Getting married soon? Congratulations! Hope you’re ready for some serious sticker shock.
The average price tag attached to an American wedding in 2016 was a gasp-worthy $35,329 — and that represents an 8 percent increase over the previous year.
Since that kind of cash makes for nearly a full 20 percent down payment on the average U.S. home, which means you could avoid paying monthly PMI and get a great interest rate to boot. You could also use it to buy not one but two new cars without paying a dime of interest on a loan. Or you could make a serious dent in those student loans.
Not spending that kind of money on a wedding is sort of like winning the lottery. Still, if you’re not willing to skip the party entirely, there are plenty of ways to keep your costs down. Try these ideas to keep your wedding budget well below the average (insane) amount.
- Get Married at Home
The biggest single cost for any wedding tends to be the venue. Recent surveys suggest that something between $12,343 and $14,006 is normal, and prices could go as high as $23,823 for a really posh banquet center.
Of course, you can skip that cost completely if you get married on your own property. You’ll have to weight the cost of renting chairs, and other equipment, but a DIY affair is bound to cost much less if you’re willing to put in a little effort.
If your home is too small to accommodate your guest list, consider other less expensive options. A picnic at the beach, a local park or a another public area may cost less, or you could see if the church has a gathering space that you could use for the reception afterwards. It can also pay to think outside the box and look for a lobby or conference room where you a relative work — discounts are your friend!
- Keep It Dry
Another major wedding expense? Alcohol. No matter where you go or what kind of menu you plan to serve, beer, wine and liquor cost extra — and there’s usually a premium placed on it. You can keep your food costs way down if you don’t pick up the bar tab for your guests. After all, it’s not your responsibility to get them drunk, right?
If you can’t imagine hosting a wedding without alcohol, consider having yours in the middle of the day, well before cocktail hour and after-dinner drinks would be expected. You can also consider limiting how much you’re willing to provide, perhaps by offering a champagne toast or wine during dinner but leaving other drinks available at a cash bar. It’s up to you how to navigate the many possibilities, but just don’t have an open bar — that’s a budgetary kiss of death.
- Keep It Casual
The less formal and fancy-schmancy your wedding is, the less likely it is to cost. A casual vibe will help bring down the price of just about everything that goes into a wedding, from the venue to the food. It also has the benefit of lowering expectations of luxury. If you’re planning an outdoor picnic with lawn games for guests, it’s unlikely that they’ll assume they’re getting a five-course, sit-down dinner.
So start brainstorming how you can amp up the fun while staying well outside of black-tie range. A buffet dinner is the classic — and economical! — solution, but you can also skip assigned seats — no name cards and favors to worry about — to encourage guests to mingle. Instead of a DJ, have your guests submit song requests ahead of time online to crowdsource your playlist so all you’ll need is an iPod and some decent speakers to get the party going.
- Round Up Volunteers
Now’s the time to lean on your talented friends to personalize your wedding and make it more affordable. Can your aunt make fancy cupcakes to take the place of a tiered wedding cake? Who can play an instrument or sing in the church? Got a crafty person in your life that would love to make the centerpieces? Most of us know someone who has the skills to contribute to the day.
Asking for help can be a little tricky if the person is outside of your innermost circle, so you may want to limit your volunteer search to people you would have invited anyway. Definitely let them know you’d be honored if they could contribute and consider their offering your wedding gift — that’s a win-win for everyone.
- Cut Back on Industry Items
The wedding industry is a money-grabbing machine, and they’re always marking up prices for things that shouldn’t be that big a deal. By one estimate, wedding industry inflation is up by a good 370 percent since 1974. The solution? Skip the just-for-weddings stuff when you can.
For example, an engraved invitation is nice, but it’s a very expensive piece of paper that will be thrown away immediately. Set up a website or (pretty) online invites instead. Ditto for flowers that die in a few days. You can skip them entirely in favor of some other decoration, or you can get them way cheaper at the grocery store or through a wholesaler if you’re willing to arrange them in vases yourself.
- Rent the Dress
You’re only going to wear a wedding dress once, so take a cue from the guys and rent one instead of buying it. The average cost of a wedding gown these days is $1,505, and that doesn’t include dry cleaning and special packaging if you plan to keep it as an “heirloom.”
Talk to local bridal shops to see if they have rental options, or look online at a variety of rental companies. This is a great solution for bridesmaids as well — they’ll be thrilled not to pay through the nose for a dress they will never, ever wear again.
The most important thing about a wedding is that you get to celebrate the beginning of your new life as a couple with all of the people you love. No one will remember the menu or the favors by your golden wedding anniversary so don’t sweat the small stuff — or pay a premium for it.
