Weddings are fun but can leave you with a huge debt at the end. Weddings are a time for celebration and happiness; you should be able to get through with it without spending a fortune so you will only have good memories about this very special day for you and your partner. According to market research, an average Australian wedding costs $36,000, give or take a little. Even a lifetime of memories should not cost that much, and to think that you will spend that much for one day is just not practical.
Not to say that you should penny pinch on your special day but if you can save money and not get into a bad debt would be the ideal way to start your married life. There are ways to keep the wedding costs at a minimum without skimping on the fun and the good times. Here are a few ways to celebrate your union and still save money.
Save Money by Planning Ahead and Keeping a Budget
The best way to save money is to make sure you have enough time to plan the wedding. Anything that is done in haste will make waste. If the suppliers smell that you are under pressure and short on time, they will most likely hike up the rates knowing you have little room to find another supplier. When you speak to suppliers don’t say it’s a wedding, suppliers tend to overprice services for weddings because it’s a once in a lifetime event and they probably think that you are ready to bust the bank. Just do a generic inquiry like a gathering for so and so number of people without disclosing the nature of the event, once they give you a figure then you can say it’s a wedding. Once you set your budget stick to it, if you hire a wedding coordinator tell them what your strict budget is and ask that they work within that amount.
Little Things Can Make You Save Money Big Time
Again the secret to this money saving tip is having enough time to plan and execute before the big day. DIY invitations not only save you hundreds of dollars but your guests will receive something with your personal touch. Professional invitations cost $8-$10 each whereas a DIY invite will cost $1-$2, that’s a saving of around $700 for a hundred guests. Filter your guest list; you don’t want to invite the entire town. Make sure you only invite the people you really want present on your wedding day, the ones that count are the ones that made a difference in you and your partner’s life. Don’t go crazy with signature gowns and suits. You will only wear them once and it’s not like you can wear the price tag on your forehead for everyone to see how expensive they are. Choose what’s comfortable, fits right and looks nice, it doesn’t have to brandish a huge price tag.
