Top 5 Common Mistakes When Trying to Plan a Wedding on a Budget

Planning a Wedding on a Budget

Certainly, planning a wedding is challenging. And, it gets even more challenging when you have to do it within a tight budget. There are just too many decisions to make and too many cuts to think about, making wedding planning on a budget extremely excruciating. And, even with all the tips and articles out there on how to do it, sometimes it just doesn’t turn out the way you want them to be.

Here’s where we can help. We have noticed a few not-so-good advice that couples fall into doing. And, the result? Not so good. So, we have come up with a list of the top 5 common mistakes that people make when planning their wedding on a budget.

5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Planning a Wedding on a Budget

1. Getting different suppliers for a single wedding detail

For example, when you book different florists for your bouquets, ceremony, and reception decorations. While they might be cheaper apart they can cost you more when you consider delivery fees. And, they only cover one thing: flowers. Another example we often see couples make is in the decor itself. They get a different supplier for speakers and another for lighting. Again, if you factor in the additional delivery fees, you’re actually not saving money but your spending more. Those little extras can easily send you over your budget.

2. Buying everything

This is a very common mistake. Couples tend to buy multiple items because they cost cheap, individually, and they “need” it for the wedding. However, when everything is over, it’s highly likely that you won’t ever use these items again. Say, you want vases in your reception or ceremony, and you buy over 50 of them. After your wedding, where will these go? Sure, you can sell them in the future but it will be at a much lower cost. Plus, it can be difficult to find a buyer.

3. Trying to save money by getting a friend or a family member to shoot pictures from your wedding

This has been listed in many articles on how to plan weddings on a budget. And, we couldn’t disagree more. Weddings are once-in-a-lifetime experiences and every moment lasts only for a second. However, the pictures that will be taken on this day? They will be around forever. They will be the pictures you will have to look back on as you grow older and the same pictures you have to show your kids, grandkids, and friends for the rest of your life. So, you need photos that serve as great reminders of one of the biggest days of your life. Photos that are captured beautifully and those that you will love seeing 30 or 40 years down the road. And, only professional photographers can give you these photos. If you’re still not convinced, you can look at it this way: you are making an investment in your memories!

4. Not having a backup plan

This applies to outdoor weddings. Most couples tend to ignore the importance of having a contingency plan or a backup plan in case the weather isn’t what they hoped it would be – because, yet again, they are trying to save money. However, if it does rain and you’re not ready, everything you’ve planned will be wasted.

5. Saying “yes” before understanding the costs

So, let’s say you really want to get married at one specific venue. However, there’s nothing else that comes with it and you’ve already committed into booking it for your wedding. This means you have to find other vendors that can complete your setup – tables, chairs, technical equipment, etc. As a result, you actually need to shell out more money.

More Effective Ways to Help You Stick to Your Budget

To avoid the common mistakes listed above, we have come up with ways on how to avoid them and effectively help you stick to your budget. For one, consider working with a single business to save on delivery fees or additional charges. To give you an idea, if you book a photographer and videographer from one company, you’ll actually be given big discounts!

Secondly, consider hiring items rather than buying them. Keep in mind that you will only be using such items once! This tip also greatly applies to the bride’s and groom’s attire. You can save a whole lot of money if you rent a wedding dress and tux!

In addition, the most ideal way to save on having great photos for your big day is to pay professional photographers by their hourly rate. Of course, day rates and 8-hour packages can be pricey but you won’t need them for that long.

In regards to your contingency plan, ask any of your chosen suppliers if they can provide you with umbrellas and tents in case the weather does not go as planned. And, since this will be an emergency plan, you don’t have to pay it in full. You only have to cover the 50% deposit and pay the rest if you do end up using them. This not only gives you peace of mind but you can also pay less. Lastly, make sure you have a complete picture of the expenses entailed with each detail before finally saying yes!