“Always a bridesmaid, never a bride” actually had it’s perks. Over the years i’ve been in and attended more weddings than I can count. One of the perks of watching so many of my friends walk down the aisle before me is seeing what works and what doesn’t. When it comes to spending $ I’ve seen firsthand when it’s worth it and when it isn’t. I’ve been doing tons and tons of research in my downtime, grabbed a bunch of tips from my friends and many of my followers who’ve said “I do” & we want to save you from making some of the financial mistakes the ladies before you have made. So without further adieu… here they are.

Instead of a photo booth, grab a bunch of Polaroid Cameras 

Photo booth rentals run around $1,000 in Austin for 4 hours (without tax or tip). If you really want photos, grab a bunch of instax cameras and film & set up a little table with extra film. For 5 cameras and 5 huge extra packs of film it’ll run you around $500, half the price of a photo booth rental.

Get married on a Friday or Sunday 

A Saturday wedding is ideal for most, but in some cities, a Saturday wedding will run you $3-10k MORE on a Saturday versus a Friday or Sunday. If you’re tight on your budget, this might save you a good chunk of change. My brother got married on a Friday the 13th and saved $5k just because no one wanted to get married that day.

Get a small cake (no one eats it anyway) 

The biggest tip many brides have sent my way is that they spent hundreds on a cake that went to waste. Most venues charge a hefty cake cutting fee per slice & usually the cake is left nearly untouched. Opt for a smaller cake and maybe a dessert table to save some $$. Cake pops, cookies, or a candy table are way easier on your budget.

Save on clothing

Many brides get a white bridal shoe that’ll sit in their closet for years to come. Try getting a classic nude, a fun gold, or a more classic white shoe you’ll get a ton more use out of versus a classic bridal salon shoe. When it comes to your dress, I totally get it if you want to splurge there. IF you don’t, you can a) shop in a bridal store & find it online cheaper elsewhere b) go to a wedding warehouse sale (you’ll likely have to pay cash and make quick decisions) c) buy a used wedding dress that is in amazing condition and only worn once. When it comes to alterations, don’t do it in the bridal shop as it’s significantly cheaper to find an alterations shop nearby.

Check your contracts: Make sure your contract states you’ll get your deposit back for reasons like COVID

This hot tip just came in from COVID BRIDES, they said an easy way to lose $ is in your contract. Protect yourself by adding in a clause to get your deposit back for reasons like COVID, a natural disaster or anything else completely out of your control. Read up a bit more on Force Majeure here.

Have a day of coordinator instead of a full-blown planner

Many venues now offer a day-of-coordinator. Many brides have mentioned UNLESS you have too many vendors to handle, then a day of coordinator should suffice. Don’t throw money away when you can have your money work for you in other ways.

Flowers

Donate your flowers and write it off

Donate flowers at the end of your wedding. You can donate to hospitals, nursing homes, etc. by doing this you can write off your flower bill and get the best of both worlds; a tax write-off while doing charity. There are companies that help facilitate this. It’s nice cause then all your expensive flowers don’t go to waste, someone else will enjoy them the following days. The companies can come at the end of the night and picked up every arrangement. The one local to Austin I found is linked here: https://www.floranthropy.org

Repurpose ceremony flowers & bridesmaid flowers for the reception

Take flowers from the ceremony and put them as centerpieces for the reception. You can use bouquets, statement flowers at your reception. Most people shared you can easily use these for the head table if you have one!

Use greenery and vases to fill up a tablescape

Flowers can rack up your bill, so be prepared to fill up the space with a more cost-friendly option. You may want to consider green garland to fill the tables or big vases with candles. This makes the space look lush and full, but a lot more affordable

If you are doing a BYOB venue, have a stock the bar engagement party!

It’ll save you tons of $ and you’ll have a wide variety of drinks! As a backup, a friend shared “you can grab all your drinks from Costco & return what you don’t drink if there’s a ton left over”

Don’t splurge on party favors

Numerous people told me that it was a time suck & most guests didn’t even take a party favor with them. They were left with boxes of party favors that no one took home. Save yourself hundreds by skipping out on purchasing party favors.

Buffet Dinner for more reasons than 1

First, it’s much cheaper! Secondly, tons of brides say that printing so many programs/menus cost them a pretty penny & they didn’t add to the event. Skip the menus & do a buffet-style dinner, seems like guests like this option better too!

If you haven’t talked to them in 6 months, they shouldn’t be on your guest list

Tons of brides and grooms felt the need to please everyone & have a huge wedding guest list. You can save a lot by pulling out your list & cutting out anyone you haven’t talked to in 6 months. 

Find an up-and-coming florist, videographer, or photographer

Finding an up-and-coming vendor might help you AND them out. There are always new vendors who haven’t been utilized yet because they are still building out their portfolio and business. They need the photos, reviews, and experience to be able to charge more. If you’re ballin’ on a budget, do some homework on up-and-coming vendors in your area (Craigslist, wedding-wire, the knot, Facebook marketplace, etc.)

Be prepared with a backup list

Even though it sucks, you will have people last-minute cancel. A sick kid, a family emergency, financial commitments and more. A great way to not panic and lost out an estimated $100 per person per no-show, have a backup plan. There’s a good chance some of your loved ones will get into a relationship after your invites/save the dates go out. A great way to not lose out on that money (from cancellations) and way to keep friends happy is to let some close friends know that you know they recently started dating someone & in the chance that someone cancels, you’d love for them to be able to bring their partner. It’s a win, win!

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PHOTOS BY:  Divina