Getting married only costs about $500. Flowers, gowns, visitors, food, a bubble machine, and a horse-drawn carriage won’t help you get married. Sorry to break your happy-ever-after, but it’s true. It is rather inexpensive to marry. The rest of what the wedding business sells is what will set you back.
The wedding industry, which is a gigantic money engine that tries to separate you from your money by connecting emotional links to every transaction, will try to sell you wedding things you don’t need to tie the knot.
Family and friends may also poke their noses into your wedding arrangements, either intentionally or unintentionally inflating the cost.
I should be aware. I recently married, and I was able to do so without a lot of fuss, expense, or emotional downtime.
We began by assuming that getting married costs only $500 and that everything else is optional. Yes, we added a little glitz and glam for good measure. This is where we wasted the most money, cut the most corners, and got married for hundreds of dollars rather than thousands.
I try to keep the guest list to a minimum.
The cost of a wedding is mostly determined by the number of guests attending. (Reread that sentence and take it all in.) The number of guests will influence not only the size of your location, but also the amount of food and wine you’ll need to provide—two of the most expensive wedding expenses.
The greatest approach to save money is to limit the number of guests. So, what exactly is a tiny wedding? Some people believe it’s under 100 people, but I propose 10 to 50 people if you want a really small (and cost-effective!) gathering.
Going traditional, why not?
Why not make the most of your smaller guest list and have a party somewhere that would otherwise be off-limits? This could be a stunning overlook in a national park, your favorite brunch location with your family member’s private garden.
In most cases, these types of venues simply require a permit, a private room rental, or a thumbs-up from a relative, and they are typically less expensive than a traditional large-scale wedding site.
Because my guest list is limited to my closest relatives and friends—the majority, if not all, of whom are likely to attend—I have greater flexibility in choosing an off-peak day or time for my celebration. I’m thinking about having a Sunday brunch wedding with a stacked waffle and bottomless mimosas!
Pro Tip: Many venues have places for small weddings that aren’t advertised, so ask about all of your alternatives!
I concentrate on the things that matter to me and ignore everything else.
I don’t employ a DJ because dancing isn’t my thing. Instead of an expensive wedding cake, I wanted a bonfire to cook s’mores, so I started roasting!
Food trucks have you enamored? Put the expensive caterer out of your mind! Is it true that white cleanses you? Strut down the aisle in a brightly colored dress from your favorite thrift store. Do you see what we’re getting at? Boo, you’re free to do whatever you want.
Not only can skipping some big-ticket items help you reduce your to-do list, but it will also help you reduce your budget and personalize your wedding.
I am not hesitant to look for help.
When it comes to modest, budget-friendly weddings, I keep in mind that “do-it-yourself” doesn’t equal “do-it-all.” My personal saviors were my friends and family! I recruit the help of retired aunts to make the centerpieces, my skilled cousin to handle my makeup, and my best friend who loves to bake to prepare wedding cookie favors.
Then I hosted a low-key cocktail reception to recognize your team for their efforts. A “divide and conquer” strategy will keep things affordable and relieve me of some of the DIY worry.
After all, I’m a strong believer in myself.
When I tell non-like-minded people about my tiny wedding plans, I’m sure I’ll get some criticism at some point throughout the wedding planning process.
Flak may come from relatives who feel betrayed because they were not invited, or from friends who are surprised I am hosting such a low-cost event.
Do not be concerned, my dear! If somebody criticizes you, we suggest saying something like, “We’re really happy to get married in a way that seems right for us, but thanks for your thoughts.”
What about digital invites?
We didn’t hire a printer, buy acid-free paper, or use romantic tear-based ink to create an elegant script message. Formal invites and mailing can be quite pricey, and I’m not a big fan of them.
Who wants to put in the time, effort, and money to write, proof, and edit wedding invitations, after all? No, I’m not sure. So I used Facebook to invite people to our wedding.
Facebook offers a free digital invitation. It is possible to get a response right away. Just make sure the invites don’t forward it to the entire world.
I also use these two templates, which I’ll share with you. These designs are lovely and will help me save a significant amount of money for my wedding. Just follow these simple rules if you want to have these Free Blush Pink Floral Invitation Templates.
How to Download?
- What you need to do is click (left-click) the preview image.
- You should see a new page popped-up in your display, then you need to “right-click” the image and select “Save image as”
- Locate the destination folder, or just leave it as it is. Then “Enter” to start the download process.
Please notice that all files/materials are included in that bundle, so you can tweak it right away as it’s ready. To be clear, every template on our site is free and may be customized using your laptop, desktop, or even smartphone.
