Finally, after all of the preliminary events of the wedding season, from the engagement party to the bachelor or bachelorette shindig, the main event is finally upon you. Planning a wedding is a stressful experience, especially because it tends to also be a very expensive one. The average wedding costs well over $30,000 and this initial expense starts many marriages on poor financial footings that they never recover from. If you’re still in the planning stages for your big day, here are some tips to help you reign in the expenses a little bit. 

The Plan

One cost you may not need at all is the wedding planner. It is a big undertaking, but there is no reason you can’t plan all of the details of your wedding yourself. If it is something you feel confident taking on (and your future spouse agrees), go for it!

The Guest List

The guest list is the first place where weddings start spiraling out of control. You don’t need to invite everyone you’ve ever met – you don’t even need to invite everyone in your family. If you barely know your second-cousin-twice-removed, she probably doesn’t actually want to come anyway. Remember that everyone on that list needs a save-the-date, an invitation, a stamp on their return envelope, and a place to sit and food to eat at the reception. Are the dollar signs adding up yet? A smaller and more intimate wedding will be cheaper and still lovely and memorable.

The Reception Hall

Finding a reception hall that is flexible will be the key to saving money. This flexibility could look like allowing you to book on a weeknight or not limiting you to a set list of caterers. Sometimes they will even negotiate on price if you ask. Finally, consider a location that doesn’t have a reputation as a wedding spot: you’re less likely to have to pay through the nose and the reception will be unique.

The Caterer

Catering is probably the biggest cost for most weddings, so if you find a reception venue that allows any caterer, take time to look for the best, most cost-effective option. If you have a favorite little restaurant, find out if they cater. Often they will cost less than the big catering companies and the food will be much better.

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