Want a wedding of your dreams, but don’t want to completely break the bank? Worry not! The best of both worlds is entirely possible. You can have the kind of wedding that is perfect for you, without flushing needless thousands of dollars down the drain.
Figure Out What’s Important to You
The first step is understanding that not every single element of your wedding needs to be out of your wildest fantasy. The key to achieving the balance you’re looking for is to decide what is really important to you. Sit down with your spouse-to-be and have a talk. Which elements of the wedding are those that you are going to remember forever? Is there anything that would seriously disappoint you to not have? Consider the decorations, the dress, the guests, the ceremony – think about every element from a critical angle. Let go of those factors that would be nice to have picture-perfect but may not be practical.
Get Married Outside of Peak Seasons
Weddings – just like everything else – have cycles and seasons when they occur more often. Venues, DJs, bakeries, and other services that tend to be hired for weddings may charge more in the popular time of the year. Thus, off-season weddings can be less costly than the peak season during the summer and early fall. It may also be easier to get the venues or services you want in the off-season, since their bookings will have a lot more space. The downside is, of course, that family and friends may not be as available to travel during the week in question due to school, work, or other commitments that also normally occur around then.
Simplify
It may be tempting to have a wedding of extravagance, where you invite every friend, family member, coworker, and associate you’ve ever known. But the fact of the matter is that you may find yourself regretting such a large-scale ordeal! Not to mention the costs that usually accompany such an event. Even with the elements of the wedding that you have decided are important to you, you may want to consider the simplified version. This might be a more selective guestlist or a smaller, acoustic live band. It might be a smaller cake. The trick here is to recognize that simpler or smaller does not mean less beautiful or elegant – sometimes, less is more.
Your wedding should be one of the best days of your life. While it can be very difficult to plan and carry out, the fact is that having an amazing wedding without losing all your hard-earned money is not only possible, but practical. Just remember to relax and make the memories that last a lifetime!
Check out this article on what information you should put on your wedding invites!