not enough money? consider this..
Let’s face it, with the current inflation putting all the prices of commodities sky rocketing high, it’s no wonder everyone is choosing to have an intimate wedding instead. I’ve read an article recently about how Millennials East Indians are opting out of the big fat Indian weddings, and minimizing their guests. Have you been to an Indian wedding? It’s one of the most extravagant, lavish events you’ll ever experience. From the location, the décor, the food, oh man, the food, it’s overflowing. Indian weddings create so much revenue for their country, just imagine the amount of money being thrown out at each wedding. These events usually last for a week!
I attended my friend’s wedding before the pandemic, and their guests were 800 people. Can you imagine how big the venue was? It was like a concert hall, and it was decorated with so many colors, rich fabrics and the whole shebang. I’m pretty sure they spent more than 100k because the food alone for 800 people, wow! Man, I was so full by the end of the night. They even had pizza by 11 PM just in case the people miraculously digested all the food from dinner within 3 hrs. and were hungry.
It’s different nowadays, people are still recovering from job losses, and business deficits that resulted from the 2 years of pandemic. We have to be smart about our money, what with all the prices that climbed to the highest level I’ve seen. If you are planning for your wedding, and you don’t have enough money to throw a lavish one, here are some tips you can try to save your money and STILL have an amazing wedding.
Consider having an intimate wedding.
I got married with only 30 guests, and that was because, like I’ve said before, I didn’t have enough budget at that time. So what we did was my husband and I really filtered down the guests to only our immediate family members, and closest friends. Sit down with your Fiancé and discuss the number os guests, remember, the lower the number, the more savings you’ll have, because food and drinks are most expensive part of a wedding.
Consider eloping
What better way to spend your hard earned money than to spend it for only yourself and your future groom, because WHY NOT? Be it in Mexico, Greece, Italy, Or even just Vegas. Elopement has gotten very popular once again, because of the rising costs of, well, just about about everything.
Consider having a backyard backyard
If you have a sizable backyard, or maybe your parents or relatives, then you can probably ask them if you can do your wedding there. The only drawback is, you can’t really have a wild wedding reception with loud music or live band, for a long time, because there are noise ordinances in residential areas. So if you’re considering a backyard wedding, it’ll just be a “tamed” party. Yes, you can have music, a live band, but it has to follow the quiet time around the neighborhood. Maybe you can also let your neighbors know beforehand that you are having a wedding at your backyard, just to give them a heads up, and they won’t just call the police. LOL. If you know of someone who lives in an acreage close by ,then that’s a more perfect location for your wedding. Nobody will complain about the noise, you can party all through the morning.
Consider hiring students as your photographer/videographer
I’ve talked about this in my other blog post about looking for someone in a college or photography school who’s looking to build their portfolio. It’s not only cheaper, but it also helps them get their career going. Plus, they’re there to impress everyone so you’re really going to get your money’s worth.
Consider looking for a wedding location that allows home-cooked meals
There are actually places that allow this. There was a time when Community halls are the only places you can do this at. But nowadays hotels allow this, you can just rent a banquet room then bring your own food. I’ve attended a few weddings and parties recently where the family booked a banquet hall at a hotel, it was Four Points by Sheraton, then the bought all of their food. It saved them tons of money on food and drinks. By doing this you can definitely save by asking your relatives or family member to cook the meals for you, Even if you don’t have anybody to ask, you can order meal trays at your favorite restaurant and have someone pick them up and deliver at the hotel. This saves money on catering fees, which can cost a lot too. As per the drinks, just get a liquor license, and then tell your guests to bring their own booze. you can even put it on the invitations, BYOB. that’s what I’ve been seeing lately. It’s means “Bring Your Own Booze”.
Consider skipping on the giveaways
I don’t even know why this is still a thing, I’ve posted about this on my blog about unnecessary expenses. Read HERE. I really don’t see the point of this at all. It’s something that the guests put in their purses or hold for sometime during the wedding, and then accidentally leave on the table or place inside their vehicles, never to be seen again. Sometimes, it reaches their houses, but then it disappears! Nobody cares about them, to be honest. It’s a waste of effort and money.
Consider getting married during the off season
It’s the same thing as booking a holiday at the off season dates, because everything is cheaper. Hotels, flights and everything else. Don’t be too keen on getting married in July because it’s the most popular wedding month. Summer and Fall are typically the favorite wedding season because of the weather and the beautiful pictures you can get from the surroundings.
Lastly, consider saving some more money
Hahaha I know, “Not enough money? Consider saving more money”. It’s just so obvious, if you don’t want to skimp on the best of your life, the day that you’ve dreamt of since you were a child, then maybe consider postponing the wedding until you feel like you enough money to cover for what you really want. It’s the only thing you can do. And there is nothing wrong with that. Again, like what I’ve said a lot of time, and what this blog is all about, its your wedding, so at the end of the day, it’s your choice. Don’t let anybody tell you what to do. These are my suggestions only but it’s still up to you. and your future groom/partner.
