I can’t believe how fast our wedding has come and gone. 22 full months of planning, and within 1 day it’s all over. I loved every second of our engagement, and so glad we had so much time to enjoy it. It was definitely a great part of relationship, but now we’re onto the next chapter… Marriage!
Our wedding was truly something special I will never forget. From the messy weather, the location, and ruining my dress, everything still ended up being perfect and I couldn’t be happier with how it all turned out. We ended up downsizing our 90 person wedding to around around 35 and had the best time enjoying the evening on the water in a more intimate setting.
Now that we’re back from honeymoon, and things have “settled” down, I wanted to share with you how we to save money on our wedding, and what to invest in. We also paid for everything out of pocket. Having a 22 month long engagement allowed us a ton of time to save, and prepare for all payments! It feels amazing to have absolutely no wedding debt. I thought it would be good to show you that you don’t need to spend a ton of money to have a beautiful day.
According to The Knot, the average wedding costs around $35,000+. There was no way I was spending over near that for one day. No matter the price, your wedding day should be the happiest day of your life. It’s not about the money, but the celebration of love. So here’s how we had our wedding under $10,000 and how to save money on your wedding altogether.
HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON YOUR WEDDING
*DISCLAIMER*: The budgets I am listing below, were budgeted for in 2019, and since then vendors may have changed/re-evaluated costs w/ Covid. This is also just what I suggest budgeting, not necessarily what I paid.
CEREMONY: $0
By choosing to have our ceremony in a public space, we had absolutely no cost. Whether this be a beach, a park, or a garden, public places do not charge since you cannot “reserve” the area. A backyard can also cost you nothing! For our beach wedding however we did have to call the borough to let them know so they could alert city police, and that no other weddings were happening at the same time as a conflict of interest.
FOOD/RECEPTION: Budget around $2,000
This truly varies. Food is typically much more than this, but we did it the easy way! Have a smaller wedding! The more people you invite, the more plates you will pay for. Food trucks are extremely trendy right now, or go buffet style! We just went to a public restaurant and did not reserve a space, so we ate with the public and still had a wonderful time and just paid the bill at the end of the night!
PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEO CLIPS: Budget around $1,500
Our amazing wedding photographer was running a spectacular deal in the past, and I had to book right then and there. Definitely take an opportunity like that to cut costs! My advice to any future brides would be to make this a majority of your budget though. This is probably the most important part of your day. Capturing all of the moments. I learned that real fast.
FLORALS: Budget around $2,000
Florals have always been something I’ve loved, and pretty much the only pattern on clothing I wear. Florals were also extremely important to me because in my opinion they make or break a wedding, so I made sure to keep this as a large part of my budget as well. They provide ambiance, smells, and beauty, and create gorgeous backdrops, and decor for photos, and being there in person.
DAY OF COORDINATOR: Budget around $700
If there is one thing you MUST get for your wedding besides the obvious other vendors, it’s a day of coodinator. Originally I was going to be planning/doing this entire wedding by myself the day of, but realized that is just truly not realistic, and I would be so busy getting ready, there would be no time for me or family to set up.
OFFICIANT: Budget under $200
This number typically ranges between $150-$500. We were happy with this price!
HAIR/MAKEUP: Budget under $150
Some salons will overcharge you, and I’ve seen brides pay up to $1,000! This is one service your bridesmaids will have to cover themselves to help keep wedding costs low.
DRESS: Budget around $3,000
You can find so many beautiful gowns for under $3,000. After that, I personally don’t think the price is worth it for a day. Price doesn’t always equal beauty. This costs also included my alterations.
INVITATIONS: Under $20
We did e-vites to save money on our wedding! Invitations can be expensive, and so it postage. However, there are so many affordable options out there!
COSTS OF PRICES I DID PAY FOR OTHER THINGS:
GUESTBOOK: Under $50
WELCOME SIGN: Under $50
ARBOR: Under $200
VEIL/HAIRPIECE/SHOES/JEWELRY: Under $200
FAVORS: Under $100
There are so many different ways to cut costs and have your dream budget wedding, we just chose to go with vendors/friends we loved and trusted. No matter how much you plan, or how much you spend, it’s your wedding day, and nothing else can change that. Do what you love and want!
For more Wedding Wednesday posts, check out my entire series here throughout our planning process!
EVERYTHING I USED FOR MY BRIDESMAID BOXES
WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR WEDDING BOUQUET AFTER THE BIG DAY
Here is a wedding photo dump below 🙂
