Personal Finance: 9 Ways to Get Hitched on a Dime

Your wedding is meant to be a once-in-a-lifetime moment in time, when you officially merge your life with your partner’s in the presence of your closest friends and family. However, just because this is a major milestone does not mean that you need to take a sledgehammer to your personal finances and splurge on every last item. Here are nine ways to get hitched for cheaper, saving your dimes and pennies along the way.

Remember: you do not need to spend a fortune to have a beautiful wedding day. There are plenty of ways to decrease your costs while also creating memories to last a lifetime.

Get Married on an Off-Day

Weekends are going to be the most expensive times to book a location, especially Saturdays. Think about getting married during the week to keep your costs down.

Those who are traveling will likely need to take time off anyway, and tying the knot on a Thursday or Friday will allow you to extend the celebrations into the weekend. In addition, getting married in the evening will allow those living in town to join the celebrations without missing work.

Hold a Shoulder Season Wedding

Shoulder seasons are made for bargain hunting. Defined as the time between the peak and the off-season, decreased demand could help you find some cheaper venue options.

While you do not need to get married in the dead of winter, avoiding peak times can also help you save on costs. This will help your out-of-town guests to save as well, as flights and hotels should also be less pricey.

Have the Ceremony and Reception at the Same Place

Booking your ceremony and reception at the same place can help you reduce expenses. Rather than coordinating with two separate venues, having one point of contact might allow you to book for cheaper by combining certain costs.

Having both events take place at the same location has the added benefit of allowing you to reuse any flower arrangements and decorations at both the ceremony and the reception.

Find Non-Traditional Venues

Think outside the box regarding alternative places to get hitched. Libraries, city halls, and national parks are all options that could be cheaper than traditional hotels and event halls.

However, if you need to provide much of the equipment and materials (think tables, chairs, and linens), these costs could add up, so make sure to take these into account as well.

Book a DJ

Booking a DJ instead of a band can save you a bunch during the reception. While quality DJs do not come cheap, they will cost less than a multi-person band.

In addition, DJs will have a wide range of songs and melodies that they will be able to play. Bands, even the most talented ones, may not be able to perform all your favorite hits.

Buy Your Own Alcohol

Bringing your own alcohol will allow you to define the refreshments that you are offering. Providing one or two beer and wine options and purchasing them in advance can be much cheaper than serving a full bar.

Here’s another fun idea: design one or two custom cocktails that reflect your and your partner’s tastes and personalities.

Just make sure that you have a licensed bartender serving the drinks to prevent your younger, underage brother from trying to imbibe.

Send Online Invitations

The cost of physical invitations can get pricey, and many options are made from high-quality materials. As more and more of our lives continue to migrate online, few would raise an eyebrow upon receiving an invitation electronically.

Doing so has the added perk of directing your guests to your website–if you have one–along with an automatic link to RSVP. This can save you time and energy, as well as money.

Get a Smaller Cake

Thanks to Hollywood and glamour magazines, scenes of couples jointly cutting a fancy, multilayered wedding cake fill our imaginations. These moments can still happen, but perhaps without all the bells and whistles.

Purchase something nice, classy, and on the smaller end for the cake-cutting ceremony. Having additional cupcakes, cookies, and ice cream for your guests afterward will make sure that everyone is able to get their desired sugar fix.

Cut Down on Your Guest List

This one is rife with emotion, and it can be difficult to exclude friends and relatives, no matter how distant. That being said, this is also an opportunity to decide who in your social circle you feel really close with.

Once you run the numbers, you will have a sense of roughly how much each individual guest will cost. This will present in stark, unemotional terms the price tag for including those distant cousins you have not seen in 10 years. This will help you understand whether inviting them is worth it.

Conclusion: Focus on What Matters

It should go without saying, but the most important part of your wedding is the person that you are committing to build a life with. The fancy ornaments, venues, and meals can certainly be enjoyable, but they should not distract from the focus of the day.

Your friends and family are coming together to support you and your partner, and the memories of the day will hopefully linger with you forever. The costs, on the other hand, should not accompany you for nearly as long.

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