10 ways to save money on your wedding day. A full list of things that could be done differently so you get more bang for your buck.
1. HAVE A WEEKDAY WEDDING
The most popular date for weddings is Saturday but if you have a little flexibility, consider booking your venue on a weekday. Most venues provide a lower cost on weekdays and/or if you choose an off-season date (December-March).
2. LOOK FOR A NONTRADITIONAL VENUE
Set within the heart of your city is probably a quirky wedding venue, a local brewery/winery or even someone that you know who has land. Look at venues that are off the beaten path and it could save you tons of money in the process.
NONTRADITIONAL WEDDING VENUES IN CINCINNATI
3. CREATE A FREE WEDDING WEBSITE ON ZOLA
Creating a free wedding website will save you tons of money on your wedding day. If you’re someone who wants to skip out on traditional invites and do things virtually, this is a great way to do it. If you’re looking for a free wedding website with great features, Zola has it all. With their free wedding website, you can give your guests; transportation recommendations, hotel accommodations, wedding gift registries and more. They also give you the ability to let guests RSVP through your website and for any other events that may be happening during your wedding weekend like an after party, reception dinner, etc.
4. PRINT SAVE THE DATES YOURSELF
There’s no reason to pay a hefty fee for Save The Dates when you can easily customize them yourself or buy a an affordable customizable template like these from, Tylie Vibes. You can also make a DIY Save The Date from Canva.com and print through their services. If you want to print at home, all you need is; hefty cardstock, craft scissors and envelopes for sending.
5. CUT OUT THE FAVORS
After being a wedding photographer for 8 years, I have noticed that favors are always left on wedding days and it ends up being a waste of money. Many guests don’t notice favors unless they are right in front of them but often times after a night of dancing, favors are left on tables. I promise your guests will appreciate better food or an open bar, rather than a small item that they might not use in the future.
6. SAY BYE TO BOUTONNIÈRES
The amount of times I’ve heard “OH SHIT, WHERE ARE THE BOUTONNIERES!” is honestly a little ridiculous. Or the moments where wedding party members were supposed to have them on but just completely forgot. You end up wasting money and you can easily spend that money on a bigger bouquet or into another aspect of your wedding day.
7. MAKE A POLAROID STATION
Let’s be real, photo booths can be super pricey. If you’re looking for a unique guest book idea or DIY photo booth, consider getting a polaroid camera. All you need is; an Instax camera, multiple packs of Polaroid film (I recommend getting a 100pk of film from Target), a blank guest book and sharpies. Your friends and family can leave you notes with their photo next to it. This is a great gift to go through after your day is done. *A pro tip – hire one of your cousins or even a high school student looking to make a little extra cash. This ensures that your polaroid camera doesn’t get damaged by someone and everything will be in control.
8. HIRE YOUR FRIEND AS A BARTENDER
If you have a BYOB friendly venue, skip out on hiring a big company and ask a friend or family member to help out. You can save even more money by having beer, wine and two signature cocktails. If anyone wants to bring their own top shelf liquor, they can but that’s on them – not you. Your friends and family should be appreciative for anything that they receive on your wedding day! Don’t feel pressured to have a ton of alcohol. Save the money and use it towards your honeymoon instead! *A pro tip – make a framed sign for your bartender with their Venmo code or ways to pay through a mobile device. This has been a hit at recent weddings.
9. BOOK YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER FOR LESS HOURS
Most photographers offer 3 bases packages for certain hours. You can find some photographers who offer full day coverage or even a 12 hour photography package. Do you need all of those hours though? If having your photographer throughout the whole reception is important to you, then definitely hire them for more hours. If you’re someone who doesn’t need the photos of your friends/family trashed and doing Cotton Eyed Joe all night, then consider hiring your photographer for 6-8 hours. This is more than enough time to document everything that you need, including a bit of the reception. If you’re looking for a photographer, I gotchu!
10. SPOTIFY VS. A DJ
Instead of hiring a wedding DJ, consider making a Spotify playlist and doing it yourself! This can save you a ton of money in the long run. Designate a friend to help play the music or have your wedding party help during different parts of the night (one person to play the cocktail playlist, one person to start the dance playlist, etc). If you need helping making the wedding playlist, ask your guests what song will get them on the dance floor!
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