25 Unique Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding
Tips On How To Save Money On Your Wedding
I think we all can agree Weddings are EXPENSIVE. Not only does the Wedding Day cost a lot, but so does the Honeymoon, the new housing situation, and of course, starting a new life together.
I got married a little over a year ago and as a college student, things can get tight pretty quickly. So here are a few tips and tricks I used, or at least wish I used to save me hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars.
1. Buy Your Veil on Facebook Marketplace
When I went dress shopping I loved my dress but I didn’t even know if I wanted a Veil. The dress store told me it would be $300 just for the type of veil I wanted. I honestly didn’t think it was worth it for only a few pictures.
I checked Facebook Market place in hope that maybe someone was selling one that would match my dress. There were so many!! I found one that would perfectly match my dress and it was the perfect length for it too. It only cost me $15!!!
If you do this, make sure you check if the veil is the right type of white for your dress. If your dress is Ivory make sure you check that it is actually an Ivory Veil. Or if it is a White Dress make sure it’s a white veil. But for $15 it may be worth a few mistakes.
Not only can you check Facebook Market place but also try Craigslist, KSL Classified, etc..
2. Barrow Decor
Luckily my 2 older siblings got married a few years before me and my Mom saved most of their wedding decor. I was able to sort through and choose what would work for my wedding. This saved me and my family so much money in the long run! I now tell my friends who are getting married to come over and look through a few of the boxes. I then let them pick and choose what might work for their Wedding.
Another example of borrowing decor: if a friend has a large picture frame in their house you could ask to borrow it. At your Wedding, you could use it as a day plan or as decor. Along with other decor items your close friends may have like lanterns, plants, etc…
3. Print your Invitations Double-sided
I used Vistaprint to do all of my Wedding Invitations and was able to make it double-sided. (There are definitely other ways you can make them double sided but that’s just what I used.) I made one side a super cute picture from our Engagement Shoot. ( My super talented sister took Danielle Gwilliam Photography. ) And for the other side our Wedding date announcement, Registry information, & RSVP.
Having double-sided Invitations is a lot cheaper than printing a photo and the Wedding information on a separate card. Especially when you have to buy everything in bulk.
4. Start with a Smaller Ring
I heard this one from my best friend’s Mom and I absolutely loved the idea! Start off with a smaller diamond. Paying for a wedding is super expensive and it’s not always ideal to spend over $7,000 for a wedding ring upfront. And then even more in a few months!
So start with a diamond (or another gem) that is a little smaller than your dream ring. Then on a future anniversary when you can actually afford a larger diamond. Sell your diamond and use that money to buy a bigger sized one.
Not only does this save you money at the time. But it also makes your anniversary and your wedding ring even more special.
5. Get Moissanite instead of a Diamond
The price of Diamonds is ridiculous and honestly not worth it. Moissanite is almost as strong as a Diamond and actually reflects light better than diamonds. (which means it sparkles more than a Diamond 😉 . I kept telling my Husband (Fiance at the time) to not spend the money on a Diamond. But instead, get Moissanite and he did! We got to put the money towards more education and even a house! Definitely worth at least considering!
If you are set on having a Diamond, you could also consider getting a Lab-created Diamond. The exact same Gem but a lot cheaper! ( still a little more expensive than Moissanite but a Diamond none the less.)
My absolute favorite Moissanite Ring shop is Olive Ave Jewellery. They are SUPER cute and affordable rings that are definitely worth checking out!
| 1 Carat Diamond = $1,800- $12,000 | 1 Carat Lab-Created Diamond= $800-$1000 (although it has no resale value) | 1 Carat Moissanite = $600 |
6. Have your Bridesmaids pay for their Dresses as a Wedding Gift
My bridesmaids were a huge help when it came to choosing the perfect bridesmaid dresses. I gave them a few color options and we all searched the web together. The group chat was flooded with a bunch of dresses. We wanted something formal but we also wanted something that they would want to actually wear again.
Then instead of getting me a wedding present, they can just pay for their dress and keep it and use it whenever they want after the Wedding. One of my bridesmaids even wore it to her engagement shoot that summer!
7. See if Friends that are good at Hair/ Photos will make you a deal
I think we all have that friend who is either really good at doing hair or an actual hairdresser. You could reach out to them and see if they would be willing to give you a friend discount and be apart of your special day.
This also goes with Photographers. Although I do not suggest going cheap with photographers. Photographers can be some of the most important people in keeping that day rememberable for years to come. You don’t want that to be messed up. So make sure they line up with what you want. But if you do have a talented friend or family member, see if they would be willing to help you out. In return, you can give them more exposure through social media, etc…
8. Check Facebook Marketplace
You never know what is going to be on Facebook Marketplace, so the rule of thumb, check Facebook Marketplace! You can find Decor, Used dresses, Veils, Shoes, etc… And usually for quite a bargain. You will be surprised what is on there and how some items are practically brand new.
Not only should you check Facebook Marketplace but also try looking at Craigslist, KSL Classified, and other websites like them. There sometimes is a diamond in the rough.
9. Outdoor wedding
If you are able to have an outdoor wedding, try looking for one! Ask friends that have large yards if they would be willing to let you use their yard for your wedding. Or some parks even allow you to use it for a venue and are definitely cheaper than indoor wedding venues. Outdoor Weddings can be absolutely gorgeous!
10. Church wedding
Most Churches are only being used a few days out of the week and many are available to book. For example, The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints has a gymnasium. If you contact their Bishop they will most likely let you book the gymnasium for free. Of course, booking at a church would mean no alcohol. But for a free venue, it might just be worth it!
It may look tacky at first, but with the right decor, you could make it look magical! I have seen it be done before so I know it’s possible!
11. Do your own nails
Nails are such a minor detail that you will barely notice in the long run. Plus doing your own nails will save you A LOT of money upfront and also in the long run. You can even buy Gel nail kits on Amazon for super cheap and have awesome nails for years to come.
12. Consider Dress Rentals
A lot of people would never even consider Wedding Dress Rentals because they have the stigma of being gross and outdated. But in recent years a lot of Wedding Dress rentals have stepped up their game. For a dress you are only going to wear for a day, it is at least worth considering. You never know what is out there until you check. It may just be your dream dress.
Some people want to save their dress so their future daughter can wear it to her wedding. But let’s be honest, dresses can get trendy and outdated quickly. Your style may not be your daughter’s style. I know I don’t want poofy shoulders and a mermaid dress. So do not get your hopes too high on that one. It probably isn’t worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a small chance that your daughter may want to wear it.
13. Do your own Makeup
There are so many YouTube Tutorials out there and product recommendations! It is possible for you to do your own makeup. Plus you have probably been doing your makeup for most of your life. You will know what you like and what you don’t like. There is even a chance you have most of the makeup already. I would definitely suggest getting more high-end makeup for your Wedding day. Then you can use it after your wedding day too!
I would also consider talking to make up professionals at Sephora or other makeup places to make sure you get the right shade for your skin tone.
14. Check the Dollar store
Every time I go to the dollar store I am ALWAYS shocked at what they have, for only a dollar. Not saying you have to use stuff from the dollar store, but it is definitely worth checking out before buying expensive decor. There are so many things that a layer of spray paint could make into a super cute decor piece.
If you go to the Dollar Tree Website you will notice that you can also buy things in bulk for even cheaper. If you want real Wine glasses, the Dollar tree has them! Along with so many other things that you would not realize they had unless you checked.
15. Check some thrift stores
Thrift stores are always full of surprises. There are even more finds in larger city’s thrift stores. With a little searching, you may just find a diamond in the rough. With a little fixing up you won’t even be able to tell it’s been thrifted.
Plus Vintage is in and you can find a bunch of vintage decor pieces at thrift stores. You may just need to get a little creative and you will save hundreds.
16. Honey
Honey is a chrome extension that has literally saved me so much money. Once downloaded, Honey will be in the corner of your screen. Every time you go to purchase something online it will scan for promo codes or deals. You probably wouldn’t have known they existed unless it checked for you.
I use Honey for literally everything I buy online. I told all my bridesmaids to use honey when purchasing their bridesmaid dresses. It saved them all $15 off their dress. And with 5 bridesmaids, that saved a lot of money super quickly!
17. Rakuten
Rakuten is also a chrome extension and an app I use all the time. All you do is when you buy things online go through Rakuten. It will then give you a certain percentage back each time you buy with them. The percentage is different for every store but is definitely worth it! After a certain amount of time Rakuten will send you a check in the mail for all the money you got from your cashback.
This is also a super great app because if you already know you are going to buy something, you might as well use Rakuten. And get money back from your purchases.
It use to be called Ebates but now they renamed it it Rakuten.
18. Shop Online
When shopping online there are so many ways to find great deals and save money. You can also compare similar items and choose what works best for you and your price range. Not only will you find great deals, But you can also look for exactly what you want instead of settling for something you found in store because it was “close enough”.
19. DIY Wedding Decor
Fixing up items to match your wedding can be super easy and super cost-efficient. If you found it at a thrift store or at the dollar store you can save so much money. With a little coat of spray paint or a little fixing up, it will match your decor perfectly.
If you are good at would working you could even make your own arch or other decor items. Go on Pinterest for a little inspiration and get to work! You will save a lot of money if you get a little crafty!
20. Delegate to Family and Friends
Catering can be expensive, having a few helping hands could save you a lot of money. I luckily had a few family members and friends who were more than happy to help me out on our big day. It made it a lot less stressful and we were so grateful for all of their help!
My grandmother is amazing at arranging bouquets and actually did all of our floral and it turned out absolutely perfect! My close family friends helped us set up decorations beforehand and also clean up. It was a lot of fun! We blasted music and made everything look absolutely perfect!
As well My brother is good at audio equipment, and my cousin is a good DJ. Together they were great at my Wedding!
21. Use Nature to your Advantage
A few months before my Wedding my Grandpa had a huge tree in his yard he needed to get rid of. Luckily my wedding was nature-themed. We took the tree trunk and cut it up into rounds that we then used for our centerpieces. It looked absolutely amazing!!
My Grandma already loves gardening. So for my Sister’s Wedding, she actually grew a lot of the flowers for her wedding in her garden. So if you have a green thumb, or you know someone who does, see if they would be willing to plant some flowers for you.
I lived in Vancouver, Canada, so it was always very green. I was able to use some fern leaves from the forest to go towards my decor and bouquet. Along with other leaves, we were able to find in our backyard.
22. Take advantage of Black Friday + Cyber Monday
If you are able to wait to buy things until Black Friday, Cyber Money, or potentially Boxing Day (in Canada). You will literally save hundreds of dollars. There are so many MASSIVE sales so most of the stuff you want to buy will be on sale.
23. Have a Talented Friend or Family Member Make your Cake
A cake at least for me was a very minor detail that I would be fine without having one. But my Mom is super talented and made my dream cake. There are so many simple cake designs out there. So even if your friends aren’t professionals, they would still be able to recreate it.
24. Book an Air Bnb instead of a hotel for your Honey Moon
Hotels can be expensive or even trashy looking. Your Honey Moon should be nothing but magical. Luckily Air BnB’s have super cute houses that you can book. The location may even be better than a hotel. So it is definitely worth looking into! With an Air BnB, you can also have access to a kitchen. So you will be able to save money by making things instead of going out to eat for every meal.
25. After the Wedding Registry
For my Registry I used Target. After my Wedding Day, they offered a discount for everything that wasn’t purchased on my registry. The discount lasted a few months. We were able to buy everything else we needed from the registry for 25% off! So be smart with what you put on your Registry and you could get some massive savings!
I hope these tips helped you save Hundreds on your wedding!
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Check out my blog post on 6 Wedding Games You Have To Play At Your Reception. They are all super fun games and they include free printables!
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You had some helpful tips. Some I wouldn’t have known about. Glad Im done though. ❤️