Skip the engagement party and five other tips to help you cut wedding costs

29 January 2016, 10:04


Look, we all know that weddings are expensive.
And it doesn’t help that the pressure to have the most breathtaking day is only fuelled by the myriads of “how to have the ultimate pinterest wedding” type of posts. The truth is that extravagant weddings, while costly, don’t necessarily equate to being beautiful. There’s a lot to be said for elegance in simplicity, and even if you do want the kind of wedding that belongs on a Top Billing segment, you don’t have to break the bank in order to achieve this.
Here are some handy tips to help you cut costs on your wedding expenses:
1. Say no to engagement  parties and photo shoots
Engagement parties and photo shoots have become all the rage these days. But, unless you have a photographer friend who is willing to gift you with a free photography shoot, spending money on having a professional photo shoot done is not only unnecessary, but is a waste of money.
The same goes for engagement parties. With a bachelorette party underway and a wedding day celebration, surely having an engagement party seems a little bit excessive?
2. Get married during the week
Do your research. As convenient as it is to get married over the weekend, chances are that you can often get a much better (and discounted) package deal if you opt to get married on a weekday. Your loved ones won’t mind taking a day off from work to attend your event and saving costs this way means you can invest more in other aspects of your wedding.

3. DIY where you can

Always been good with floral arrangements? Handy with crafts or anything design-related? Put your skills to good use and add a personal touch to your wedding by adding a flair of your own creativity where you can.

Yes, we know that vendors are professional and have years of experience, but that doesn’t mean that you should be afraid to express your (and your partner’s) individuality by incorporating things that you love or that is symbolic of all that encompasses your personality.

4.  Speaking of flowers...
If you do decide not to do your own flowers, make sure you stick to flowers that are in season as they are cheaper than those that aren’t. Think about how much you can save if you can avoid having to pay for flowers that are a) out of season and b) imported.

Another alternative, according to this post from the Buzzfeed Community, is to simply use fake flowers.