How Couples Are Saving Money on Weddings

“All brides are on budgets, even with high end weddings they like to know the bottom line,” said Marino. Here are some tips the experts suggested to cut costs on any budget and still have a beautiful wedding.

• Do it yourself. Marino, the wedding planner, said more brides are planning at least part of the wedding themselves. Natalie and Kelly Prizel, who got married earlier this year and work together at So You're Engayged, said that they didn't have many budget restrictions but decided to make their invitations. While Natalie said it saved money, she said she wouldn't recommend it—that was the only thing they fought over while planning the wedding. Another option Marino says brides are doing is getting an event coordinator for the day of the wedding, or only for areas where they feel they need more help.
• Prioritize. “For every couple, you're going to have to choose what's important,” said Natalie Prizel. For example, she said that flowers weren't important to them, so they didn't spend as much money on them. Spending less money on flowers allowed them to spend more money on things they cared about.
• Negotiate. “Research your vendors and find someone who's willing to work with you on price,” said Kelly Prizel. Bindeman, who plans weddings professionally, says places like reception venues are flexible, and you can save on rentals by using the venue's standard offerings. Kelly Prizel also suggested bartering with wedding vendors for something they can use (remember, Prizel is a photographer with skills valuable to other vendors).
• Find an out-of-town or less-known vendor. Kelly Prizel said that they saved a lot of money by finding a hairdresser from out of town, which was cheaper by half even after paying their travel costs. Finding a newer or less well-known vendor who charges less for their services is another option, said Prizel. Some wedding planners have started charging by the hour instead of charging a flat fee for their services, Bindeman said, which may help cut costs.
• Change the date. Simply changing the date from a Saturday to a Sunday can help cut costs, said Bindeman. Expenses like musicians and venues can be less expensive on other days, she said.
• Downsize. “There's not as much pressure to do something as formal,” said Bindeman. Making the rehearsal dinner more casual, or taking a honeymoon to a cheaper vacation spot are two ways she suggested couples are cutting back.

Visit the forums to share your tips on how to cut wedding costs.