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We all know weddings are expensive. When I talk with newly engaged couples & ask them what their number one concern is about their wedding it's always the bottom line. No one & I mean NO ONE wants to spend the cost of a college education on their wedding. And more and more I'm seeing couples who just won't & they are getting super creative in effort to cut costs. Here are some of my absolute fave new wedding tends that'll save you cold, hard cash.
Intimate weddings. My average guest count in 2019 was 145 guests. A huge decline from my average of 225 in 2018. Small guest counts are the number 1 easiest way to cut your wedding budget and honestly I AM HERE FOR IT. Besides the moola it saves, I've found the smaller the guest count, the less stressed my couple is.
Private ceremonies. Cocktail celebrations. I have no idea what creative genius came up with this idea, but I LOVE IT & I've had 4 couples so far this year call me with this vision. The concept is that they'll have a very private ceremony including only their very nearest and dearest, some at City Hall and some in a small garden venue or something similar. Then host private meal with those people (think rehearsal dinner) and then move on to an absolute rager celebration later that night with light bites, drinks & music with everyone they want to dance the night away with. These couples are also kicking all traditions like dances & speeches and making the entire night about celebrating. The beauty of this route is that it'll usually save on the number of hours you need certain vendors for, the number of hours you need the venue for, but also the catering bill going the route of heavy passed or stationed apps instead of a full blown seated dinner, plus your labor costs associated with catering & rental cost of linens & place settings. Plus, I think it kind of creates this wind up throughout the day of super special & intimate to the best party you'll ever throw.
Brunch weddings. This trend is not only delicious, but practical AF. Brunch weddings save you cash for a few reasons. You can usually negotiate a lower rate on your venue since you're not taking up real estate during peak wedding hours. I also think that Sunday brunch weddings make the most sense for taking advantage of a venues Sunday wedding discount. You might also be able to negotiate a discount with a vendor that could take more than one wedding that day (spoiler alert: a Wedding Planner could not). & you can easily limit the bar options with much less push back than you could an evening wedding. Create a custom Mimosa, Bellini, or Bloody Mary bar with maybe a beer and wine option as well & your guests are set for 11am.
Small or no bridal party. I've talked about it before, but your bridal party is expensive. We've had several couples over the last year opt or tiny or no bridal party & it always helps them save some dough.
Bud vase centerpieces. Ok, so this is a go to design trend of mine for couples looking to make some cuts to their floral budget. Bud vases are so cute, but they use so much less product than a full blown arrangement & you can usually purchase bud vases super cheap at thrift shops.
Deconstructed centerpieces. Another design trend I am loving. The beauty of deconstructed centerpieces is that they usually don't require a vessel to hold the flowers. & my floral friends are going to write me hate mail, but this is also an option that usually can be done wholesale and not require work with a florist if budget is tight.
What's your favorite cash saving wedding trend?
Wondering if you need a Wedding Planner?
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