Don’t break the wedding bank
A 2014 Wedding Bells magazine survey found the average cost of a Canadian wedding is more than $31,000.
But many frugal brides and grooms have discovered ways to get the wedding they want without going broke. Here are 11 ways to save: 1. Trunk shows are your best friend. Cara Bedford, who works in marketing, is fashion-forward and didn’t want to skimp on her gown. “I knew I wanted a dress that was way over my price range,” she says.
She found her Maggie Sottero gown at a trunk show and paid $1,200 (including alterations) for a $6,000 dress.
Designer trunk shows happen often at high-end wedding gown boutiques. Just phone and ask when their next one will be.
2. Rein in the booze. Find a venue that lets you bring your own alcohol. You’ll pay a per-person fee but save money overall, says Edmonton wedding planner Jennifer Bergman.
Or have an open bar, but keep selection limited during certain times — such as serving just one signature drink during cocktail hour. “It seems really classy and luxurious,” Bergman says. “But you’re actually saving a lot of money.”
3. Shorten photography hours. Bedford and her husband Tyler hired a professional photographer for the getting-ready portion of the day and the ceremony only. For the reception, the couple relied on social-media-savvy guests.
“We had a wedding hashtag and plastered that hashtag everywhere,” she says. “Chalkboards, business cards, mirrors in the restroom.”
After the wedding, she says, people posted more than 400 photos.
4. Get out of town. You might associate destination weddings with high costs, but that’s actually not true.
“We got married in Las Vegas which saved us money because we were able to keep it small,” says Amy Eversley. She and her husband, Mark, had about 25 guests. “It helped us keep it intimate. Otherwise, you feel obligated to invite.”
5. Use your resources. Don’t be afraid of telling people you’re tying the knot, says Bedford, who used her connections in the film industry and her job as head of marketing at a landscaper to save money on a video and flowers.
“If you want to keep it local and be true to that, everyone will be on board,” she says.
The couple got mini cupcakes at the farmers market for guests to take home. When the baker found out they were getting married, she threw in a dozen extra for free.
6. Say “I do” to brunch. A Sunday brunch wedding can cut your costs considerably, says Bergman.
Your guests aren’t likely to eat or drink as much as they would at night. “Your food costs are probably going to be two-thirds or half and for sure alcohol is reduced quite a bit.”
Bergman also suggests a cocktail reception that starts at 8 p.m., rather than a full seated dinner. .
7. Choose flowers in-season. Bedford chose sunflowers for her October wedding. They were in-season, affordable and added a pop of bright yellow.
8. Keep your wedding party small. Resist the urge to have all your besties in your wedding party. A smaller bridal party, says Bergman, saves money on several things, including transportation to and from the venue and elsewhere for photographs, plus gifts for your bridesmaids.
An intimate wedding party also makes for a smaller rehearsal dinner.
9. Skip favours. “Favours are kind of going out now,” says Bergman. Instead, she says, use the money toward “guest experience.”
“Have an extra course, a palate cleanser, a sweet candy table, a photo booth. Things like that add to the guest experience rather than a trinket that they won’t take home anyway.”
Similarly, Bedford nixed the wedding cake. “It wasn’t a really big deal for us. We cut cute little pizzas for a midnight snack instead,” she says.
10. DIY, DIY, DIY. For their superhero-themed wedding, Eversley and her husband made almost everything themselves: her brooch bouquet, the men’s Lego man boutonnieres, the wedding program (comic book-style). There are resources aplenty on the Internet. “I went on Pinterest all the time,” says Eversley.
11. Kijiji is your new favourite website. Bedford didn’t know exactly what she wanted decor-wise, except that she was after a vintage feel.
“Kijiji right after wedding season is your best bet,” she said. Folks are just unloading boxes of decor for almost nothing.
“It was a great place for little knickknacks that really elevated our wedding. I think we spent $80 on decor.”
And brides can find their dress for a fraction of its original price. Then there are sites like PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com for designer gowns that might otherwise be out of reach.