The budget can be a daunting aspect of wedding planning for newly engaged couples, where you’re balancing your dream wedding with reality. You can still plan your perfect summer wedding on a budget. Get a helping hand from these five budgeting tips to plan a flawless summer wedding that won’t break the bank.
1. DIY, But Just a Little
DIY is always seen as the budget-friendly decorating alternative, but these projects quickly add up when you’re buying everything yourself. Instead of taking on every DIY wedding project, tackle the ones that make money sense. Some aspects of your reception are better left to the professionals, but completing a few pieces yourself stretches your budget in the long run.
Forgo the stationary shop and create your own invitations: There are plenty of online stores that offer reasonable wedding invitation packages. Keep bridal bouquets simple and use seasonal florals, or limit bouquets to one or two specific flowers.
2. Book College Photographers
While you may have envisioned a professional shooting your wedding, hiring a photography college student is a viable option. This is a popular post-secondary program with plenty of budding talent to choose from. Summer is a busy time of year—it’s still the number-one wedding season, meaning photographers will be in high demand.
See if any local colleges can recommend any students. Students are always looking to build their portfolios, and your wedding is a perfect opportunity for them. They get their foot in the door, and you pay a significantly lower fee than if you had hired a seasoned professional. At the end of the day, you’ll have gorgeous wedding photos at a fraction of the cost.
3. Explore Unusual Summer Spaces
The venue is always one of the biggest wedding costs. While summer weddings evoke visions of traditionally rustic, full-service event spaces, these lovely and elegant choices can be expensive. Instead, consider a public park or garden for your ceremony and nuptials. They may charge a small fee, but it will be nothing compared to renting a popular wedding venue.
It doesn’t take a lot of decoration to improve the ambience at these unique venues. When you’re strategizing your summer wedding on a budget, these unconventional spaces are worth a look. You’ll still have a beautiful view and a memorable ceremony. Just be sure to research potential permits for liability and insurance.
4. Book in the “Off-Season”
We don’t mean forgo this seasonal wedding entirely but look into a day of the week that isn’t as popular. A Sunday wedding won’t cost you as much as one held Saturday afternoon. For further cutbacks, explore how to reduce the cost of your wedding rentals.
Afternoon and evening weddings remain the hottest and priciest reception times. Instead, consider having a morning wedding brunch: You can still choose from a mass of elegant locations and serve a classy, delicious meal.
5. Prioritize the Important Details
Any wedding requires deciding what’s truly important. Plan your summer wedding on a budget by dividing what’s absolutely crucial for your dream nuptials and what you could do without.
If a rustic barnyard ceremony and reception is what you’re looking for, you’ll be okay with putting that much money towards the venue fee. Having a killer DJ or band may be less important. You might have to sacrifice a vintage dessert table, but as a trade-off, you might hire one of the best catering companies instead. Once you’ve determined the most important parts of your reception, you’re free to rearrange the rest of the wedding costs.