Weddings, no matter how big or small, are unforgettable milestones in one\u2019s life. We\u2019ve all envisioned how it will go down. Whether it\u2019s elopement, a beach wedding, a vineyard ceremony, or a backyard wedding, every couple looking to get hitched has a specific vision in mind. But when visions are brought to reality, they can be quite costly. I\u2019m all for making your dream wedding a living reality, but something\u2019s gotta give in this economy. As an avid wedding budget planner, I have some frugal wedding tips I\u2019d like to share with you, that will not compromise the overall look and feel of your special day: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. Substitute real flowers for artificial ones. Flower arrangements are shockingly expensive, and yet the only last for up to 12 hours max before wilting. I can\u2019t count how many times I\u2019ve seen centerpieces and bouquets being thrown in the trash at the end of the night. Even if guests were to bring it home, the flowers will have been out in the open, in the cold or in the heat, for at least 12 hours. I recommend other sustainable centerpieces such as succulents, birdcages, vases with feathers in it, artificial flowers, DIY flowers made out of paper, or even scented candles.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
2. Limit your party favors. Unless you plan on tailoring each party favor to the guest\u2019s name, you could have half the number of party favors as there are actual guests. The unfortunate truth is, some guests don\u2019t actually take home the party favor. At the end of the night, I collect so many party favors from each table and I see it as a waste. Guests can take home the party favor should they choose to, on their way out. You can place them at the check-in table and whoever wants to take it home, can.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
3. Unless you\u2019re a gun-ho cake person, forego the traditional three-tier cake. I understand that cutting the cake is a formality. A symbolic gesture that is also a great photo opportunity. However, I often see many plates of untouched slices at the end of the night because either guests are busy dancing or getting last call drinks. Guests are no longer at their table dining, so by the time servers serve the wedding cake, most guests either 1) have left the venue 2) are on the dance floor and 3) by the bar. Self-serve dessert tables are a great alternative to the traditional wedding cake. Buying sheet cake to serve in the back of the kitchen is also a frugal idea.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
4. Rent your wedding dress. You should really only be wearing that once in your lifetime. If you\u2019re planning on saving it for sentimental reasons and\/or would like for your future daughter to wear it to prom, then by all means purchase the wedding dress. But if it\u2019s anything short of those reasons, brides should rent their wedding dress to save money. If you\u2019re only going to wear it once, pay the price of wearing it for a day, not for a lifetime. I would also advocate that for the groom\u2019s tuxedo, however, unlike a wedding dress, a nice tailored tux can be reused and reworn for various other events that are not a wedding. So it could technically be a valuable investment.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

   Budgeting for a wedding is not a glamorous task but when you break down the cost and trim the fat so to speak, you will be saving lots of money. You don\u2019t necessarily need a wedding budget calculator that accounts for everything down to the cent, but a general idea of where you can afford to cut costs will help with the overall affordability of your dream wedding. For more frugal wedding tips, please leave a comment or share this article with a groom or bride who\u2019s looking to get hitched in 2024!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

   Weddings, no matter how big or small, are unforgettable milestones in one\u2019s life. We\u2019ve all envisioned how it will go down. Whether it\u2019s elopement, a beach wedding, a vineyard ceremony, or a backyard wedding, every couple looking to get hitched has a specific vision in mind. But when visions are brought to reality, they can […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":75,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-72","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n