65 Brilliant and Ingenious Ways to Save Money and Cut Wedding Costs (Part 3)

65 Brilliant and Ingenious Ways to Save Money and Cut Wedding Costs (Part 3)

51. Double up on your musical talent. Hire a band/dj who can provide the music for both your band and your reception.

52. Hold an audition for a local cover band instead of a headliner. If you have your heart set on having a band, but don’t have the money, consider some of the local talent and cover bands in your area. Sometimes they are absolutely amazing and will cost much less then a big name band.

53. Create a playlist for your cocktail hour. Aside from letting the guests know that they should move into the reception area, there is not much need to have a DJ during your cocktail hour. A well chosen playlist on an iPod can save you an hour of DJ fees.

54. Hire a music teacher. If they teach, it’s a good possibility they can play well. If you want a musician (pianist, cellist, violinist or even a singer…) to play/sing your favorite song, check your local music shops and studios.

55. Consider a wedding coordinator. Some brides thing that wedding planners or coordinators will run up their bills, but it’s a well known fact that some of them actually get amazing discounts from their vendors that will save you a lot of money. Shop around and price things out.

56. Consolidate your photographers timeline. If you want your photographer to be around for both the wedding prep, all the way until after the cake is cut, you can rack up a pretty high bill if they are paid by the hour. You can save money by planning to cut your cake earlier in the night. Your guest won’t mind, and even though it’s cut early, it still doesn’t have to be served until the end. You can also choose to take wedding photos while the guests are at cocktail hour, instead of before the wedding starts to save 1-2 hours of paid photographer time.

57. Cut down on the number of photographers. Sometimes wedding photographers will have 2-3 or more assistants shooting photos with them. Decide on how many you really need and cut back if possible. Don’t forget everyone’s phone has a camera these days…

58. Cut back on photography costs with a photo both. A favorite trend at weddings that guests usually love… Your guests will flock to the booths. It’s the modern version of the disposable camera (remember those)?

59. Cost of liquor by the drink vs. open bar. Price out your options. Sometimes you will save money by having an open bar instead of running up a bar tab for all of your guests.

60. Get married in your backyard. If you have the property for it, I’ve seen so many beautiful backyard weddings that have trumped any reception hall wedding I’ve ever seen in style and elegance. You’ll save a fortune.  

61. Vocational Students as Hairdressers and Makeup Artists. Instead of hiring a career professional, find reputable sources to refer hair dressing or makeup artist students with amazing talent. Have a trial. They may be able to do just as wonderful of a job, at half the cost.

62. Do your own wedding makeup. If you are talented enough to accomplish this, why not!

63. Do your own wedding hair. Same as above… if you have a talent for hairstyles, why not “do” your own “do” for your big “I-do”!

64. Pass on the Jimmy Choos and the Vera Wang. I know you want to look your best but no one will be checking your labels on wedding day…   Choose a beautiful, less expensive designer when selecting your wedding attire. You may find options you like even better and look even nicer!

65. Consider a Destination Wedding. Instead of a big elaborate event, consider getting married in a fabulous tropical location with only your closest friends and family in attendance. You may find this route to be less expensive than a local reception of 150 people with their plus ones!

Back to Part 2: 65 Brilliant and Ingenious Ways to Save Money On Your Wedding

Back to Part 1: 65 Brilliant and Ingenious Ways to Save Money On Your Wedding