Plan a wedding you can afford

Pent-up demand from the pandemic and inflation have driven up the cost of the average wedding to more than $27,000, according to market research firm The Wedding Report.

If you’re about to walk down the aisle in the upcoming year or so, here are strategies to control the cost of what can be the most expensive day of your life.

How to trim costs

During the pandemic, couples were forced to reduce guest counts, and that trend has held even as the threat from COVID-19 has subsided.

“The pandemic really forced a lot of people to take stock of what actually mattered about their wedding, and determine who was most important in their lives to be there to celebrate with them,” says Jessica Bishop, author of “The Budget-Savvy Wedding Planner & Organizer.” And slashing the guest list is the No. 1 way to cut the costs of a wedding. “For every guest you invite, that’s an invitation, a chair, a meal, a place setting. Or for every eight to 10 guests, it’s another table with another linen, another centerpiece,” Bishop says.

Couples should also consider how wedding expenses will be divided. “Traditionally, the bride pays for most of the wedding, and the groom pays for a few other things,” says Lizzie Post, co-author of “Emily Post’s Etiquette, The Centennial Edition.”

“But for well over 20 years, that tradition has been gone.” The important thing for any couple to do is to have candid and considerate conversations with anyone who would like to contribute, she says.

Financing

Financial stress is one of the leading causes of disagreements in relationships. That’s why it’s important for couples to plan a wedding that’s within their means.

If you have accumulated rewards on a credit card, you may be able to use them to help pay for wedding expenses. If you sign up for a new card, charging those expenses could qualify you for bonus travel rewards you can use to help finance your honeymoon.

But this strategy only works if you can pay off your balance in full every month. Likewise, while a personal loan may seem like an easy short-term solution, it could leave you in debt at the start of your marriage.

One item that has increased significantly of late is the cost of fresh flowers, thanks in part to shortages and shipping disruptions. For this reason, many couples are opting for high-quality silk florals. For an even lower cost, some companies, such as Something Borrowed Blooms, will allow you to rent florals.

Setting the date

Winter is often an unpopular time for weddings, but “if that’s your vibe and you want a snowy, winter wonderland wedding, you’re probably going to get a lower price on rentals and your venue if it’s not their peak season,” Bishop says.