Royal Wedding or Vegas? Keeping Your Wedding Costs Under Control

business loans of a wedding in the U.S. is over $33,000. ¹ In Canada, it is over $42,000. ² That is a costly day by any standard.By comparison, that sum may be sufficient for a deposit on a first home or to get a well-equipped, late-model minivan to shuttle across your 1.6 to 2 kids -- assuming that your family has a normal number of kids as a consequence of your newly wedded bliss. ³

Having cold feet about shelling out that much cash for one day's festivities? Here are a couple of ideas on ways to produce your wedding day a special day to remember while saving some of that money for other things (such as a minivan).

Invite Close Friends and Family


You can cut the price of your wedding dramatically simply by trimming the guest list to a much more manageable size. Small weddings are an increasing trend, with lots of couples choosing to limit the guest list to just close friends and family. That doesn't mean you've got to have your wedding in the garden while the neighbor's dog barks during your vows -- although you can. It merely means fewer people to supply refreshments for and possibly a less palatial place to lease.

Budget According to Priorities
Your wedding is unique and you want everything to be perfect. You have dreamed of this day your entire life, right? But by prioritizing your wish list, there's a better opportunity to get exactly what you need for certain parts of your weddingby choosing less costly -- but nevertheless okay -- choices for the things which might not matter to you so much. When it's all about the reception celebration setting for you, try placing more of your budget toward entertainment and decorations and less toward the meals. Maybe you don't actually need a seven-course gourmet supper with complete service when a selection of easier, buffet-style dishes supplied by your favorite restaurant will do.

Contain More Wallet-Friendly Wedding Ideas
A composite of little changes in your plan can add up to big savings, allowing you to have a memorable wedding day and still have enough cash left over to enjoy your newfound bliss.
Take a different day of the week. If you're considering getting married on a Saturday in June or September, be prepared to pay more to get a place than you would every day of the week or time of the year. ⁴ Saturday is your priciest day for married, and June and September are both peak wedding season . So in the event that you can have your wedding , say, a Friday in April or November, this has the capability to trim the cost of this venue.

Rent a vacation house -- or possibly get married to a ship. The smaller area will avoid the guest list from growing out of control and the experience might be more memorable than at a bigger, more average venue. Of course, both options demand holding the reception at precisely the exact same place, saving money once more.

Watch the booze Expenses. There is no requirement to have a full bar with every possible drink concoction and bow-tied bartenders which can perform tricks using the shakers. Odds are great that your guests will probably be just as happy using a smaller-yet-thoughtfully-chosen selection of wine and beer to choose from.

If you truly wish to trim costs, you can get creative about certain traditional"must-haves," ranging from skipping the blossoms (chances are that nobody will even miss them) to purchasing a gently-used gown. Yes, people really do this. Online outlets such as OnceWed.com provide amazing gowns for a fraction of the purchase price of a new gown that you'll probably never wear again.

There's a happy medium between a royal marriage and drive-thru nuptials in Vegas. If you're searching for a memorable day that will not break the bank, try out some of the advice above to keep things elegant, cool -- and within your budget.