Weddings can be famously expensive. On average, weddings cost about as much as a new car, but that average includes truly extravagant million dollar weddings at exotic locations with extravagant designer dresses. It’s completely possible to have a really nice, heartfelt wedding on a shoestring budget, as long as you watch your expenses carefully.
Prioritize
Prioritizing is important no matter what your budget is, but it’s especially important if you’re trying to minimize costs. Where do you want to spend your money? Do you want to have the perfect venue? The perfect dress? The perfect Pennsylvania wedding music bands? Work with your partner and decide what things are most important to both of you. Those things will get a little bit more leeway in the budget, while other things become less important.
DIY
Look at your to-do list and ask yourself, realistically, what can you DIY? If you’re at all crafty or handy, you can probably DIY some party favors or the invitations, or something. Don’t overreach yourself, though. At a certain point, it can become more expensive to do it yourself than to hire a professional.
Resell
Don’t forget about what happens after the wedding. Sometimes renting is the right solution, but sometimes it is actually cheaper to buy outright and then recoup the expenses by reselling. Tables, plates and flatware, chairs and even decorations are all items that you can potentially resell after your wedding to earn back some of the money you’ve spent. It’s also more environmentally friendly and less wasteful. If you’ve ever helped clean up after a wedding, you know exactly how much waste can be produced.
An expensive wedding won’t guarantee a happy marriage any more than an inexpensive wedding means you don’t care. Spending money is one way to show affection, but managing your money wisely is essential to a lasting, successful partnership.
