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It’s hard to believe you don’t need to spend a fortune to have a beautiful wedding. You can have the champagne wedding on a beer budget! To get there, it just requires a few money-friendly hacks that can save you hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of dollars! It’s all about knowing what is important to you and allocating your wedding budget wisely.
Ahead, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite money-saving tips for your wedding. From ways to earn cash back on wedding-related purchases to do-it-yourself projects that are both fun and cost-effective, there are plenty of ways you can have a budget-friendly celebration. These tips can save you money without sacrificing your must-have wedding wishes!
1. Start using Rakuten to Earn Cash Back
Rakuten is an extension you can add to your internet browser to help you find coupons and earn cash back. They have over 2,500 stores in their system including wedding favorites like Target, Macy’s, and Saks Fifth Avenue. When the extension is installed, you’ll get notified if cash back is available and coupons are automatically found and applied so you can save the most money on your wedding-related purchases! Get extra cash back when you sign up here!
2. Open a Chase Sapphire Credit Card
If you are able to be responsible, opening up a credit card with plenty of rewards benefits when it comes to making purchases could be extremely beneficial for all of your wedding-related purchases. The Chase Sapphire Card is the perfect choice especially for couples who love to travel or are hosting a destination wedding. You can put your wedding expenses on this credit card and earn points to pay for your flights, hotel, honeymoon activities, etc. Bonus: Double your cash back by using Rakuten and Chase Sapphire at checkout! It’s a win-win! Use this link to get extra bonus points when you sign up!
3. DIY Items from Etsy or Amazon
Etsy and Amazon are a treasure trove for wedding items! You’ll find hard-to-beat prices on items like wedding decor and favors. The types of favors and decor you buy on these websites are often inexpensive to purchase, easy to put together, and absolutely beautiful. Many of these items like mason jars, twinkle lights, and candles can also be purchased in bulk to help you save even more money!
4. DIY your Wedding Invitations and Signage
Many couples underestimate the quantity and price of wedding stationery. From save the dates, invitations, table numbers, signage, escort cards, thank you cards, the list goes on and on, and the price tag goes up fast! Going the traditional invitation route can take up a decent portion of your wedding budget with things like hand-written calligraphy, illustrations, envelope design, wax seals, shipping, etc.
However, there are several ways you can easily save on this cost by using printable invitations and stationery templates from Etsy. You can find every piece of wedding stationery you need from the invites to the bar signs at my shop, Edenwood Paperie.
The process is very simple, you select and purchase your templates to download. Then, you can add your own personalizations and special touches including your wedding date, guest names, location, etc. My shop even offers bundles where you can purchase paper items with the same design to keep a cohesive theme throughout your wedding.
But what about the printing costs? There are ways to save on the paper itself too! Print items like menus and programs yourself with Prints of Love or use an online printer that can give you just as beautiful quality as any other stationery company!
5. Rent or Purchase Silk Flowers
An option many brides and grooms forget to consider is using silk flowers as opposed to real ones. While real flowers are also gorgeous, silk flowers take on the appearance of real flowers, minus the price tag! They are often available for rent or purchase and will last you a lifetime. For a realistic look, without the hefty price tag, check out Something Borrowed Blooms!
There’s also the added benefit that you can put together items like centerpieces, bouquets, and other floral-related items weeks in advance without having to worry about preserving flowers for the day of. This also gives you the option to use your favorite type of flower, even if it is out of season or harder to find, at an inexpensive price!
6. Shop for Pre-Owned Wedding Dresses
Pre-loved wedding dresses can yield some amazing and beautiful results. You can comb through vintage shops, department stores, consignment stores, and you may just strike gold! Nowadays you can find plenty of gently used wedding dresses on popular websites and apps like Poshmark or Mercari.
If you really don’t feel like the pre-loved route is for you but you still want to save on your dress, contact your local wedding dress boutiques for any upcoming events, trunk shows, or sample says. Be sure to make an appointment (preferably earlier in the day) to have the best variety and access to these available collections.
7. Consider a Honeymoon Fund for your Registry
While we all know of the traditional wedding gift registry, recently the honeymoon fund has become a popular choice amongst newlyweds – and for good reasons! Planning a honeymoon can get expensive, really quick. Between flights, travel, dining, and experiences – it can cost you a pretty penny.
While a new plate set or coffee maker is always appreciated, opting to have a honeymoon fund is a newer offering in the wedding world that allows guests to add money to a fund account that can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars that you would have spent yourself on experiences! This will lead to a stress-free honeymoon that will really allow you to celebrate the start of your marriage!
When it comes to deciding on how you want to save money, be sure to have your list of non-negotiables that you really want to splurge on your wedding day. This will make deciding how and what to save money on that much easier! This will lead you to a stress-free wedding day where you didn’t break the bank- and who doesn’t want that?! Happy saving!