Weddings on a budget do not have to be more stressful. In fact, by taking the right steps, you can make the wedding less expensive and less stressful at the same time. By investing only in what matters most to you, you can have a meaningful, unique ceremony and reception that avoids extra wedding costs and frustrations. Read on for more about how to make small-budget weddings stress-free.
Use a Wedding Planner Book or App
A well-made wedding planner book is an excellent investment. It takes months and many steps to plan a successful wedding, and these books can help you make sure that nothing gets forgotten. For the more technologically savvy, there are also a few wedding planning apps that can help as well.
Whittle Down Your Guest List
From both a budget and a stress perspective, minimizing the number of people on your guest list is the best thing you can do. Every additional guest means additional invitations and thank you cards, seats at the venue, and overall planning headaches.
In addition, having a more intimate wedding eases stress during the event itself. Talking to hundreds of guests can be more exhausting than wearing stilettos — and you may be doing both. Inviting fewer guests to the wedding reception allows you to have more time to talk to each guest or to relax with your new spouse.
Consider Limiting the Wedding Party
For many of the same reasons as listed above, it may be helpful to limit the wedding party (bridesmaids, groomsmen, and so on). In many cases, having a maid of honor and a best man may be all you need.
Enlist Help
As much as you can, ask guests to contribute to the wedding in lieu of a gift. If you have a friend who is a great DJ, ask them to handle the music at the reception. If you have relatives who are good at crafting, ask them to assist with making centerpieces. Many people will be happy to help if it makes your big day just a little less stressful.
Keep the Reception Simple
If there is a wedding tradition you’re not a fan of, feel free to leave it out of your reception. The father-daughter dance, best man toast, tossing of the bouquet, and garter toss can all be off the table if you want them to be. Keep the elements that are meaningful to you and your fiancé. Each element you leave out allows for less convoluted planning.
Choose an Inclusive Venue
The venue you choose to host your wedding ceremony and/or reception can have a huge impact on the ease of wedding planning. If possible, pick a venue that has room for both the ceremony and the reception. This avoids the stress of traveling between venues. A place that has plenty of room for makeup, hair, and wardrobe changes is also a plus.
With smart planning, cheap weddings can also be stress-free, memorable weddings.
