There are so many wedding budget saving tricks out there. Tips and tidbits that will surely help you save money on your wedding, while not compromising on anything important. However, there are some tricks you should definitely avoid.
We all know that some things are too good to be true. And that sometimes the benefits of an effort aren’t always worth it in the end. When it comes to your wedding budget, it’s important to know what will actually help you save money, and what can end up backfiring. In the long run, knowing will help you both save time and money. There’s a lot of bad advice out there, and hopefully this post will set the record straight.
When you know how to manage your efforts, and focus on actual wedding budget saving tricks that will work out in the end, you can save a lot of money on your wedding. It’s all about understanding what risks come with which tricks. It’s okay to cut costs, when it makes sense. Once you know what can go wrong, you can make informed choices for your wedding’s budget.
7 Wedding Budget Saving Tricks To Avoid
This post is going to lay out seven common wedding budget saving tricks that I do not recommend at all. And it will go into alternatives to do instead.
Now, you can disagree with me. You can even implement some of these tricks. In fact, you probably know some people who did some of the items below and it worked out just fine. That’s wonderful for them and their wedding, but this is your wedding. And I’m going to make sure you’re super informed before you waste precious time and money.
Here we go!
1. HIRING SOMEONE BASED ON PRICE, WITHOUT DOING YOUR RESEARCH FIRST
When you hire someone to work at your wedding, you have to look at their whole package. This means their reviews, client testimonials, website, and social media page. It also means talking to them first and actually asking them questions.
Sometimes couples will place “price” at the top of their decision-making factors when they hire a vendor, and either ignore or brush over all the other information out there. This is a huge mistake. The price of a vendor has a lot that goes into it, and sometimes if someone is inexpensive it’s too good to be true.
What Can Go Wrong
There are so many things that can go wrong if you do your booking before looking. You may find that the person you hired just isn’t that great at their job. Or, that they are great but difficult to work with. Either way, this can impact your wedding day experience in a negative way. Yes, you may save some bucks, but it won’t be worth it if it costs a lot of stress.
What To Do Instead
I know that research isn’t everyone’s strong suit, but just do it before you book each vendor. At least look at reviews and their work. You don’t have to pour over every word, but know what you’re getting into. And have questions for the vendor when you talk to them, before you book. Their answers can be very telling.
2. BOOKING A BLANK SPACE VENUE JUST BECAUSE IT’S CHEAP
Many people get offered up a blank space wedding venue by others, or they come across one that they can book for a fraction of an all-inclusive venue. This is one of the wedding budget saving tricks that can absolutely come back to bite you.
Blank space wedding venues need a lot of work. They may need bathrooms and kitchens. They definitely need furniture, lighting, set up, and clean up. All of this requires someone to manage the effort, too. These costs can add up very quickly. In fact, I wrote all about it in this post.
What Can Go Wrong
As you can probably already tell, blank space venues have costs that can add up really fast. Plus, they are a lot of effort. The costs alone can add up to be more expensive than an all-inclusive wedding venue. And, the extra stress and coordination can take away from your wedding day experience. You may need to hire a wedding planner to take care of it all, which is an added cost.
What To Do Instead
Before you commit to a blank space wedding venue, price out everything that you’ll need to bring. Consider coordination as well, and how much free time you really have. Compare that price to an all-inclusive venue to make sure you’ll actually save money in the long run.
3. HIRING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER FOR TOO SHORT A TIME
Some photographers will discount their services if you only use them for a short amount of time. You may find that you can hire a photographer for just a couple hours, instead of a full day, and this can save you a lot of money.
However, think about what you’re choosing here. You will have to choose the parts of your wedding that your photographer misses. Yes, you may have guests who can snap cell phone photos to “fill in the gaps”, but we all know that they won’t be as good.
What Can Go Wrong
No one wants their wedding to end with regrets. If you cut your photographer’s time short, you have to accept ahead of time that there will be missed opportunities. And, later on, you may wish that you had just spent the extra money on them. You’ll never get your wedding day back, and photos can be worth a thousand words, as they say.
What To Do Instead
Talk to your photographer to maximize their time. They may be able to recommend a second shooter for an extended amount of time, at a lessor cost. And, they might have creative ideas so you don’t have to miss out on cherished photography.
4. BUYING AN INEXPENSIVE WEDDING GOWN THAT DOESN’T FIT
There are so many inexpensive wedding gown options these days. Buying second hand, clearance, off the rack – the opportunities are out there.
Imagine that you find your dream dress. And it’s second hand, clearance, or off the rack. You love it. It’s perfect. It’s beautiful and the price is right. There’s only one thing wrong with it. It’s clearly not your size. It can be very, very tempting to go ahead and get it. I recommend that you think long and hard before you do so.
What Can Go Wrong
It’s important that your wedding gown fits. Too big, and it’ll be super expensive to bring in. Too small, and you’ll have to alter it just to wear it. In the long run, extensive alterations can add up quickly.
What To Do Instead
Just buy a dress that fits you. Before you commit to something second hand, or online, take your measurements and have the seller compare them to the dress. When in doubt, set some extra money aside for alterations.
5. HIRING A VENDOR WHO IS JUST GETTING STARTED
Look, we all have to start somewhere. I understand that. I’m not saying to never hire someone who is brand new at their profession. It’s okay to give someone a chance to gain experience. Just not when it comes to the wedding-related items that you really care about.
Sorry if that sounds harsh.
Here’s the thing. If you care a lot about your wedding photography, or food, or flowers, you may not want to hire someone who is new and inexpensive to take care of those items. It’s risky. If you care less about your makeup, music, or officiate, hire someone new. Give new vendors a shot, but only for the items that you are okay with being a little less than stellar.
What Can Go Wrong
An experienced vendor can be just that, inexperienced. If they don’t have a mentor or more experienced person training them, it means that your wedding is training them. And, you don’t necessarily want your wedding to be the “guinea pig”, right? Depending on the service, things can be less-than-perfect. If you hire someone brand new, you have to be okay with that.
What To Do Instead
If you hire someone that doesn’t have a lot of experience, look at any work they may have available before hiring them. Don’t hire an inexperienced vendor to do something that is super important to you. And, if you do, see if they have a mentor or someone they can turn to in case something goes wrong.
6. SIGNING A “DEAL” WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE FINE PRINT
Deals can be found everywhere you look. And, one of the tactics to get others to sign is to create a sense of urgency. It could be limited availability, a timing thing, or whatever, but when there’s a deadline, we are more likely to jump into things.
If you find a deal for a wedding vendor, and don’t have time to read the fine print on their contract, take a deep breath and wait it out. You never know what you’re signing. Even if the price is really unbelievable, you’ll want to make sure this vendor is right for your wedding before you commit.
What Can Go Wrong
If you don’t know what’s in a contract’s fine print, you don’t know the details. There may be extra costs that you’ll have to cover if you’re not careful. Or, there may be services that you thought were included but are actually not. All of this can make the “deal” not so good.
What To Do Instead
Look, just read the contract. If it’s a deal, it will be a deal. If it’s not, move on to another vendor.
7. PAYING SOMEONE UNDER THE TABLE, FOR A DISCOUNT
Oh, the cash vendor. The person who tells you that they will give you a discount, as long as there is no paper trail for their services. If you are working with someone you know very well, this wedding budget saving trick may just be okay. If this is a brand new vendor, dig a little deeper before committing.
Yes, it could totally work out. You never know. This reputable vendor who is excellent at their job may be cutting you a deal because they like and trust you. However, without a contact, there are risks.
What Can Go Wrong
Without a contract, there is no legally binding agreement. The vendor could not show up to your wedding, and you’ll have no recourse. With no agreement, you have all the risk if something happens. It’s not worth it if the service is really important to you.
What To Do Instead
Ideally, you’ll have a contract. If that’s not possible, always pay vendors electronically. Send them emails and have them respond. Whenever possible have some sort of paper trail, just in case something goes wrong.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Alright friends. These are seven major wedding budget saving tricks to avoid. Yes, in some cases, you can try them out and they will absolutely save you money. But, you’re taking a risk with each and every one of them. And, if the risk is big enough, saving money just isn’t worth it. Stay tuned for another post in a few weeks for more tricks to avoid – I could go on and on about this subject! Happy wedding planning!
More From Hummingbird Wedding Advice:
8 Budget Friendly Wedding Venue Ideas
Pro’s & Con’s Of Renting Your Wedding Dress
9 Financial Conversations You Should Have With Your Partner
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[…] few weeks ago, I wrote a post about wedding budget saving tricks to avoid, but it got to be so long I decided to split it into two. Because weddings are so pricey, there are […]