How to plan a wedding on a budget in 7 easy steps
Tired of hearing everyone say that you have to spend a fortune on your wedding?
We completely understand you! And the truth is: you don't! Yes, your wedding day is going to be one of the most memorable days of your life. You dress up, you get to vow your eternal love to your partner and you get to be surround by all your dear ones.
But no one should tell you that you need to go into debt in order to enjoy it.
Imagine this: the year is 2023, the economy is going side-ways, everything is becoming too expensive and you have to think twice if you will be going on holiday this year or rather have a chilled staycation. And in the midst of all that, you and your partner decide that it's time to celebrate your relationship with a marriage. Should you still do it or just drop it all?
Our advice is: you should totally do it! We've seen plenty of low budget weddings and everyone agrees that at the end of the day it was definitely worth it.
Here's out tips on how to plan a wedding on a budget:
1. Start with the venue.
We know this is one of the first things people book. And for good reason - it can become difficult to find an available venue if you wait for too long. And it is one of the biggest financial commitments.
However, if your priority is to have a good time, you don't need to get married in the fanciest castle. Think outside the box and go beyond just looking for wedding venues in your area. There might be barns or pubs that could host your evening party. You could even decide to do it in your back garden or a friends country home.
If you are not worried about arranging the transport for your guests, you might consider venues that are a bit further outside of the city.
Once you've explored all the options and narrowed down your list to a few preferred spots, feel free to ask around about any special offers.
Getting married outside the regular season, which means in either one of these months: January, February, March or November, could substantially decrease your costs.
Another important tip to keep in mind is that the weekend is the most expensive time to get married.
It's also technically the time when everyone is most likely to be available. However, in today’s world, people have increased flexibility with their working schedule. Some might also have a different work patter than the classical Monday to Friday. Let's be honest, you would never be able to choose a day that would suit everyone anyway, so why not go for a date that fits your budget better?
1. Your guest lists
Choosing the right venue will also highly depend on your number of guests. And so will some other costs on the day. Therefore, it is highly important to write this down as soon as possible and keep revising it.
We would suggest having three lists:
Everyone you can think of – this should be the biggest number, that includes all your loves one, your acquaintances and their partners, kids and pets. I’m not kidding. It’s better to start big and narrow it down later, then to realize you have forgotten someone.
People who would actually come – this is what you expect to have based on other weddings you’ve been to and what your friends and family tell you is common in your circle.
Your most cherished crowd – this is where you and your partner get to talk about your high school besties and everyone who’s been by your side during the best and worst of times.
Based on these lists, I would suggest looking for both venues that could fit everyone and those that could only fit your most dear ones. As you go down the planning hole, there will come the time when you will know whether it’s more important to have a big wedding or an intimate one. Follow your heart.
1. Your outfits
We love fashion and the wedding industry sure has a shoe for every foot. Looking stunning is definitely a top priority for most love birds. But did you know you can shop for wedding clothes in other places than your usual wedding boutiques?
No matter whether you like to keep it traditional or you love an eccentric look – there’s plenty of places to shop at to keep your costs low.
Here’s our tips for the wedding dress:
Your dress doesn’t have to be made of miles of fabric – you can even go for a midi length or a silky dress that flows around your body with a split thigh.
It doesn’t actually have to be a dress. A skirt and top combo can be more versatile and you could end up wearing them again for years.
It’s okay to get married in a suit or a jumper too, okay?
It doesn’t have to be absolutely white. If you are more traditional, you can still experiment with shades of white like champagne, seashell, or even cream. I personally prefer warm colors in general, but you should choose your shade based on your skin’s undertone.
When you’re shopping online, look for white dresses instead of wedding dresses. You will find more budget friendly options to choose from.
Think about your dream dress and ask a dressmaker if it’s worth making it from scratch.
The wedding suit:
Some of the points mentioned befoe, apply in here as well – so have a look at the section above.
You don’t have to mention that you’re looking for a wedding suit – it can simply be a special occasion.
There is no right color – dress for your skin tone.
Go as simple or as crazy as you wish.
Always budget to have your suit adjusted by a tailor. No matter how much you pay for your outfit, if it’s not fit on your body, it’s just wasting money.
It doesn’t have to be a three-piece suit – especially if you’re getting married on a hot summer day!
5 key aspects to remember when shopping for your wedding day outfit are:
1. Choose something that is true to your style.
2. Think of how you want to feel on the day: like a prince/princess, like a diva/hustler, like a hopeless romantic, like a dreamer and so on - and pick accordingly.
3. Dress for your body type and take into consideration your own relationship with it. If you have any insecurities about certain areas (like we all do) don’t wear an outfit that emphasizes them. Instead, think about what you love most about yourself (be it your eyes, your hands, your legs, your boobs – we are all adults in here) and make them the center of your outfit.
4. Never shop for your future body. If you think or hope that your body will change in the months leading to the wedding, wait for your final fitting until it’s almost your big day. Do not put pressure on yourself to fit into an outfit that is too small or too big, it’s the last thing you need.
5. Don’t listen to everyone else’s opinion on what you should wear! Listen to yourself.
Your reception
Well, as a Romanian girl, I can make one note here: if you ever go to a wedding in Romania, you will probably be amazed at the amount of food there. From the start of the evening party (around 18:00), everyone will sit down for at least 5 meals during the night, if not more. That’s absolutely insane and most people can’t eat all of that so the newlyweds are left with tons of food to take home.
As good as that may sound, who wants to eat their wedding meals over and over again for the following week?
The catering bit of your wedding is again one of the places you’ll spend most of the budget. Therefore, is one area where you could actually save more, if you plan it properly.
Here’s a few tips:
Serve a buffet to both your wedding breakfast and your evening meal.
If you have a later reception, you could also skip the wedding breakfast and serve an earlier diner.
Choose simple, but common dishes that everyone loves.
Add some fresh fruits, veggies and snacks to improve the presentation.
You could even replace a classic serving buffet with a food truck if you’re wedding has a great outdoor area.
If you know you won’t serve your wedding cake, drop the idea and replace it with muffins or something that you could give to the guests afterwards.
I know most people would opt for a cash bar, but if you want to have drinks included for your guests, try and see if you can buy in bulk – either at a supermarket or at a local business.
5. Decorations
When it comes to all the wedding decorations and stationery, some of it can be DIY-ed while other stuff is better to hire a specialist for.
If you dream of a fancy venue décor, that will surely dive into your budget. Sometimes, a more minimalist look can both save some cash and also put you as the couple at the centre of the scene.
You don’t need a fancy photo corner either – you can have great formal shots in a plain corner as well. Especially if you choose a creative photographer that knows their job well.
Try and look at all the decorations that are usually provided for a wedding and then cut down to the ones you absolutely want to have.
Replace natural flowers with artificial ones where possible. If you go for natural ones, choose in season flowers and take them home after the wedding. You could even schedule a photoshoot with your photographer for the following day where you put all those flowers to good use.
6. DJ and Wedding band
As tempting as it might be to think that you’d be fine just playing some music from your own laptop during the evening, if you want people to dance, you should definitely leave this part to a professional.
We know wedding bands can be quite expensive, but we believe they are worth it. We’ve seen so many times the magic that bands can do when they get the party starting and everyone joins them on the dance floor.
One tip here is to ask around your circle of friends to see if there might be someone close to you that actually is part of a band. They might offer you a better deal. If you already had in mind hiring a full orchestra, you could also save money by finding a smaller alternative.
If the band is outside your budget, a DJ is the next best thing.
Another way to save money is by enquiring for a quote for a shorter amount of time, rather than the whole evening. Or, even better, find out if you preferred supplier has any full day package and you could get the whole day sorted in one go.
7. Photography/ Videography
Now this is where I might let you down - but asking your guests to take phone photos or your uncle who has owned a camera his whole life as a hobby, it’s not the way to cut costs on your special day!
You’ve spent months carefully planning your wedding. You’ve put so much thought into every aspect of it - you surely want something to remind you of these special moments. Well, let me break it to you: your memories are the only thing that’s going to be with you forever. And if you have a short memory like I do, you will want to do everything possible to preserve them. That’s why I believe the photos and videos are one place where you don’t want to make a big compromise.
Now I get it why some people think that your guests could take the photos, and it could be fun. But it can also turn out completely not as expected. Your guests are there to have fun and support you. They might get carried away or want to enjoy key moments to the fullest.
On the other hand, an experienced photographer already knows what elements are important for you, they know what to expect during the day and most importantly they are there to capture every emotion, so even if there’s tears in their eyes during your first kiss, they will still take the photo.
There are photographers and videographers out there who charge from nothing (if they are just starting out) to £10k and beyond. You don’t have to go for the most expensive ones, but you should definitely hire someone who will be able to turn your vision into reality.
I’m not going to insist on how you find them, but here’s a quick guide on the topic.
https://www.lufuweddings.co.uk/blog/how-to-find-your-wedding-photographer
I can promise you one thing, if you choose the right photographer for your style, you will never regret it. Once the rush of the wedding wears away, their photography will be there to enhance your trip down memory lane over and over again. You will get to watch again your partner’s reaction during first look, everyone’s joy as you walk outside the church as a married couple for the first time and you might even be able to steal some dance moves from your guests on the dance floor.
We are photographers and can discuss best our own personal perspective, but we would also always advice you to book a videographer too - for the same reasons and much more.
Congrats, you’ve made it to the end! Let’s sum it all up!
All in all, we believe that your dream wedding can definitely still happen, even when you have a tight budget. All it takes is a bit of research and planning.
If you’re here just for the summary, below are our key points for planning your wedding day on a budget:
Start planning early so you have plenty of time to send enquiries to various suppliers.
Think outside the box – there are elements in your wedding that are best left to the experts and there are others that can be researched outside the wedding industry.
Booking local suppliers could reduce travel expenses, but don’t limit your searches straight from the beginning.
Start big and then narrow down as you start getting the image of what’s truly important for you.
Work with people that give you a good feeling – some of your suppliers will be there on your wedding day, and you should be happy with their presence.
Don’t make big compromises on the things that really matter to you.
No matter how tight you are, we always advise to go with a supplier that has head a fair bit of experience in their field and has a portfolio to show for. Honesty is also important, as the people who you get in contact with might not be able to meet your expectations, but they will most likely know someone else that could and they would be able to provide the best advice in their niche.
We hope this article was informative and inspiring. If you ever have any questions or just need some advice, you can easily reach us through usual channels or social media.
Happy planning ahead!
Much love,
Smari