A guide to wedding budgeting in 2022

Weddings are expensive.

And in fact, it feels like they are getting more expensive every year.

Many people are opting for extravagant weddings with expensive assets every step of the way. Expensive stationery, expensive decor, expensive flowers, extra meals, extra favours, extra entertainment.

Whatever it is, it adds up to - expensive.

But you don’t have to choose this path and you can still have the wedding of your dreams while doing so on a budget.

If you are worried about things being a little tight or you simply don’t believe in spending what could be a down payment on a house on one wedding day, check out our four top tips below to save some money on your big day.

Your bank account will thank you.

Pick the right venue

Aspects that can really add up in your wedding fund are decorations and visual extras throughout your wedding venue.

The best way to avoid having to rent or buy lots of extra decorations and aesthetic items is to pick a wedding venue that already caters for your style.

Most wedding venues are already beautifully decorated and if you pick one that suits your style and needs, you are much less likely to even want any extra decor.

Have a look around and make sure you are picking the venue that will work out best for you on the day with the way it looks now and not the way you could imagine it would look with lots of extras.

Extra decorations usually end up in the bin and your guests might not even notice them.

Keep it simple, pick a great venue, and save yourself some extra cash.

Photo by Keenan Barber on Unsplash

Be ruthless with your guest list

Weddings post-Covid are smaller than ever and this is a great thing for your wallet.

The pandemic has shown us how we can have small weddings with limited guest lists and still be happy.

The best and quickest way to save money on your wedding is to cut down your wedding guest list.

All those extra seats and meals really really add up.

If it’s someone who isn’t an active part of your life but your parents want to invite them, why should that add hundreds to your final bill?

It shouldn’t.

Stay strong and only invite people you really want to and who really add something to your life.

This will make a significant difference to how much the wedding costs you in the end.

Make a priority list

Collaborate with your partner to make a list of priority spending for your wedding day.

Getting everything you both want and dream of will drive your budget into the ground. But being realistic that you can still plan lots of things that you want but not everything will really help.

The best way to do this while simultaneously avoiding disappointment is to create a list of your joint priorities and then start making cuts from the bottom up whenever you need to.

Axing things from the bottom of the list should be a lot less painful than the opposite way around, and it helps you both keep a handle on your spending without ruining your day.

Priorities and compromises make for a happy wedding couple.

Go homemade

Photo by Wedding Photography on Unsplash

When it comes to things like extra decorations or wedding favours, if you do want to include these, go homemade and DIY where possible.

Hiring other companies, vendors, or small businesses to create and supply these things can become a big extra cost to your wedding.

You can avoid some of this by buying things in bulk and putting them together yourself.

This is also a fun way to budget as it will give you, your partner and your bridal party some fun, bonding activities to do in the run-up to the wedding itself.

Little DIY projects can make your wedding feel more personal and sentimental too, and they can set your wedding apart from all the other ones you will see on social media in the same year.

Overall…

Having a budget and being wise with your spending doesn’t mean that you will have a boring wedding day.

It can really mean the opposite.

Being wise with your budget means that you can let go and enjoy yourself without having to worry about a rack of unnecessary debt that you have acquired. =

Pick the right venue, choose your guests wisely, have a list of priorities, take part in some DIY, and you should be able to have the wedding of your dreams without the debt of your nightmares.

Focus less on the money and more on the love, and you will have the best wedding ever.

Good luck!