Planning a wedding can be extremely stressful, after all, this is probably the most expensive celebration you will ever plan. In 2017, the average cost of a wedding in the United States was over $33,000! Of course, that depends largely on where you’re getting married and how many guests are coming.

When To Save & When To Splurge On Your Wedding

You can relieve your wedding-related stress by finding areas to save on and the factors it’s okay to splurge on, all while sticking to your budget.

First and foremost, it’s important to set your budget. You cannot begin any planning without talking to your significant other about your finances. It can be uncomfortable talking about money during such an exciting time of your lives but it’s necessary to have this conversation to avoid stress later on in planning.

Once you set your budget, you’ll be able to decide where to indulge yourselves and where you can extend the use of your wedding loan.

Splurge On

Things you want – It may seem obvious, but it needs to be said. If there are things you want, that will make your day truly yours, then go big and make it happen! That’s the most important thing to think about when reading through this section of the article. We’re talking about the things that will always seem worth the money to you. This will be different for everyone, and that’s why the advice is sometimes hard to give; but it’s something you should think about before planning anything else.

Make a list of things you truly would love to have on your wedding day, find the average price for each, and then see what’s truly splurge-worthy. Have a dream wedding band? Then book them! Details like this will make your wedding day extra special for you and your new spouse.

Details that improve your guest’s experience – Many wedding guests attend a handful of weddings each year. The last thing you want is yours to be a dud, or unmemorable compared to others. Feel free to spend a little extra on things that will make your wedding an exciting and special event for everyone.

Here are some ideas:

• Open bar – This is always a crowd pleaser! It allows your guests to have fun, get loose and enjoy your wedding to the fullest.
• Yacht trip – Even if you don’t want to have your wedding on a yacht, consider renting a yacht for a trip on the sea the day after or before your wedding! An extra day of celebrating will have your guests eager for your wedding weekend to come.
• Great food – Food will always be what keep your guest’s energy high! Have delicious food, all throughout the night to keep your people happy.

The videographer and photographer – You can always find a great photographer and videographer no matter your budget. However, it’s important to steer clear of artists that advertise themselves as ‘budget’ vendors. You will miss out on pertinent details like: education, a second shooter (or drone), or even exclusive rights to the photos and footage after.

Finally, they truly may not have the talent you desire. It would be tragic to not be able to relive the best day of your life because of sub-par video and photos.

A wedding planner or day-of coordinator – If you want to stay a “bridechilla,” then consider splurging on a planner or coordinator. This way, they will be able to handle all of the small details you won’t want to bother with, especially on the day of your wedding. Think of things like, timekeeping, speaking to vendors, and paying vendors. Coordinators have even been known to pick up the slack of other vendors by bussing tables or grabbing ice for the bar! Now that’s invaluable!

Save On

Decorations and flowers – You can definitely consider saving on decorations and floral arrangements if you have a more extravagant/expensive venue. Pricier venues tend to not need as many decorations brought in by you. If your venue needs to some love, buy decorations in bulk to save money.

You only need decorations to last for one day, so you can get away with buying cheaper items. Shop around for different florists’ prices, and without offending them, try to negotiate the price with a local florist. Local and small businesses are usually flexible with pricing and lovely to work with.

The champagne toast – If you are splurging on an open bar, then skip the champagne toast all together. Although champagne toasts give a classy touch to a wedding, they are expensive and some guests won’t even drink it! When it’s time for the toast, most of your guests will have been drinking for some time and be settled in their seats; encourage them to raise their glass to toast. They won’t even notice or care that they aren’t given champagne and will happily raise their preferred drink. This will save you hundreds!

The wedding favors – It’s nice to thank your guests for celebrating your night with you, and you definitely should. However, there are plenty of ways to save on wedding favors. Head to Pinterest for DIY wedding favor ideas and then browse for the best price for all of the items you need.

Putting it all Together

Your wedding and for that matter, any wedding, is always an intensely personal experience especially for the bride. We cannot begin to understand your personal needs and your vision of a perfect wedding. It’s all about YOU and the things you deem most important.

There are always a whole bunch of ways to make things happen for your wedding the way you want them, we hope this article has identified some of the major items while planning your special event.  You can use Earnest to help finance your dream wedding.