Getting Married? Tips to Help You Save on the Wedding
This week, my New York Daily News column – which is syndicated, so it may have ended up in your local paper, as well – was about recouping some of the cash that’s spent on weddings. Everything from the dress to the decorations is finding a place on the used market these days.
Of course, saving money upfront is an even better option. The column caught the eye of my friend Josh from college, who shot me an email this morning outlining the money-saving strategies he and his wife used when they got married in 2000. I thought his suggestions were worth passing on:
Get creative with the dress. Josh’s wife got hers at an outlet, but thrift stores and online discount websites are also great options.
Limit the size. Of the wedding, not the dress. Keeping your guest count low is the best way to cut costs, as is shortening the length of the party itself. An afternoon wedding is another great option – it’s often much cheaper than an evening event.
Pick your battles. It’s hard to afford an upscale menu and a full bar, so focus on one or the other, whichever is most important to you. It’s okay to stick to beer, wine and champagne so your guests can dine on shrimp and steak, or go for a full bar but a scaled back menu. It’s your day.
Go off-season. Having your wedding in a down month – Josh and his wife were married in January – can save you up to 25% across the board. Venues, photographers, florists and DJs are slower in the winter months, so they’re more likely to work with you.
Put off the honeymoon. It’s tempting to take off right after the reception, but if you’ve already laid out a lot of cash, it can make sense to wait a few months and give yourself time to save up. You also might want to consider piggybacking on other events that are on your schedule – if you have to go somewhere fun for work, plan your honeymoon in the same city right after so part of the airfare will be covered. Josh said he and his wife planned their trip around a business conference they had to attend in Paris.
