The amount of money couples are spending on their weddings has reached an all-time high at just under $30,000.
The increase is in part due to the higher cost of some services, the desire to create a grand experience for guests and, of course, inflation. But innovative couples who do not want to shell out more money for their nuptials have found creative ways to cut major costs. Here are some of the wacky ways people are saving on their wedding celebrations.
Crowdfunding: Years ago, couples began asking guests to foot the bill for their honeymoons (Honeyfund.com). Now they can find a registry to help them fund almost anything, including the actual wedding (Crowdtilt.com). If it seems crass to ask guests for money, some couples feel better asking them to contribute through a registry. In lieu of gifts, newlyweds have raised money for everything from building a new house (Hatchmyhouse.com) to local experiences they can enjoy on post-wedding date nights (Registry10.com).
Going social: The use of social media at weddings has grown in recent years with couples and guests posting hashtagged photos of their weddings on Instagram and Twitter. Now, some couples are forgoing photographers altogether to save on the $3,000-$10,000 cost of professional pictures. Yue Zhuge — CEO of Ivy Gallery, an app that lets guests add photos to a master timeline for viewing — suggests a few ways to work crowdsourcing photos into your celebration:
- Get a pro for the cake cutting, crowdsource the rest and save up to 50 percent on photographer fees.
- Hire a junior associate who works with an experienced photographer and crowdsource as a backup.
- Save 100 percent by crowdsourcing the whole thing. But Jamie Miles, editor of TheKnot.com, says this isn't an advisable strategy since you may miss important details and these will be the only images you have.
E-viting: "People are asking if they can send e-invitations to cut the cost of paying for a full invitation suite," Miles says. "Our recommendation is to continue mailing your invitations. There is a certain formality to it." Use digital invitations for save the dates, she says. Choose from well-designed options such as those from PaperlessPost.
Faking flowers: Some couples have shown an interest in using paper or wooden flowers to cut floral costs, Miles says. One bride even created a bouquet using brooches from family members. Just be sure the material you use in place of flowers is photogenic, Miles says.
Sharing the wealth: It isn't common, but some brides may barter with other brides to get what they need. Miles has heard of brides using message boards to find another bride getting married at the same venue on the same day with the hopes of sharing decor. "It is difficult," Miles says. "The chances that their style will be the same is low, and the logistics could create a headache."
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