How To Plan A Wedding On A Budget

December 9, 2024

Welcome to the world of wedding planning! Setting your wedding budget is one of the toughest but most important parts of the entire wedding planning process.

Contrary to popular belief, not all weddings have to be huge, and not all weddings have to cost thousands of dollars. So if you are thinking about ways to plan a wedding on a budget then read on…

If you are genuinely planning a wedding on a budget then do not despair - there are lots of amazing options for a low budget wedding and whilst you may have to cut some corners you will still get your beautiful wedding!

After all, the most important part of a wedding is the two of you saying your vows and committing yourselves to each other, and that alone does not cost too much!

The top tip for planning a wedding on a budget to ASK FOR HELP! Your closest family and friends should hopefully be happy to pitch in and help you wherever they can - could one of them bake the cake, do your make up or be DJ for the night?

Here we will share some cost-saving ideas and savvy options for you to think about for your special day - both big and small ideas that could make a big difference…

Venue

When thinking about how to plan a wedding on a budget, picking the right venue is key.

You may consider having a backyard wedding in your garden, or the garden of a friend or family member. This is such a great option for low-budget weddings, and with some creativity, a garden can be transformed into a special wedding venue designed just for you two.

If not, is there a private-public area in your ‘hood that would work? In a park or a beach if you’re lucky! You may need to contact your town council about this and determine whether you will need any permits or special permission.

For your wedding ceremony, the cheapest way to do it legally is at City Hall. It’s fairly straightforward and in many cities the City Hall is a really beautiful building.

Alternatively, you could ask a friend or family member to get ordained and be your officiant – it’s all possible!

Photographer

You’ll want to capture and remember this day forever so do not forego a photographer!

Do you have any friends or family that would be good for the task? Have a think about anyone you know who has a smart SLR camera; they will likely be into photography.

Another idea is to find a photography student or trainee to capture the photos for you. They will most likely be looking for case studies to grow their portfolio and so should be happy to help you!

Never Miss Moments is also here to help! Gather together all the awesome photos taken by your family and friends in a simple QR code gallery - you’ll be sure to capture moments from the whole day and night and have them all in one place.

The Wedding Dress

Okay - hear us out. Is there a wedding dress you could borrow? Perhaps there is a gown in the family that someone has kept that could work for you after some alterations. Or maybe one of your close friends or a sister has their dress and would be happy to see it resurrected for your big day? Lot’s of brides keep their wedding dresses and don’t really know what to do with them - would you be comfortable asking someone close to you about a loan?

If this isn’t an option then you can look into getting a pre-loved wedding dress. Lot’s of women are donating their dresses, so you can often find some good deals in thrift stores. There are pre-loved wedding dress shops popping up all the time IRL and online, so have a look what’s nearby and check out the second hand selling sites.

Also remember you don’t need to buy a specific “wedding” dress for your big day. The dress doesn’t need to be white or specifically “bridal” – you can pick an outfit that you love from your favorite high street store – just without the huge price tag!

The Groom’s Suit

Who said the groom has to be in a new suit? Lots of men already own a good suit that they rarely wear, so how about wearing this for the wedding…A new shirt, tie, or shoes could be enough to give the outfit a new life for the wedding day.

Or if you are going for a super relaxed wedding vibe, then perhaps it’s no suit at all – just a casual shirt and chinos.

Alternatively, see if your groom could borrow a suit from someone, or even rent something special.

Food and Drink

Feeding your guests may seem impossible on a tight budget – but don’t worry, you have options!

How about a Potluck where you invite your guests to bring their favorite dish to the wedding? If people have plenty of notice, this shouldn’t be a big problem for anyone.

Alternatively, if you are having a summer garden wedding on a budget you could have a BBQ and invite people to bring something to put on the barbie. Then you just need to supply the ketchup and the plates!

Same for the cake - surely you must know a keen baker?!

And a make shift bar is always the most fun way to serve drinks - try to find some responsible young adults to man the bar.

Invitations

Try using a wedding website instead of sending out fancy paper invites. These are often completely free, and are a great way to host all the information that guests will need for your wedding in one place.

Not only does this cost nothing, but it’s also better for the environment and saves you time!

Flowers

Wedding flowers do NOT need to cost the earth.

Think about it; flowers are everywhere. I’m sure you know someone who has a budding garden and if you ask them nicely they may be happy for you to take some blooms for your bouquet on the day.

A DIY wedding bouquet can be beautiful and very personal. You could also speak to your local florist to see if they know of any trainee florists in your area. If you get lucky and find someone who is still learning, they may be happy to help you design your wedding flowers for free, if they can get a positive testimonial.

Wedding Decor

Wedding decor can be done well on a budget.

If you collect glass jars of all sizes and remove the labels, these can make excellent candle holders or vases. Your table centerpieces could be wildflowers and some greenery; so simple but truly effective!

Your table plan and name place cards can all be handwritten and look great. Think about whether one of your guests has lovely handwriting; they would mind showing off their calligraphy skills at your wedding? It could be a really fun evening creating your table plan/ name cards together.

Lighting is really important, so in addition to candles, you could use fairy string lights to bring instant magic to your indoor or outdoor wedding space. Fairy lights create a warm and glowing ambiance in any area and you can pick them up so cheaply. Place them around trees, fences, and gazebos to add some sparkle after it gets dark!

Music

Who knows you and your significant other’s favorite music better than anyone? YOU DO! So spend some time in the run-up to the wedding making your dream playlist.

Have one playlist for the daytime with more chilled, romantic songs, and another playlist packed full of your favorite party anthems that you know will get people dancing.

Just make sure your chosen venue has a good sound system in place, or borrow a good quality speaker from a friend.