Ever wish you knew the secret to getting gorgeous flowers without burying your budget? Or how to wow your guests with a gourmet meal sans the staggering price tag? Now is your chance. We went straight to the pros—the very people who arrange the flowers, make the music and prepare the meals—for their best insider tips.
How to Save On Your:
Big-Picture Savings
1. When looking for locations, create a comparison chart to track what’s included in the price you’re quoted, suggests Lynda Barness of I Do Wedding Consulting in Philadelphia. “Some places claim to include everything, but then leave out the cake and the linens.”
Determine your budget and prioritize. A rule of thumb: Food, beverage and venue should be about half of your budget.
Many public spaces are available for small rental fees, but they need to be equipped to handle a big event. If you have to rent everything, from tables to napkins, you may blow your budget.
Book one location for your ceremony and reception. You won’t have to pay multiple site fees, plus there’s no need for transportation between each one.
Belong to the military or a community organization? You may have access to your group’s venue.
Many colleges offer beautiful, reasonably priced spots for students and alumni to tie the knot. Find out if this is a viable option for your event.
“Most places charge a premium for Saturday night,” says Harris Lane of Hank Lane Music in New York City. “Try an afternoon wedding, or a Friday- or Sunday-night event.”
Plan an intimate Sunday brunch. A morning ceremony, followed by an early-afternoon meal, is likely to be easier on the wallet, says Filomena Lombardi, co-owner of the caterers Villa Lombardi’s and Lombardi’s on the Sound in Long Island, New York.
Time is of the essence. Schedule a three-hour event instead of a five-hour one. (People will still have fun!)
Prune your guest list. Since so many wedding elements are charged on a per-person basis, aiming for fewer can save you big.
Avoid overage fees from limo drivers, photographers and other pros by sticking to a prearranged schedule, no matter how tempting it may be to throw caution to the winds.
Maximize Your Photo Budget
Though you shouldn’t trust your wedding photography to just anyone, ask friends if they know of a pro who does weddings part time, says Donald E. Martelli of DEM photography in Revere, Massachusetts. If a photographer has other sources of income, he can usually afford to charge less.
With digital photography, a pro’s out-of-pocket expenses may be relatively little compared to the prices of his packages. Always negotiate.
Cut down on the time your photographer stays at the reception, says Jody Zorn of Zorn Photography in Denver. “Schedule toasts, the cake cutting and bouquet toss for soon after dinner, so the photographer can capture those moments and leave.”
“If a photographer whose work you love is out of your budget, ask if you can wait till after the wedding to order proofs and albums,” suggests Zorn. “Save up, or use some of your gift money later.”
“Getting a print made of every image is expensive,” says Zorn. “Ask your photographer if instead of getting hundreds of images in proof, you can select maybe two hundred.”
See if your photographer puts images online. You may find that you don’t need printed proofs at all.
Hire an associate photographer. “Many pros have photographers working under them who they feel comfortable contracting out for a discounted rate,” explains Zorn.
See if a professional videographer will edit amateur footage. Jon Gangwer of Well Spun Wedding Films in Philadelphia says he will polish a guest’s footage for a fraction of what it would cost for him to shoot the wedding himself.
Eat, Drink & Save Money
Cut bubbly out of your budget; let guests toast with whatever they’re already drinking.
“Offering a choice of several entrées at the table is more expensive than selecting a duet plate (a combo of two items such as filet mignon and lobster tail, for example) for every guest,” says Barness.
Lombardi suggests the three-course meal instead of the more usual five-course one. She adds, “An afternoon tea or dessert reception can be a great personal touch and a money-saver at the same time.”
“Fondant on cakes is expensive because it requires extra labor,” explains Elaine Ardizzone, a partner in Sweet Cheeks Baking Co. in National City, California. “Go with buttercream or cream cheese.”
Instead of a cake, serve mini cupcakes. They save money because they don’t require much product or decoration, says Ardizzone.
Instead of a huge confection, purchase a small cake for cutting and supplement it with a sheet cake, served from the kitchen.
When it comes to fruit fillings, go seasonal. Strawberries can cost 10 dollars a flat or 30 dollars a flat depending on the time of year.
If your baker charges more for multiple cake or filling flavors, limit yourself to your absolute favorite. However, if she calculates the price by averaging the costs of different flavors, plan your cake carefully. “Having the most expensive flavor on the biggest section—the bottom layer—will bump up your price,” says Ardizzone.
“For a vineyard wedding, we might put the cake on a wine barrel,” says Ardizzone. “It can be inexpensive but have a big impact.”
Traditionally, couples save the top layer of wedding cake for their first anniversary. Don’t think you’ll end up eating it? Forgo the extra layer and save some dough.
Have a small ceremonial cake and “do a delicious dessert buffet with lots of mini pastries, cakes and other sweets,” says Ardizzone. The least expensive minis are those made in sheets and sliced (as opposed to each one being crafted individually). Think brownies!
“Classic cheesecake is less expensive than traditional wedding cake,” says Ardizzone. Arrange the cheesecakes on pedestals of different heights and put out a selection of sauces, like chocolate, kiwi, mango and so on.
Trim your bar tab by serving beer, wine and a signature cocktail in your wedding colors. If you serve a signature cocktail, negotiate with your venue to get it at a reduced price.
See if your venue allows you to bring in wine. If so, negotiate to nix the corkage fee, which can cost $10 to $25 per bottle.
Save on Your Ride
“Go with a limousine rather than a stretch SUV; they tend to be almost double the cost of limos,” suggests Frank Apablaza of East84 Limousine in North Bergen, New Jersey.
Most limo services charge by the hour, so fewer stops can mean a smaller bill. If you’re having one limo for yourself and your bridesmaids, ask all of the girls to meet up at a central location (usually your home or a hotel). Have the guys do the same.
There’s no rule that says you must have a limo. Ask a trusted friend to play chauffeur for you and your groom on the big day.
Consider hiring a private chauffeur to get behind the wheel of your car. This can amount to significant savings, says Dennis Carlson of WeDriveYou, a company that provides professional chauffeur service.
Paper Cuts
Instead of paying extra for your invitations to arrive assembled, gather your bridal party and set up an assembly line, suggests Barness.
Stick to the basics. Upgrades, like colored ink and foil stamping on invitations and other printed materials, will boost your bill.
Printed menus on guest tables: Popular? Yes. Necessary? No. Some reception venues will create simple menus for you— gratis. Find out if your venue will perform that service.
Hit the crafts store for do-it-yourself invitation and program kits. With a computer and some creativity, you can get inexpensive, one-of-a-kind results.
Hiring a professional calligrapher to address your invitation envelopes can get pricey. Instead, recruit a pal with pretty penmanship for the task. Or use a calligraphy font on your computer to address envelopes. They’ll look just as good.
Order thank-you notes when you order your invites; some stationers give bulk discounts.
Stretch Your Décor Dollars
“You can save a lot by doing things yourself or having friends help you,” says Melissa Paul, a wedding planner with Evantine Design in Philadelphia.
If you choose to decorate your own reception venue, ask if you can have access to the room the day before, she suggests. Trying to do everything on your wedding day will be too stressful.
“Do one thing in abundance and it will make a big impact,” says Paul. “Gather tons of branches—you can even get them from your backyard—and place them in large vases.”
Use plants as décor. You’ll get more bang for your buck because you or your guests can take them home after the wedding, says Barness.
Save money by buying flowers wholesale and then paying a florist to do simple arrangements.
“Using fruits and vegetables is a big trend right now,” says Barness. “You’ll need fewer flowers to fill out your arrangements. Plus, it’s a lot less expensive to buy an apple than an orchid!”
Study up on flowers. Once you know what’s in season, make your selections from those and see how much further your floral budget goes.
Go green! “Greenery can create a modern look that’s beautiful on its own at a fraction of what you’d pay for flowers,” says Catherine Chu, co-owner of Three Petals, an event-design company in Costa Mesa, California.
Keep an eye on the calendar. “Due to higher demand, flowers are generally 15% to 30% more expensive on Easter, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day and in prom season,” notes Chu.
Personalize your reception space with artistic photographs. One couple Paul worked with had huge pictures of a favorite outdoor spot printed at the copy shop. At the reception, the photos were hung and lit from behind for a dramatic look.
Stay simple. “Most of the florist’s fee goes to the cost of labor, so the more elaborate your arrangements, the more expensive,” explains Chu. A few roses, tulips or even orchids submerged in water look simple but elegant, she says.
Try groupings of the same flower in different hues for an affordably stylish look. Cluster vases in different configurations on each table.
Candles are inexpensive but when done in abundance they create a romantic ambience.
Marrying around a holiday? No need to spend a fortune on flowers or décor when your reception spot is already decked out.
Find out if your reception site has in-house décor you can use. You might be able to score things like plants and votives to dress up your space.
Create your own artwork, monogram or motif on your computer, suggests Paul. Use it on elements throughout your wedding—on menus, programs or candleholders—for a chic, cohesive look.
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Music Notes
For a quartet to play during your cocktail hour, “hire talented students from a respected music school,” suggests Barness.
Or use musicians from your wedding band instead of hiring a separate group. Some wedding bands include a cocktail-hour performance by members of the band in their package.
Save hundreds of dollars by booking a DJ for dancing instead of a live band.
When it comes to bands, says Hank Lane Music’s Harris Lane, you’re better off choosing a top quality five- to seven-piece band with a great bandleader than a larger group with an inexperienced bandleader.
Stick to the must-haves.“You don’t really need three saxophones. And while a bongo player is fun, it’s not a crucial element in a band,” says Lane.
Use simple staging tricks to give a smaller band more presence. A bandstand with up lighting can make a big difference.
A fun, unexpected way to get a luxe look: Have band members change clothes after dinner to perform some great rock music for dancing.
Stay local. “If a band has to travel more than an hour, that will increase your costs,” says Lane. If you have your heart set on a band that isn’t local, book them just for the reception and find a local quartet for your cocktail hour.
A singer who also plays an instrument will save you money.
Serve musicians a budget meal and save 50% on their dinners.