Tips for Brides on a Budget

By Scott Klepach Jr.

So you’re engaged — congratulations! It is an exciting and wonderful time.

And then the questions set in. “How much do I want to spend for my wedding? How much can I spend? What is a budget, anyway?”

But now more than ever, brides and grooms are asking: How can I make the maximum impact with a minimal budget?

“Weddings can take on a life of their own for the bride,” says Betsy LaBombard, who owns A Midsummer Night Catering & Event Planning in Yakima. “It can become a full-time job of planning, so she definitely needs to make sure she asks for help.”

From there brides (and grooms!) and any helpers have some essential steps to take.

“The first thing you need to do is create a budget and prioritize your list. Some things that are really important to one bride, may not be important to another,” says Sarah Nelson, owner of Couture Events in Yakima. “What you can cut out is the first step.”

Next discuss the wedding’s theme. Do you want a formal wedding, or one that is more casual or semi-formal? LaBombard notes that if a couple’s budget is under $10,000, it is not reasonable to plan for a formal wedding. A good tactic to save money is plan for a long engagement, so the couple has more money banked by the time the big day rolls around.

“If you’re planning a year out, you’ll have more money to contribute to the budget than if [you] wait three months before the wedding,” says LaBombard. “All brides should start nailing down certain vendors a year out.”

LaBombard recommends spending no more than 25 percent of the wedding budget on the venue. Venues and caterers are the biggest expenses, she adds, and combine for nearly 60 percent of the overall wedding budget in most cases. She suggests planning to spend 10 percent on a photographer and another 20 percent on dresses, which includes bridesmaids’ gowns.

You should also consider — of course — how many guests you’re going to invite.

“Watch the number of people you invite, because every person is money,” says Mallory Huibregtse, who runs Breathtaking Weddings & Event Planning in Yakima. “Cutting back on your guest list can save you thousands of dollars.”

Huibregtse also recommends that couples really do their research on décor and favors, since there are plenty of good deals at different businesses and also online.

“Really research and shop around,” she says. “Brides should not buy impulsively,” LaBombard agrees.

This is especially important when selecting the right vendor, Huibregtse continues, and Nelson and LaBombard concur.

More affordable times of year for renting venues come in winter, early spring and even late fall, says Nelson. “It’s the same venue for a cheaper price,” Nelson says.

Being flexible with days and times for the wedding ceremony and reception will pay off in the end. Consider having a wedding on days other than Saturday, which tends to be far more expensive than any other day of the week. Brides can find many discounts on Wednesdays and Thursdays, for instance, but even Sunday has proven to be more popular and cost-effective.

Nelson says one money-saving trick is to pick a venue where you can have both the ceremony and reception. “You’ll not only save money for two different venues, but you’ll save on transportation, and save time on a photographer.”

An earlier wedding will not require a dinner menu, which can also trim costs significantly. “The time of day is really going to determine what type of food you’re going to serve,” Nelson says.

And, if you’re really on a tight budget, says Nelson, have the family pitch in. “Do a potluck, if family members are willing to cook for you,” she says.

Filed under Planning Help