It is no secret that weddings today can be hugely expensive. From venues, dresses, cars, and catering, all the elegant things that are included in the day can all add up. The average cost of a wedding in 2021 in the USA was around $22,500 and these lavish affairs do not seem to be getting any cheaper, any time soon.
If you do not want to spend an obscene amount on this one day though, and perhaps would prefer to save your money for essential things like food, shelter, and education, there are some ways you can reduce your wedding spend.
How to prioritize your wedding budget
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Catering
Making your own wedding cake or recruiting a friend and family member to do this as a wedding gift, is always a great idea. Wedding cakes can be so expensive to buy, and only last a few hours, unless you have a lot of leftovers, but then that is also a waste of significant funds. You can also ask for people to pitch in on helping make the food for the evening buffet, and if you are happy to keep the day simple, then perhaps do this for your main meal too! It might even be fun to ask the guests to bring a plate to the wedding for the day and make it a much more relaxed and social celebration.
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Your wedding outfit
The average price of a wedding dress is $1251 and considering it will only be worn for one day, it seems excessive. If you are going to spend a little money, it will be better to put it towards your wedding bling like your rings, because at least these will be worn again, and regularly. If you get your ring made to suit your needs from somewhere like Chapter 79 you can at least work with the designer to get what you want within your budget. Many people are now opting to reconsider where they buy their wedding dresses, to not only save money but also to be kinder to the environment, as fast fashion continues to be a major issue to the natural environment. It can be much more economical and in many cases more fun, to buy your wedding outfit from a vintage store or sale, or even a charity shop and make alterations to suit your style and fit. That way you will have a unique dress that has a story and has your own flare to it.
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Venue
Finally, your choice of venue is going to have an enormous impact on your budget. If you are willing to put a little effort into doing your own decorating, a village or church hall, or even a local farm building, can look just as amazing as a commercial wedding venue. Again, this can also be a fun way to put your own stamp on your wedding and make it extra special.
Overall, there are always ways to trim back the cost of your wedding, whether in small savings or huge savings, it is worth doing the math!
