It’s finally happening! You’re getting married, and you couldn’t be happier. But as soon as your elation wears off, you are faced with the dread of reality – weddings are really expensive. It’s true, weddings are notoriously overpriced and it can be very difficult for a young couple to save up the money to have their dream wedding.

Luckily, there are ways to offset that cost, cut back, or save up just in time for your big day. From finding new streams of income to temporarily tightening your belt, here is how you can save money for your dream wedding.

Borrow from friends and family

Asking for money is never comfortable, but some things are worth it, and your dream wedding is one of them. There are a few things that should make you feel better about this: first, this is a loan, so you are fully prepared to pay all this money back. If you make that perfectly clear from the beginning and even establish some repayment terms, you have a better chance of getting people to help you.

Second of all, it’s often better to borrow from friends and family, if you have the possibility than from a bank. The latter is not likely to understand if you need more time to repay or if you need to adjust the repayment installments slightly, because of difficult times. There is some room for negotiation, but nothing beats the interest rate from family, which will hopefully be 0%.

Cut back on your expenses

This may be common sense, but if you’re organizing and saving up for a wedding, then it’s best if you tighten the belt a bit and try to cut back on some expenses, in your daily life. It’s not easy even in the best of times, but it’s a temporary sacrifice and a necessary move. Here are some ways you can save some money here and there and add it all to your growing wedding fund:

Pack your coffee and lunch from home – your Starbucks coffee habit is costing you dearly, as are the daily restaurant lunches. Temporarily preparing these from home will save you a considerable amount every week.

Try to quit smoking – this is easier said than done, but it’s so worth trying. It’s primarily for the health benefits, of course, but the cost is significant, and it would really help if you were able to add that money to your fund.

Go out less frequently – going out is great, but it’s also extremely pricy. You can organize gatherings at home and have just as much fun for little to no cost. Have everyone bring something and put Netflix on. Done!

Shop less – the latest fashions may be calling your name, but you must be strong and ignore their siren songs. Put the breaks on shopping for a while, at least until after the wedding.

Read also: Save money

Do some work on the side

If your regular wages don’t allow you to save a bit here and there, then it’s time to bring in more money. And while getting promoted or looking for a better paying job is a difficult and time-consuming process, there is another way: getting a side job.

Don’t be intimidated; this doesn’t have to be too difficult, and it actually doesn’t even have to take up too much of your time. There are all kinds of jobs you can do online nowadays, from the comfort of your home:

Blogging – do you have a special passion? Are you an expert in a certain niche? Are you just an interesting person with a lot to say? Give blogging a try, and your hobby will be bringing in some extra bucks in no time.

Proofreading – if you’re literate, you are already qualified for the job. All you need to do is proofread people’s books, essays, articles, etc. when you have some extra time. You can even do this in the back of your Uber. Perfect!

Essay writing – it may have been a while since you were last in school, but the knowledge hasn’t gone anywhere; why not put it to good use by helping a kid out with their essay? They pay well and it doesn’t hurt anyone.

Online tutoring – if you have a webcam, you may just have a new job. You can tutor kids and adults alike in any subject from English to Math, and you can do it at home.

Responding to surveys – this one is super easy for when you’re bored or stuck in some waiting room, somewhere. It doesn’t cost a thing, but it pays you for the effort.

Watching videos – this one is super easy, as it doesn’t actually require any effort. You literally just watch videos and get paid for it. You can even leave them on in the background while you do something else.

Ask for money in lieu of gifts

Some people are touchy about money and weddings, while in other cultures, getting money as a gift is perfectly normal. Some couples even take it a step further and provide links and bank accounts for honeymoon funds or other financial goals that they’d like their guests to contribute towards.

Look, at the end of the day, most people getting married nowadays are proper adults and have been living on their own, or as a couple, for years. That means that they most likely have a properly equipped home and don’t need traditional wedding gifts. What they can always use, though, is money.

With that in mind, don’t be afraid to explain that to your loved ones and set up a fund they can contribute to. Every little help, so whatever they can afford to gift will be well received, and your house won’t be cluttered by 13 blenders you don’t need.

DIY where you can

If all else fails, the savior of all betrothed couples is DIY. No matter what your dream wedding looks like in your head, you can probably find some elements that can be improvised, handmade, or DIY-ed by someone with a bit of creative flair.

You wouldn’t believe how much money you may be able to save if you take matters into your own hands (literally!) and take care of some of your to-do lists by yourself. There are all kinds of things you can do:

*Favors for guests can be a beautiful photo of the bride and groom, maybe even in a handmade frame; something decorative also works here, like a painted glass, something signed by both the bride and groom, a flower that can be dried and kept, etc.

*There is no need to hire a florist; you can very well arrange the flowers yourself, with a bit of help from your close family or friends. In fact, if fresh flowers are too expensive, you can even make paper flowers to use, instead. They can be made from colored paper or old books and newspapers, save even more money, and recycle!

*Obviously, the music can be pre-approved by you and compiled into a playlist – no DJ or live band necessary. You can even ask a cousin to be in charge, in order to avoid any issues.

*Do you have an aunt who makes excellent cakes and pastries? Why not ask her to bake your cake? She will be honored to play such a big part in this very special day.

*If you’re having a summer wedding or weather isn’t a concern, you can even save money on the venue by having your wedding outdoors! Park weddings are beautiful, and the pictures will be gorgeous against a natural backdrop.

Conclusion

There is no getting around the fact that weddings are expensive – too expensive, most of the time. It’s understandable that not everyone has the disposable income to spend on a lavish wedding. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have the wedding of your dreams. There are all sorts of tips and tricks you can employ to cut costs, save money, or even make more money to put towards your big day. Congratulations, and have a beautiful wedding!

Read: Destination wedding in a tight budget 
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© Ruchie Verma.

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