According to recent reports, a US wedding cost $35,329 on average. Unfortunately, this number is not expected to go down anytime soon with more and more people obsessing over having social media-worthy weddings. The good news is that with careful planning and a little creativity, you can actually have a great but affordable wedding. By simply swapping out unnecessarily expensive items like traditional catering for more wallet-friendly alternatives like food trucks—in addition to following the additional tips below—you can definitely have your dream wedding for much less money.Similar TopicTable of Contents
Focus on the essentials
With the average US wedding costing as much as a Tesla Model 3—which the family that you’re building could actually use for a long, long time—the question is: is the whole thing really worth it? Well, the wedding itself surely is, but a lot of the expenses that come with it probably aren’t.Let’s take catering for example again. Did you know that you could hire a food truck for just around $20 a guest and end up saving on waiter and kitchen rental costs? At the end of the day, the goal is to identify expenses that you can either find a more affordable alternative to or completely scratch off your list.However, do take into consideration small but important details that will last a lifetime, like the rings. This is one area where couples should feel free to spend some extra money as they’ll be wearing their wedding rings for the rest of their lives. Whether it’s a simple band, or a diamond embroidered ring, this is the one symbol and daily reminder of their lifetime commitment to one another.
Trim down your guest list
This is probably the easiest way to cut the total cost of your wedding without affecting the overall theme and execution of the event itself. Just stick to your immediate family and maybe even a couple of your closest friends. Aside from helping you save a whole lot of money, doing so will also not only make managing your wedding guest list much easier but make your big day feel more intimate as well.Redirect your funds
Now, if you need more funding, don’t take out a loan just yet. Go over all your unnecessary expenses first and see if you can redirect any money to your wedding. Take outstanding student loans, for instance. Did you know that instead of paying multiple interest rates, you could just consolidate all your student loans and pay a single—usually lower—one? Doing so should help you offset the ever-increasing cost of American weddings.Do it for you and your partner
At the end of the day, your wedding is, first and foremost, for you and your partner. Forget about pleasing and impressing people and shift your focus to this fact. You’ll be surprised not only by how much money you’ll end up saving but also how fulfilling the whole thing will be.