Weddings are expensive. Simply the costs of materials are going up across the board. So where can you save money and still give an incredible experience for yourself, your partner, and guests? We are giving you six simple and practical ways to save money on your wedding or next event!

The Bar

If you can, you should have an open bar. But instead of having multiple liquors, mixers, etc., just stick with two to three signature cocktails that are customized. Your bar will move faster and your guests will have enough of a selection to pick from.

Keep it simple!

Printed Items

You don’t need to print the ceremony program and the menu for every guest. The program can be one for each family or couple. And the menu can be printed once for the entire table. It also creates a less cluttered reception table. At the end of the night, a lot of your printed materials will end up getting tossed.

Pro Tip: Just be sure to give a set to your photographer who can photograph these along with the rest of your stationary.

Escourt cards are another item you can do away with. Escourt displays have been trending and you can get really unqiue to include your theme.

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Your Cake

These days, a majority of your guests won’t be eating cake. So don’t waste a giant tiered cake if you don’t want to. Do a smaller display cake. Or you can do a dessert bar and offer a variety of sweet delights! No one is going to know that you are serving them sheet cakes from the back.

And if you really want that wow designer multi-tiered cake, ask your cake artist for a faux cake. They can do faux layers and just have one ‘real’ cake for you to cut for photos!

Getting Married on a Different Day

There are seven days you can choose to get married. And since many people are typically making a small trip out of your event, pick another date! Friday and Sunday weddings are more popular than you think and often venues and other vendors offer discounts.

We got married on a Friday and loved having the whole weekend to celebrate! It gave our guests a 3-day weekend and they didn’t complain. People will attend no matter the date if they truly love and support you guys.

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Think In-Season & Local

This goes for both your florals and your food. Let the experts help you pick in-season items that can cut down on their costs. You save on those pricey shipping costs when it is locally grown.

Have A Smaller Guest List

Having less guests will greatly affect your budget. You will save money on rentals, food, flowers, decor, dessert, stationary. You get the idea. Plus, you get to have more quality face time with each guest that is in attendance! You can always have a fun backyard bash later on and invite everyone to celebrate at a later date.

We had a second reception for family and friends that were out of town, and it worked out great.