in order of importance and make sure the most important are included in your wedding. You’ll easily remove the things you don’t care as much about and you’ll save money!

If you’re trying to pick between a live band and a DJ, go with the DJ. Everyone wants to dance to their favorite songs at a wedding—not a band they’ve never heard of. That being said, booking a DJ is much more cost-effective than a live band. If you want to save even more money, recruit someone in your bridal party to play emcee for the night and let your party playlist play the DJ.

This is a tough one to do, especially if you have a big family, but cutting down the guest list is a quick way to save a ton of money. On average, it can cost somewhere around $220 per guest. That’s a lot of money if you cut just a handful or so of the guests that you don’t know as well. It can be hard, but it’s definitely worth it when it comes to your budget!

Okay, so this one is a sacrifice. Just like your guest list, your bridal party could stand to do some trimming as well. It costs a lot to have a lot of people in your bridal party. Suddenly, everything starts getting bigger, from the amount of bouquets you have to buy to the size of the bachelorette party. If there are people in your wedding that you don’t know as well (like your future spouse’s sister-in-law or a cousin you haven’t seen in years) try to cut your list down before you invite them to be a part of your wedding. You can involve them in other ways, like by reading something at the ceremony, and you’ll save yourself a ton of money!

If you’re planning your wedding in an area where a lot of your friends and family are local, ask for their help. You would be surprised by just how many connections you may have in the area. Maybe your cousin’s best friend makes cakes as a hobby and is willing to make a cake for a great price. Maybe your cosmetologist cousin wants to help do the hair and makeup as her wedding gift to you. On top of that, your family might even want to help set up for the big day, cutting down on the hired help you need. Your family is probably just as excited for the wedding as you are, so they’d probably be more than happy to help!

Okay, let’s be real here. No one likes those sweaty pictures of himself or herself dancing at your reception that they’re inevitably tagged in on Facebook. They’re not exactly pictures that you want to get copies of and frame in your house. In fact, most people will probably un-tag themselves in them on Facebook. Save yourself some money (and your guests some embarrassment) by cutting the photographer loose after dinner. Of course, this only works if you hired an hourly photographer. That being said, going this route may help you afford a photographer who usually wouldn’t be in your budget!

I know that a lot of people say this when it comes to weddings- but thank God for Pinterest. It has helped so many women plan the weddings of their dreams. You’d be surprised by the amazing DIYs you’ll find on there that you wouldn’t have thought of yourself, and even more than that, there are a ton of free PDFs and printables that could save you a small fortune on paper goods like invites, save the dates, menus, and programs!

How are you saving money at your wedding? I want to hear your stories in the comments!