How To Trim Your Wedding Budget

How To Trim Your Wedding Budget.jpg

Weddings are really freaking expensive. We get it! Coming from a group of gals that planned their weddings on a budget, we really get it.

But here’s the thing: there are places to trim your budget. Here’s how!


1. Cut the guest count

We know, we know! This is a hard one! “How do I cut my sorority sisters? Or my third cousin that lives in a different state?” Or “We’re not expecting very many people to RSVP.”

Weddings in 2019 are getting more and more intimate. If you’re looking to seriously cut your budget down, consider striking some names off the guest list!

Weddings are really freaking expensive. We get it! Coming from a group of gals that planned their weddings on a budget, we really get it. But here’s the thing: there are places to trim your budget. Here’s how!

Photographer: Monica Alberty Photography

Generally, you can cut people who you don’t actively speak to anymore. Do you have their phone number? If you answered with “Uhhhhhm mayyybe?” you can probably get away with not inviting them!

Don’t count on distance to stop people from coming! If you don’t expect them to come and you can live with them not being in attendance, go ahead and skip the invite.

2. Catering

You know how weddings are getting more intimate? They’re also getting a lot more personal! Instead of spending a fortune on fine dining, opt for your favorite fast food chain!

Weddings are really freaking expensive. We get it! Coming from a group of gals that planned their weddings on a budget, we really get it. But here’s the thing: there are places to trim your budget. Here’s how!

Photographer: Wayfarer Photography

Our CEO, Kara, chose Cabo Bob’s for her wedding. One of our planners, Alex catered P. Terry’s for her wedding. Our other planner, Rachel is having Taziki’s Mediterranean Café for her wedding this fall. There is beauty and deliciousness in cheap catering!

3. Florals

Grab your bridesmaids the night before and have a total girl party! One of the best ways to save on florals is to DIY them yourself.

Weddings are really freaking expensive. We get it! Coming from a group of gals that planned their weddings on a budget, we really get it. But here’s the thing: there are places to trim your budget. Here’s how!

Photographer: Hannah Mayson Photography

Get your flowers from a wholesaler like WholeFoods or Costco and tell your bridesmaids to bring a pair of floral sheers! Not only do you get to bond with your bridesmaids, but you also get to learn how to make a bouquet! Who could say no to that?!

4. Renting

If you’re new to the wedding world, you may be new to the idea of renting décor. We hate to brag, but it’s one of those #weddingplannerperks!

We see it all the time, brides try to DIY their entire wedding and end up spending wayyyy more money than they need too!

You do not need to buy 100 tea light votives for your wedding.

Weddings are really freaking expensive. We get it! Coming from a group of gals that planned their weddings on a budget, we really get it. But here’s the thing: there are places to trim your budget. Here’s how!

Photographer: Joanna Krueger Photography

Like, what do you even do with that many votives?! You can try selling them afterwards, but I can guarantee that you’ll want them gone so bad that you won’t make nearly what you paid for them!

Instead, look into renting décor items from a hospitality group or even some florists and wedding planners! (pssst, did you know we rent out décor? Yep. We own 100 tea light votives, so you don’t have to!)

Some of our favorites to work with in central Texas are Premiere, Whim Hospitality, and Black nor White Events!


Things we don’t recommend skimping on:

1. Wedding Planner

Okay, #biased! Wedding planners are luxury goods, we know! We work with brides of all different budgets and we know that most brides think they can’t afford a wedding planner.

We promise you, though, you need one!

Did you know that a wedding planner can actually save you money in the long run? SAY WHAT?!

Weddings are really freaking expensive. We get it! Coming from a group of gals that planned their weddings on a budget, we really get it. But here’s the thing: there are places to trim your budget. Here’s how!

Photographer: Juliet Maria Photography

You heard me right! A good wedding planner knows your budget and knows what you should be spending on each aspect of your wedding. We’ll recommend places that fit that budget so that you’re not even a little bit distracted by extravagance!

But our real powers lie in our ability to negotiate. Negotiating for our brides is the biggest way we can help you save on your wedding!

I’ll tell you a little story: We have bride who is getting married in June. We were able to negotiate with her venue to get her a lower rate for her wedding date. #score! Later, she fell in love with a beautiful $4,000 wedding dress. Because we had some connections in the area, we sent her to different bridal boutique where she found the exact same dress for 50% off. We have paid for ourselves in the savings that we’ve provided for that bride and we’re still 4 months out from her wedding!

Want to learn more about we can save you money?? Schedule a FREE consultation with us!

2. Photographer

This may seem obvious, but your wedding is going to be immortalized forever in your wedding pictures. We highly recommend finding a photographer that can provide the caliber and quality of photos you’re looking for and take the plunge with them!

Weddings are really freaking expensive. We get it! Coming from a group of gals that planned their weddings on a budget, we really get it. But here’s the thing: there are places to trim your budget. Here’s how!

Juliet Maria Photography

We’ll tell you that the average cost for a professional wedding photographer is $1,500-$3,500. Price doesn’t necessarily mean quality though, so find a photographer that you love and go from there!

3. Venue

Now, we’ll preface this by saying, there are some pretty outrageously priced venues out there! There’s no need to spend $15,000 on a venue, but if there is one that you absolutely love, splurge on it! Like we said above, you’re wedding is going to be immortalized in your pictures and, unfortunately, your venue will probably be in a lot of those pictures!

Weddings are really freaking expensive. We get it! Coming from a group of gals that planned their weddings on a budget, we really get it. But here’s the thing: there are places to trim your budget. Here’s how!

Photographer: Mackenzie Reiter Photography

If you could care less about your venue, try finding a historic property that is owned by the government. Often, these venues will be a little bit cheaper than a venue that operates as a business.

4. Your Dress

You need to feel comfortable and beautiful on your wedding day! If you know you have expensive taste when it comes wedding dresses, leave some extra room in your budget! The last thing you want to be is disappointed when you put your wedding dress on the day of your wedding.

Weddings are really freaking expensive. We get it! Coming from a group of gals that planned their weddings on a budget, we really get it. But here’s the thing: there are places to trim your budget. Here’s how!

Photographer: Hannah Mayson Photography

If you’re looking for designer names on a budget, do some research on when your favorite bridal boutiques run their sales! You can also check out businesses like LuxeRedux Bridal, which carries designer dresses at a fraction of the price!