Wedding Costs Are Still Rising — Here’s How Couples Can Save $5K+ Without Sacrificing Style
When Ella Fitzgerald sang, “At last, my love has come along,” she unfortunately didn’t add, “and so has a lot of money.” Because it feels like you need a lot of money to put on a wedding that celebrates the love that has, at last, come along.
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According to GreatEvent, the median cost of a wedding is $18,000, with the average cost coming in between $34,000 and $36,000.
You don’t want to spend that much. Ideally, you’d love to shave more than $5,000 from your total. But you also want a wedding that reflects your style. What do you do? You turn to an expert like Zoe Burke, a leading wedding expert and head of brand at Bridebook. She has tips for cutting your wedding costs as smoothly as you’ll cut your wedding cake.
Don’t Let Other People’s Expectations Derail Your Budget
According to Burke, one of the reasons wedding costs have climbed so steadily, beyond the fact that many venues, vendors and suppliers are also dealing with higher prices across the board, is the quiet emergence of new wedding trends and expectations.
“What was a ‘nice extra’ five years ago (the welcome drinks, the photo booth, the late-night food van) is now baseline,” Burke said. “So you’ve got rising costs and rising expectations meeting in the middle, and the average wedding price tag is the result.”
Burke said there’s good news, though. Many couples are pushing back on what they’re “supposed” to have, skipping nonessential add-ons like photo booths and food vans and focusing on what they actually want.
Don’t Splurge on Stationery
Burke called stationery “the silent budget-eater.” She added that items like save-the-dates, invites, RSVP cards, order of service, menus, place cards, table plans and thank-you cards can really add up if you go the luxury route.
“By the time you’ve added it all up, you’ve spent the price of a really good honeymoon flight on paper,” Burke said.
Consider digital RSVPs, simplified invitation suites or all-in-one designs to cut costs. Your guests won’t notice the difference, but your budget will.
Be Flexible About the Date
If you’re not attached to a specific date, you can save money by shifting when you get married. Burke said moving from a Saturday in peak wedding season to a Friday or Sunday in the same month can “knock thousands off.”
She added that “a midweek wedding in November or January can land you closer to half-price territory at some venues.”
Of course, there’s a trade-off in asking guests to potentially take time off work, but Burke said many guests would rather use paid time off to attend your wedding than pay higher travel and lodging costs tied to peak dates.
“Off-peak isn’t a compromise, it’s a strategy that’s seeing Gen Z couples save around 12% off the average cost of a wedding just by choosing Tuesdays or Wednesdays to say, ‘I do,’” Burke said.
Get Creative About the Venue
Maybe you’ve always dreamed about getting married in a specific venue, like an art museum or historic property. But Burke said you’ll likely save more by thinking creatively about where you tie the knot.
“Dry-hire venues like town halls, empty warehouses, community spaces or the room above your favorite bar give you a blank canvas for a fraction of the price,” Burke said. “The personality you bring to them is often what guests remember.”
She added that independent restaurants will frequently do a full buyout for less than a traditional venue’s hire fee, while also bundling food and service, which can reduce overall costs.
You can also consider theaters, galleries, working distilleries and cafes. Since they’re not traditional wedding venues, they may not charge a “wedding premium.”
“The trick is to stop searching ‘wedding venues near me’ and start searching for spaces you already love,” Burke said.
Set Clear Boundaries Around the Guest List
Determining your guest list can be one of the most stressful parts of wedding planning. Burke said it’s easier if you set clear rules and apply them consistently.
“Some of these rules include ‘no plus ones unless you’re married, engaged or living together,’ ‘no children’ or ‘no colleagues’ — and the magic word is consistency,” Burke said. “People aren’t really upset about not being invited; they’re upset about feeling singled out. If your rule is the rule for everyone, it almost always lands.”
If you’re worried about missing opportunities to celebrate with your extended network, Burke suggested a “two-tier wedding,” which she described as a smaller, more intimate ceremony and meal followed by a larger evening party where you can invite a broader group for drinks and dancing.
The best part, she said, is that everyone feels included, and you save significantly on per-guest catering and venue costs.
The Bottom Line
Happily ever after doesn’t have to equal “expensively ever after.” If you make smart, intentional choices while planning your wedding, you can cut $5,000 or more from your total while still creating a day that feels personal and stylish.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice.
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