HOW TO PLAN YOUR dream wedding without breaking the bank
Your wedding is going to be without doubt one of the most beautiful days of your life but let’s be honest, preparing an important event such as a wedding can involve a significant amount of money.
According to a 2020 Survey, the average cost of getting married last year in Australia was approx AUD 36,000. The good news is that with some careful consideration, you can still plan your dream wedding without breaking the bank.
The wedding dress, the ceremony and reception venue, the flowers and decorations are just some of the many items that will significantly increase the final bill. But if you face every choice with the right precautions you will see that the savings will be assured, especially if you follow these 9 tips!
1. Define an underestimated budget
The budget will be your starting point from which you absolutely must not escape. A tip to save and thus avoid spending more than budgeted is to establish an underestimated base or a lower amount than you can actually afford. In this way, you will have a margin within which to move and spend a little more.
Download my FREE WEDDING BUDGET SPREADSHEET HERE
2. Prioritize
After establishing a budget, the second thing to do is to sit down at the table with your partner and write down a list of priorities for both. In this way you will already have a fairly clear vision of which expenses you can do without and which instead will have absolute priority. For example, if among your priorities there is the bridal look, you could add more budgets both for the Wedding Dress that you have already spotted in that famous atelier and for your favourite shoes.
3. DIY details
DIY doesn’t always mean cheap. If you are a little creative and with some help from friends and Pinterest you could create some fabulous DIY wedding PLACE CARDS and MENUS, following the theme of the wedding established and which will also give a personalized note to the whole environment. Another detail to be made with your own hands could be the small gift to place on the tables for your guests. But please be mindful about how much time is needed and the cost to create some DIY elements for your day as often DIY can end up costing more than hiring a professional vendor.
4. Family accessories
If you have spared no expense for the dress and the wedding shoes, you could instead make some cost cuts with some wedding accessories. Such as? By choosing some family jewels instead of new ones, such as grandma’s pearl necklace, dad’s cufflinks, etc. In addition to saving on the total cost, you will give your wedding day a very personalized touch.
5. Seasonal flowers
Flowers represent one of the great costs of organizing a wedding, which is why we advise you to avoid choosing types that are too particular and difficult to find. If you don’t want to spend too much, it is better to focus on seasonal qualities that don’t cost you an eye. You can also check my blog post Best wedding flowers by season in Australia which could help you to find the right flowers for your wedding day.
6. Review the guest list
If the guest list has gotten out of hand, try to review it several times so that you can do another skimming. Who to invite to your wedding always remains one of the most difficult steps to take when organizing a wedding. Just ask yourself which people are really necessary to invite and which not, leaving distant relatives or friends at home that you haven’t seen for years.
7. Midweek wedding
Avoid getting married on the weekends, especially if your wedding date is in Spring or Summer. A midweek wedding will cut your ceremony and reception venue costs significantly! Also, other vendors often offer small discounts for midweek weddings.
8. Getting married in the low season
Same goes for weddings celebrated in the cold months. Certainly, the ceremony & reception venue will cost you a bit less, giving you the opportunity to bet and spend more for other suppliers: it is really the ideal time to wear a charming winter wedding dress with long sleeves, don’t you think?
9. Do not improvise
Very often couples believe they are saving money by relying on people who are probably improvised, such as a friend with a hobby for photography, or a cousin who might think she is an expert makeup artist. The results could be unprofessional photos and a very short-lasting natural bridal makeup, so as a last tip try not to improvise with your suppliers.
