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Save on your wedding
According to government statistics, the average Australian couple will spend around $36,000 on their wedding. To save you from having to sell your car, take out a loan or put off your wedding for another 10 years, here are some tips to help make your wedding more affordable.
Before you start planning
Many Australians go over their wedding budget, so it’s a good idea to start planning early. Have a discussion with your partner about what you want and what you can afford. Make a realistic budget that you know you can stick to. Make sure you get lots of quotes before you book anything and avoid telling suppliers it’s for a wedding if you can. Consider making your guest list early and only invite people who play an active part in your life.
Save with timing
A long engagement can mean your costs are spread out. Send out ‘save the dates’ ahead of time and don’t have your wedding on a Saturday. You can save thousands of dollars by having the event on a Friday, Sunday or even a Wednesday.
Save on the venue
The venue can be one of the biggest costs involved with a wedding. Ask a friend who has a big backyard or property if they’d be willing to let you use it. Find a venue that doesn’t need much decoration and doesn’t require you to use their vendors. Holding the wedding and reception at the same place can reduce costs overall. When it comes to food, think outside the box. Going for a banquet or cocktail style eating can be a lot cheaper than a sit-down dinner served by waiters.
What can you do yourself?
You don’t have to be an artisan baker or handcraft extraordinaire to be able to do a little DIY. You don’t need to hire a professional DJ for entertainment - making a playlist and playing it from a computer or iPod all night can be just as fun. A DIY photo booth is another good idea that will reduce costs. You can set up a white piece of butcher’s paper for a background and have some silly props so guests can take photos on their phones.
Know what you don’t need
Before spending a whole lot on expensive extras, ask yourself, are they ‘must haves’ or ‘nice to haves’? Will you really miss having flowers? Do you even eat cake? Do you need to be dropped off in an old vintage car? Do you have to send out paper invitations? Work out what’s superfluous, and don’t cave into spending on unnecessary things just because you’re getting married.
Remember what it’s all about
You don’t have to spend a whole lot to have a nice wedding and a happy marriage. Research shows that marriages with the greatest longevity had weddings that were relatively inexpensive, but high in attendance.
