Love may not cost a thing, but weddings do: 7 tips to help you save – Credit Sesame

Summary:

• Seven tips to help save money before you say, “I Do.”
• You may have a beautiful wedding that will not bust your budget.
• Newly married and soon-to-be-married Credit Sesame employees weigh in on how to reduce your personal day.
• Put your bank account and time toward what matters probably the most.

Wedding bells are now being subjected to the ringer thanks to the pandemic. If you're among the brides or grooms who opted to postpone your wedding to some later date and are in the middle of re-planning, chances are you're being very mindful of your financial allowance.

Our Credit Sesame family members have several happily married and soon-to-be brides and grooms, therefore we asked these to share some of their money-saving hacks, tips, and general words of wisdom for keeping a budget-friendly wedding.

Make a list and prioritize

If you are just starting to plan your wedding, make a list of all things you would like and want for your big day. Then pick which are most significant and for you to either put a smaller budget towards or eliminate altogether.

• Early on within the planning process we put a list together of things we cared about and things we didn't worry about. For things we did care about, we were prepared to splurge a little more for, and also the others, we did the bare minimum. What we should cared about was venue, food, and alcohol. -Vinh Nguyen

Consider non-traditional venues and dates

The word “wedding” can occasionally give a premium to your costs. Holding your personal day at a non-traditional site, like a library or restaurant, could be just like memorable and easier on your wallet, particularly if the list of guests is under 100. Some typical wedding halls could make you purchase a minimum number of guests while other venues may be able to re-classify your wedding as a “private event” for significant savings.

• Evaluate the cost of having your ceremony and reception at different venues vs. booking a venue where one can do both. Along with a destination wedding can actually be cheaper than getting the wedding locally. We'd our wedding in Hawaii, and also the cost per person was less there compared to Bay Area where we live. -Vinh Nguyen
• When I told the venue about our budget and that we wanted approximately 60 people, they classified it as being a “private event” which cut down your budget by half. -Nicole Newby

Instead of the Saturday in June, select a month and day that are less popular and, therefore, usually less expensive.

• If you're flexible together with your date and timing and are willing to book just one year out, venues tend to be more available to price negotiations. –Nicole Newby
• Read your postponement clause. You never know when something from your control will happen. –Ashlynn Avendano

All-inclusive doesn't always mean less expensive

Additional research might take a little extra time, however it will pay off-literally. Many venues offer all-inclusive packages for convenience, but you'll sometimes find hidden or inflated costs that you simply wouldn't pay should you worked with a number of different vendors.

Ask the venue representative if they can recommend a caterer, bartender, florist, band or DJ, photographer or any other vendor you might need. Depending on the venue, such as a restaurant, food and alcohol might be more affordable becasue it is all on-site.

Venues will often have a frequent vendor list that may potentially save you money and lots of time doing research. Plus, when you hire in the preferred vendor list, you know the venue did with them in the past, which can provide you with a level of comfort. However, if you possess the time, you might want to take a look at competitive vendors to determine if you are obtaining the best price.

• One thing to bear in mind when going to a wedding venue is package deals are not always the best offer. –Monique Young
• The venue desired to charge $500 extra to have gold spoons. FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS! –Vinh Nguyen

Don't be afraid to negotiate

If you need to do get a list of vendors out of your venue or have some promising ones through your research, it's a good idea to get different quotes. If there's one vendor you particularly like but that is charging a little more, use a less-expensive quote as a bargaining chip to ascertain if they'll match the price. Many DJs, photographers, and caterers compete within their industries for wedding gigs, so use that to your advantage!

• Be open and honest together with your vendors. Let them know your financial allowance and work something out; the cost for items can invariably be negotiated. –Monique Young
• Don't be afraid to let any vendors realize that another vendor is giving you this deal, because they may match when they want you to definitely book them. The worst they are able to say is no, and when you'll still want that vendor, find out if they can make a deal for you personally in another way. Ask for payment plans should you book your vendors far ahead of time. –Ashlynn Avendano

Say YES to this dress!

According to theKnot.com, the typical price for any wedding dress is $1,600. It can save you cash on a wedding dress by going to a sample sale or trunk show, or perhaps renting an outfit from Rent the Runway.

• Follow bridal salons on instagram, they will share sample sales, or trunk shows that will give some discounts for those who have a popular designer. –Ashlynn Avendano
• If you buy the wedding dress from the bridal shop, the shop may give a price reduction in your bridesmaids' dresses, in addition to a discount for the mother from the bride and mother from the groom. –Monique Young

Bridal party gifts: it's the thought that counts

Bridesmaids appreciate a present for being area of the wedding ceremony. Whatever gift you choose, you may make it more thoughtful and private rather than spending lots of money. One idea is to monogram an item or find something sentimental to your relationship.

• Bridal parties can rack up the price if you want to have them gifts! If you're able to, ensure that it stays small. –Ashlynn Avendano

Use your charge card to earn rewards

If you've got a credit card with a rewards program, it might benefit you for doing things to cover some of your wedding expenses. You'll want to make sure be sure you don't accrue more debt than you can repay, so be sure to balance your expenses and pay off the debt accordingly.

• We're still in early stages of planning, but we've been using our charge card to pay for some of the deposits and expenses. We have already accumulated several points that we'll plan to use to cover plane tickets for our honeymoon. –Nicole Newby

Bottom line: It's not necessary to get into debt to have a beautiful, special and memorable wedding.