11 Must-Know Tips On How To Plan A Wedding On A Budget

1. Decide On A Budget And Keep Track Of It

The first step of how to plan a wedding on a budget is to decide on a budget and stick to it. It’s easier said than done, but there are ways you can curb spending. The first is knowing exactly how much money you have to work with.

If your parents are footing the bill for the wedding, you are off the hook. But if you’re paying for everything yourself, it’s up to you to set a budget and stick to it.

There are many methods of budgeting for your wedding, but they all include some tracking system where every dollar is accounted for.

A great resource is the 10-in-1 Prazoli Wedding Planner Spreadsheet. This Google Sheets template will allow you to easily and beautifully track and plan every detail, reduce your stress, and, of course, keep you on budget when planning the wedding of your dreams!

Aside from many helpful wedding planning tabs, this spreadsheet has a complete Wedding budget tracker, that comes with suggested and customizable expenses so nothing is overlooked from planning to execution. 

Once you’ve added all of your numbers into the sheet, all calculations are done for you so you can quickly see how much money has been allocated/spent, allowing you to make adjustments if necessary.

After your budget is set and tracked, it’s time to start planning for the best wedding budget ideas!

2. Pick Your Wedding Date Wisely

One of the first things you should do when planning a budget wedding is to pick your date wisely.

You don’t want to pick a date that will conflict with any religious holidays or national holidays that might lead people away from being able to attend your wedding ceremony.

If possible, try to pick a date close enough after summer so that people can still enjoy themselves without worrying about school starting right after their vacation ends.

The most popular months for weddings are May, June, September, and October. If you need to save money, avoid these months and choose February or March.

These months tend to be less expensive when it comes to almost all vendors – venue, catering, rentals, etc; which will be a big money-saver.

Additionally, if you hold the wedding on a Tuesday or Wednesday instead of Friday or Saturday, you may not only save hundreds to thousands of dollars, but it’ll be much easier to find availability for your favorite picks.

3. Cut Down Your Guest List

It might be tempting to invite everyone in your life so they can come to celebrate with you if you’re having a large wedding.

However, this can quickly add up and strain your budgeting for wedding.

If you’re having an outdoor ceremony or reception, consider limiting the guest list to immediate family members and close friends only.

If you’re having an indoor ceremony or reception, consider having small intimate receptions instead of one large one. This way, everyone gets treated like royalty!

4. Book A Reception Venue With More Perks

As soon as you start searching for reception venues when planning for low cost wedding ideas, you’ll probably notice that prices vary greatly depending on the location, size, amenities, and more.

Some venues have their catering services, while others require you to hire an outside caterer and pay extra fees if they don’t offer one already included in their packages.

Many venues also offer other add-ons like tables, chairs, linens, and additional services like a table set up and tear-down if needed.

Look for a venue that offers all these amenities at no extra cost, or a venue that will let you to order any vendor your want, allowing you to select budget-friendly options for those as well.

5. Skip The Full Bar

One of the most significant expenses at any wedding is alcohol.

And while it may seem like it’s in everyone’s best interest for you to have a fully stocked bar, it’s not.

If you offer wine and beer only, there will be fewer headaches for you on your big day!

Fewer guests will drink too much or get drunk to quench their thirst with something stronger than soda water.

Instead of buying drinks at each table or passing them out during the reception, consider hiring bartenders who can serve drinks throughout the night at a set rate instead of charging per drink or glass.

There’s always the bring-your-own-beer style, which can work perfectly for more casual weddings.

You’ll be able to save yourself hundreds of dollars for your budget wedding by doing so!

6. Have An Afternoon Wedding

Consider having an afternoon wedding if you want your budget wedding to be beautiful and memorable without spending too much.

They are usually shorter than evening weddings.

It means fewer people are involved in setting up chairs, lighting candles, and placing food out for guests who arrive late.

The ceremony itself may last only 15 minutes instead of an hour or more like evening weddings.

Many venues charge less for afternoon weddings because they don’t require as much setup time as evening ones.

A venue that charges $5,000 for an evening event might charge only $2,500 for an afternoon event.

By saving on your venue, you can use your remaining budget for your honeymoon and future date nights!

7. DIY Your Flowers And Decorations

The next step of how to plan a wedding on a budget is to DIY your decorations.

Flowers can be expensive if you go with live plants or even if you go with fake ones from the store.

However, if you’re willing to put in some time and effort, you can save a lot of money by making your flowers and decorations from scratch.

Get creative with glass bottles and jars that you already have lying around the house or pick up at the dollar store.

Add water and floral arrangements for an easy centerpiece or vase filler!

Use fabric scraps from old clothes to cover bottles and turn them into unique candle holders or small vases for table settings.

There are even low-budget flower arrangement classes you can book where you can your friends can spend a fun afternoon together creating your own bouquets and decorations, while saving hundreds to thousands of dollars.

8. Find The Right Photographer For You

Whether you’re hiring a professional photographer or someone who has experience taking photos at weddings, it’s important to remember that not all photographers are created equal.

Some charge more than others for their services, and some have better equipment than others.

If you want quality photos, be prepared to pay more than if you’re looking for someone who will snap some pictures with their phone during the ceremony.

Consider hiring an amateur photographer if money is tight and you don’t want to splurge on photography. 

They may not have top-of-the-line equipment but still have experience taking pictures at weddings before becoming professional photographers themselves.

If you don’t know any amateurs, ask around locally or check out websites or Facebook groups for local recommendations.

Another budget-friendly idea is to ask your guests to take photos throughout the whole event and send them to you later. They can do that using their own phones or disposable cameras set around their tables.

9. Budget for a Contingency Plan

You should invest in a contingency plan when budgeting for wedding to avoid running out of your budget wedding funds.

What happens if the weather is terrible and there’s no way guests can make it?

What happens if you get sick or injured before the wedding? Lastly, what if something breaks down at the reception venue?

You need to have a plan for all these situations before they happen so that you don’t stress out over money issues on the big day.

Make sure to have a plan B and a buffer budget for unexpected events.

If you’re having trouble finding the perfect venue or need additional time for planning, it’s essential to have enough contingency cash set aside if things don’t go according to plan.

Also, make sure there is enough wiggle room in case any vendors charge more than expected or if there are other unforeseen expenses that pop up during the event.

10. Negotiate With Vendors

We all know that wedding costs are on the higher end of event expenses. The good news is that this means there’s always room for negotiation when discussing low cost wedding ideas.

While you shouldn’t expect to have the best of everything on lower prices, you can get discounts and special deals by being flexible with your wedding budget ideas.

For example, if you want all-white flowers but a florist has them only in shades of green right now, ask if they’ll offer a discount on an all-white arrangement next month or next year when they’re back in stock.

If the vendor doesn’t budge on their prices, consider asking for something else instead.

It can even be a deal on special services like more time during setup or an extra make up trial that you can use on your engagement photoshoot day.

11. Be Realistic With Your Plans

One of the most common mistakes people make when budgeting for wedding is being unrealistic about their finances.

One way to avoid this mistake is to start saving early and save often. The earlier you start saving, the more time you’ll have to accumulate the funds you need.

Don’t plan for more than you can afford. Set yourself a budget and stick to it.

If something costs more than you planned, don’t spend more money on it just because it’s important to you or someone else.

Ideally, you need to plan about two years before the date of your budget wedding. This will give you time for research, shopping trips, and tastings, without feeling rushed and stressed out.

When planning a budget wedding, there are so many things to consider.

While the venue, the catering, and the entertainment can all be important factors, one of the most crucial things to consider is how much money you’re prepared to spend and what is actually most important for you to have on your big day.

All weddings have a set budget, but with careful planning and organization, you can still have a fantastic wedding on a budget that you’ll absolutely love.

All it takes is planning, organization and flexibility.

What are your favorite low cost wedding ideas? Let us know in the comments below!