9 Money Saving Swaps For Your Wedding!

Sometimes the simplest swap can help you save money on your wedding.

Everyone knows that when it comes to planning a wedding, there should be a balance with perfect choices and affordable choices. The thing is, both of those are open to interpretation. And, there are endless options. When you start planning your wedding, you’ll have the freedom to make choices that can both impact the look of your wedding, and your budget.

There’s good news with those choices. It’s that you can usually save money on your wedding if you swap one over the other. When faced with two perfectly good options, how great would it be if you are able to choose the one that costs less? With some creativity, and extra information on tips and ideas, you’ll be equipped to keep planning the wedding of your dreams, and save the cash.

While planning your wedding, think about if any of the money saving trades below are right for you. In some cases, there’s no way you’ll want to proceed with the tradeoff. However, in others, you just may. Many of them have a trickle-down effect to help you save even more on other items, too. And the great thing is that you can use the extra money in your budget to splurge on things that are higher on your priority list.

Check out what you can swap to save money on your wedding below!

1. SWAP A USED DRESS INSTEAD OF BUYING NEW

The crazy thing about wedding dresses is they are only worn once, and yet they can be so expensive.

Many women opt to try and recoup some of those wedding dress costs by re-selling their dresses right after the wedding. They even plan ahead for it, having their dress professionally cleaned right after use. They then post these dresses online at a deep discount, ready for sale. If you’ve got your eye out for a specific style, and it’s somewhat common, you’ll probably find it at a bargain.

If you go with a used dress, look into reputable second-hand websites, as well as local sellers. You may even receive some sort of return policy if the dress doesn’t work out. Yes, you’ll have some expenses for alterations, but this is true even for a new dress. So, try out this option if you don’t need your dress to be brand new. You’ll definitely save money with this easy swap.

2. GET MARRIED IN THE OFF-SEASON

Okay, okay, I’ve said this one before. But I’ll say it again. Getting married in the off-season will save you money.

So, what is the off-season, exactly? Well, for most locations in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s from November to April. It’s the time of year that tends to be a little cooler, snowier, or rainier. The time where the days are shorter. But also the time where you can save money on your wedding.

Not only do most venues discount their space in their off-season, but so do many vendors because there is less demand for their services. And, depending on how the weather behaves and where you are located, you may even end up with the exact same wedding you would have had in the on-season, but for less costs.

3. SWAP LIVE PLANTS INSTEAD OF FRESH FLOWERS

Using live plants instead of fresh flowers is kind of a unique idea when it comes to adding to your wedding budget.

Live plants are great for your budget because they survive. You may even be able to borrow them from a local shop for the day and then return them right after your wedding. You can also buy them in bulk from a local wholesale market or nursery. Live plants tend to be sturdier than cut flowers, and may not require as much care leading up to the wedding day, too.

If you go with live plants, you can use them for centerpieces, around the reception room, or as gifts if you end up purchasing them instead of renting. You may need a little help transporting them, but you can probably work something out and still save on costs.

4. HAVE A DESSERT BAR INSTEAD OF A CAKE

Dessert bars are having their day in the sun at weddings, aren’t they?

With smaller weddings becoming the norm during the pandemic, and just a general eye opening towards how fun small desserts actually are, it’s becoming more and more common to see dessert bars instead of huge wedding cakes. And you know what? It’s fun for guests, and it’s a swap that saves money.

These days, it’s so easy to put together your own dessert bar. You can do it just by going to a local wholesale market or grocery store. There are tons of yummy and fresh options to put out. And the sky is the limit. Often, on social media you’ll see dessert bars filled with donuts, cookies, cupcakes, and mini-cakes. Maybe they were procured by the couples themselves? Or maybe they were made by a trusted family member?

The cool thing, no matter how the desserts are made, is that they are a low-cost alternative to a large cake. So, if you’re good with it either way, look into a dessert bar as a way to add more to your wedding budget.

5. ASK A FRIEND TO OFFICIATE INSTEAD OF A PROFESSIONAL

Now, this is a very subjective way to save money and may not work in every situation. But hear me out.

If you are having a non-religious wedding ceremony, and you are not particular about having a professional lead the service, consider asking a friend to fill in as your officiant. They can usually get ordained for free online, and this could be their wedding gift to you. If you go this route, and you’re not responsible for paying for your friend’s travel or lodging, it can save you money on officiant fees.

If you’d like more ideas on how to design a ceremony, or your wedding vows, check out this post on wedding vows, and this post on unity ceremonies.

6. SWAP A FULL BAR WITH JUST WINE AND BEER

Some people are hesitant to have a wine and beer only wedding, but to be honest, your guests won’t mind at all.

Besides the benefits of having less risk of your guests getting out of control, a wine and beer wedding is a great way to save on your wedding budget, compared to a full bar. With a wine and beer wedding, you can have limited options, no garnishes, and simplify the needs for glasses. You can also hire an inexperienced bartender to provide the drinks to everyone, or have guests serve themselves.

When you have a full bar, you open up a lot of room for more costs. You’ll need mixers, garnishes, varied glasses, and a bartender who knows what they are doing. As you can tell, a wine and beer wedding will keep it simple and allows you to increase your budget at the same time.

7. SWAP A COCKTAIL RECEPTION FOR A FULL DINNER

If you’ve been following the blog, you may have seen this recent post all about DIY cocktail hours.

In order to save costs, you may want to make your entire wedding like cocktail hour. This is where you omit having a buffet or plated dinner in favor of just appetizers and drinks instead. You’ll save costs because appetizers are less expensive than full meals, and they are much easier to take care of yourself.

Plus, you may be able to avoid having seated tables for guests, reducing the costs of centerpieces, rentals, place cards, and a seating chat. You can easily put this together at a plethora of venues including wineries, breweries, or restaurants.

If you’d like to have a cocktail reception, just give your guests the heads up that a full dinner won’t be served. You may also want to have your wedding a little earlier in the day, and perhaps plan for a smaller group to meet with you after the wedding for dinner.

8. PUT DETAILS ON YOUR WEDDING WEBSITE INSTEAD OF YOUR INVITATIONS

The cost of postage and invitations can really add up. This is especially true the more you put into your invitations.

In order to save a bit on invitations, think about keeping the information shared on them as strategic as possible. This means having your invitation, with your names, wedding location, and date, but also including your wedding website for all additional questions and a way to RSVP. By doing this, you’ll save on the need for insert cards, and also return RSVP’s. Those little things can add up when you think about printing fees, shipping, and then additional postage.

For more ideas on what to include on your wedding website, and where to get started with creating one, check out this post.

9. USE YOUR OWN CAMCORDER INSTEAD OF A VIDEOGRAPHER

This is one of my favorite ways to save money, because we did this at our wedding.

If you’re not concerned about a fancy video produced from your wedding, but you still want some recording of it, consider buying a little camcorder. Have a young guest hold it for you during pivotal moments during your wedding, such as your ceremony and speeches. Ask them to interview guests so you can look back later on at the memories, too.

After the wedding, you’ll end up with amateur but interesting footage that you can then use to edit, share, or just watch, at a fraction of the cost of a professional video.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Alright friends! Just like with anything in life, if you’re willing to look at your options, swap certain things, and really think about what’s important to you, you can save money on your wedding without compromising your experience. I suggest you look at everything with your wedding, and ask yourself if a trade could work for you, in order to add more to your budget. It all adds up in the end!

More From Hummingbird Wedding Advice:

Tips For Asking Family To Help Pay For Your Wedding

Which Is The Best Season To Get Married In?

10 Wedding Budget Saving Tips (For Every Budget)

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