As a young engaged couple with a tight wedding budget, we have definitely considered what the absolute necessities are for a nice wedding and what can get cut out. The most important part of cutting things from your wedding is to first make a list of your must haves. Do you really want that photobooth or chocolate fountain and are willing to take money away from other areas to make it work? I mean if you have no worries about money, go for it, but you also probably are reading the wrong article. For us budget savvy bride-to-be’s, I have some ideas of where you can save some money and use it elsewhere for your big day.
- RSVP Cards (with an exception)
-
These days most people have wedding websites which most of their guests can RSVP through. Why pay money for an extra piece of paper when you can simply have them RSVP in minutes online. This is also environmentally conscious, yay! The only exception is to send physical RSVP cards to those you know wouldn’t understand or have access to the site, such as older generations and grandparents. So instead of 100+ RSVP cards you may have 10.
- Tons of Bridesmaids and Groomsmen
-
This one can be tough because you don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings if you choose Becca and not Karen to be a part of your bridal party. Again, prioritize your girls, as weird as this sounds. Who can you not imagine your day without them being at your side while getting ready and while exchanging your vows? Perhaps, who will cause drama? That’s someone to leave out. If anything you can always put it on your hubby, “Well Josh only has 5 groomsmen and we don’t want it to be uneven.” Be honest when you tell someone this decision if they seem like they were waiting for you to ask and also reiterate how much you value them. You can always include them in the events such as the bachelorette party and getting ready on the big day if you so choose.
Now that we got past the hard part, you might be wondering why you should cut down your bridal party. First of all, if you are choosing to pay for makeup, hair, or their dresses, that’s a big chunk of change right there. As someone who has a tight budget, I won’t be covering these costs and I know my girls will understand. Some bridal party costs you can’t really avoid completely: the bridesmaid proposal and the day of gifts. These gifts show your appreciation to them for all the help and for being there on your big day. Now, you don’t have to go all crazy but these items still add up.
- Favors with Bride/Grooms’ Name on it or the date
-
You may think it would be super cute and fitting for the occasion, but these types of favors are often forgotten. Either during clean up you will find them left behind or they will end up in your guests random drawer or basement. Essentially, these types of favors are a waste of money. Instead opt for something that they can use or eat.
- Buying Out a Florists Shop for Decor
-
Okay, I think only billionaires could do this, but my point is that your decor doesn’t all have to be fresh flowers. There are so many different centerpiece options that you can choose that are flowers such as glass votives, floating candles, geometric candle holders, etc. For your flower bouquets, boutineers, and corsages, you can easily make them yourself with the help of your local craft store and youtube. There are also rental services for these too, believe it or not. Flowers are expensive and you know they won’t last long. However, I would not recommend getting your flowers from the dollar store; you still want them to look as realistic as possible for photos.
- Gifts with the words “Bridesmaid” or “Groomsman” on it
-
For your bridal party many of the girls will likely be in a wedding or two in their young adulthood and these items are simply worn once, tossed in the closet, and eventually pile up. I would opt for something that they can wear or use more than just for your wedding. If you want, throw their name on it to personalize the item some more.
- Ceremony Pamphlets
-
In my opinion, these are just pointless. People know what is going to happen at a wedding, they don’t need a sheet telling them. Also, I’d rather have people enjoying the ceremony and not staring at the sheet seeing what is next. One wedding I attended with a pamphlet, I found myself hoping the end would be near. Another wedding I attended that didn’t have a pamphlet I was actually listening to and it didn’t seem too long. Good time to mention to not drag your ceremony on forever.
- Buying the linens
-
When will you ever use these again, never? Honestly, I skip right over venues that don’t include linens unless the price is cheap enough that I could go through a separate rental service for the linens and still not be paying more than another place. You don’t need the linens to match your wedding colors, it is not the end of the world if they are your classic black or white.
- Fancy over the top invitations or save the dates
-
They get thrown out. No two ways about this, the only people that might keep the invitation is yourself, your parents and other immediate family members. So don’t spend a crazy amount on a laser cut invitation that will hang on the fridge for a couple months and then go into the trash. Wow your guests with other things during your wedding, not the invitations.
- Inviting people because you feel obligated
-
A cheap wedding runs on average at least $75/person. News flash, you don’t have to invite kids either. It is your big day and you get to choose who will be at your wedding. Your cousin who you don’t know if they are in a relationship or not, does not get a plus one. Your parent’s friend that you have never met yourself let alone your fiance, doesn’t have to be invited. If your parents or in-laws are demanding that someone gets invited, you can politely say your budget doesn’t have room for them but if they would like to pay for their dinner and drinks then you would be happy to invite them.
- Buying tons of decor
-
If you are able to get a beautiful venue, even less decor is needed! Sometimes less is better, you don’t want your venue to look cluttered with items you found on Facebook marketplace. Speaking of Facebook marketplace though, this should be your first stop for wedding decor. Join all the local wedding resale Facebook groups and start looking or even posting what you are searching for. Hobby Lobby is also another great place that is reasonably priced for decor items.
If you follow these 10 tips of items to cut out of your wedding, you are definitely going to have more room in your budget to either A) stay within your budget or B) be able to get that better dinner option for your guests. It is your day, you get to choose what you do with it and you do not have to follow any standards!