The rock in your finger and the sparkle in your eyes say it all! You are engaged! Well, that is all well and good and while it's an exciting journey, there is no getting around the huge elephant sitting in the living room! Well, weddings are expensive! Even with the most minimalistic and economical of weddings, there are expenses that you will have to take into consideration. You will think it's just about saying the words, “I do”, but you just wait! There will be food expenses, decor, the wedding dress, the cake, and then there are the wedding favors, the fireworks, the band and so much more! It is easy to get overwhelmed by the enormous costs incurred especially when you are just delving into the wedding. 

While weddings are surely expensive, it doesn't mean there aren't hacks and shortcuts which will amount to a significant amount of money saved. Of course, we want grand weddings and the choicest of elements, it doesn't mean you can't cut corners in certain aspects which won't take away from the day and still save a pretty penny. Let us go through some of the tried and tested ways and little details that have proved to be reliable wedding budget hacks!

Follow Your Budget
Yes, we know it's easier said than done but hear us out! In reality, it's actually so straightforward that it's frequently disregarded. You must first establish a reasonable wedding budget, which you can accomplish by reading a guide available online, and then you must ensure that budget is being followed. The simplest method to accomplish that is to enter everything, we do mean everything, into a spreadsheet. Create a spreadsheet that you and your spouse may modify. Create a tab for each of your main purchases, such as the venue, food, décor, entertainment, attire, and flowers, with one column for the budget you've set aside for it and another for each purchase you've made thus far. 

Avoid Summer Saturday
The most popular day for weddings is Saturday, thus venues may charge more on that day. Choose a different day of the week if you want to really save money from your budget. Fridays and Sundays will offer a little discount, but venue rental for Monday through Thursday is typically far less expensive than on Saturdays. You can save a lot of money by getting married during the off-season, between October to March. Some of your guests might find it unpleasant to travel on a weekday, but if your loved ones can join you, the savings might be worthwhile.

Buy Preloved For Your Dress
Why not think about looking for a used wedding gown? There are a wealth of options online when it comes to buying a preloved wedding dress. For a fraction of the price, you could purchase the dress of your dreams and be sure it was only worn once, for roughly 12 hours. If you're on a limited budget or you've fallen in love with a gown that costs more than your venue rental and food combined, it makes sense. The option of renting suits is excellent for the groom and his crew. Not only is it budget-friendly, but it is also sustainable. 

Request Favors
Is your aunt a talented baker or does your brother have a nice car? Never be afraid to ask your cousin to drive your aunt to the ceremony or to ask that baker friend if she will make your wedding cake in lieu of a gift. Requesting favors in exchange for gifts is perfectly okay, especially when it's a talent that the person involved takes pride in. Simply let them know that it's fine to refuse if they don't feel up to the task. You can ask for favors for important positions like a chauffeur, cake maker, florist, DJ or other entertainment, and the planner of the ceremonies.

Save On Paper Goods
In addition to being expensive, wedding stationery and invites use a lot of paper, which is bad for the environment. You can save on that by spending more money on the invitation's exterior while keeping the interior straightforward and uncomplicated. If you're inviting 100 guests, this will save you a lot of money. Change the liners in your envelopes for some bright ones. They will look fantastic and can hint at your color palette. Save money, time, and resources by sending save-the-dates or RSVPs on specially printed postcards! Instead of having pages of inserts in your invitation, choose a wedding website that includes all the information and allows guests to email you their RSVPs. You can save on postage if you order all of your stationery at once, from invitations to orders of service.

Use The Same Location
This is another straightforward option that will save you money on transportation and décor. During your cocktail hour, flowers from the ceremony room can be transferred to decorate the reception area, saving you money on floristry and possibly avoiding two venue fees. Since there will be no need for guests to transfer from one location to another, you won't need to arrange for group transportation, and fewer guests will get lost.

Just Ask
Ask for a discount, a reduced price, or a reconsideration of the quotation. Getting many different quotations from everyone, from a DJ to a hairdresser, is not harmful. If there is one you really like, these can be helpful for negotiating. Keep in mind that negotiating doesn't always mean getting money off; it can also mean getting an extra hour of the DJ's time or getting basic hair styling for your bridesmaids tossed in for free. Just take a stab at bargaining with venues and vendors. The supplier's response can only be positive if it is yes; otherwise, shake it off and move on! 

Stay Focused
Ask yourself what you really want. Pinterest will tell you really need all of that, but do you? Although there is nothing wrong with wanting a great wedding car, nails, or hair, do you really need a homemade cocktail stand, a popcorn machine, and monogrammed tissues? Brainstorming will lead to thousands of seemingly brilliant ideas but focus on your priority areas. Sit with your soon-to-be spouse and together come up with a list of things that are indisputable and then hold yourself accountable for the rest.

A Bar With No Corkage Fees
Before beginning your wedding planning, you may not have even heard of corkage, but it is an important question to have. You might save a lot of money if you discover a wedding location that doesn't charge corkage because you won't have to drink the booze the venue offers and you won't be charged to bring in your own alcohol. 

Be Original With Catering
You don't have to follow the same tradition just because every wedding you've ever attended featured a three-course wedding meal, followed by a wedding cake, tea, and coffee, and then an evening buffet. If you want to save money, consider getting married later in the day and serving a large buffet to both day and night guests. Consider less expensive meal options as well. For the main course, provide enjoyable cuisines like BBQ or wood-fired pizzas, and serve your guests wedding cake for dessert. Save considerably more money if you forgo the tea, coffee, and petit fours. 

Skip The Cake
Speaking of cake, don't feel like you absolutely need to have one! We all enjoy a good wedding cake, but if you're not interested, you don't need to spend the money. We're not asking you to skip dessert altogether, instead, a wedding cake substitute will truly impress your guests while saving you a lot of money. We adore the concept of replacing the traditional wedding cake with a tower of doughnuts or a stack of brownies that can be paired with vanilla ice cream. How about a cookie bar in the American tradition with jugs of chilled milk?

Pass On The Favors
How many wedding favors do you currently have in your home? Do you even use any of those favors? You can skip on the favors instead and go for other fun ways to make the wedding reception memorable, whether that's a body stamp, bubbles, or personalized stickers. You can also run a charity instead of anything tangible, or go for edible favors instead, which are much more fun anyway!

DIY Entertainment
To get everyone dancing at a wedding, a DJ or band is excellent, but if you think of yourself as a music prodigy, you could do it yourself. Make a wedding reception playlist if you have a large music collection, but keep in mind that it will contain roughly five hours of music! Find student DJs, saxophonists, jazz ensembles, or string quartets who could be willing to perform for a lower charge by asking around. You can also discover additional entertainment, such as caricaturists for your cocktail hour or an amateur magician.

Rent a house
Not crazy about a conventional wedding? Consider holding your wedding there over the course of a weekend by renting a property. You'll save money on lodging expenses and be able to bring your own caterer. You won't have any trouble with schedule or venue constraints, and a guest will be pleased to execute your ceremony.

Save Money On Wedding Party
Even though not having bridesmaids and groomsmen will significantly reduce the expense of suits, dresses, hair, cosmetics, and thank-you gifts, we would be reluctant to advise you without having them because they are such a beautiful addition to the wedding. Ask your pals, instead, whether they would be willing to help out by purchasing their own dress or suit and doing their own hair and makeup. If anybody is unable to contribute financially, offer them a specific position to demonstrate how much they still mean to you. For example, make them a reader or one of the witnesses who signs the register.

Get insured
Wedding insurance covers the heavy expenses incurred either due to wedding cancellation or any other damage or loss. Although purchasing wedding insurance requires an initial outlay, it is a very wise choice. If you need to change the date of your wedding due to an accident, you won't lose your deposit either. You will be covered in the unusual event that a supplier or clothing shop enters administration. Being secure is best as that means you will get your money back in case the wedding is postponed due to unforeseen circumstances like bad weather or health issues.

Locally Grown Seasonal Flowers
Even the most basic locations can be transformed by flowers, but if you choose your flowers wisely, you won't need to spend a significant portion of your cash. Check out our seasonal guide to wedding flowers if you have your heart set on certain wedding flowers. Flowers will be far less expensive if they are in season and not shipped in from another country. Use the flowers from the wedding room as centerpieces on the card table or bar, and scatter bridesmaid bouquets throughout the space in vases. Keep in mind that you can substitute flowers for other decorations such as lanterns with candles, balloons, and recycled pampas grass in the reception site to add romance and reduce floral costs. Ask the florist to recommend less expensive variations of the flowers you love; for example, garden roses are excellent substitutes for peonies and are far less expensive. You'll save even more money if you stick to bouquets and arrangements that contain only one variety of flowers because the florist can purchase them in bulk. Increase the amount of foliage in your arrangements; it provides volume and is both attractive and affordable. Similarly, inexpensive fruit centerpieces like apples and pears are ideal for the fall, while lemons are perfect for the summer. On the morning of your wedding, go to a grocery store or flower market and purchase bundles of inexpensive flowers, such as gypsophila or daffodils, to make your own centerpieces. Nowadays, artificial flowers look just as wonderful as real ones and present no allergy risk. You can purchase a fake bouquet or rent elements like flower arches and table runners. Choose potted plants to decorate the room and serve as focal points. After the day, you may give them away as gifts to friends and family because they are more environmentally friendly. No complete bouquet needs to be carried by bridesmaids. They can contain a single orchid or calla lily stem, which is more stylish, trendy, and less expensive. On Etsy, you can find affordable alternatives to traditional buttonholes, saving you the expense of buying the groomsmen's flowers. Remember, pocket squares work just as well! To make a statement, choose multiple statement floral arrangements. You only need a few huge, distinctive blooms for dimension, color, and texture, and your florist can use less expensive filler flowers in these arrangements. Place them where guests may congregate and take pictures.

DIY Photobooth
While you can have a professional photographer for those precious moments, you can also set up a DIY photo booth and save a ton of money on professional photo booth setups. You can easily set up the backdrop yourself. All you need to do is go out and buy a Polaroid camera, and tons of film, set up a backdrop, and construct some props.

Utilize Everything
The tablecloths provided by the venue may not be the most attractive, but it is possible to easily change that. Buy inexpensive fabric and use it as a rustic table runner, tying together the ends with twine, rather than hiring fine linens. To instantly make ordinary napkins more attractive, roll them up and place a sprig of rosemary or a wildflower on top. Fill the free centerpiece vases provided by the venue with lemons, ornaments, pine cones, colored sand, pebbles, acorns, conkers, moss, apples, glass stones, or really anything else that fits the season. Finish with a few basic flowers. Create a lounge area with furniture from other areas of the venue; after that, all that is left to do is buy a throw to cover the sofa and chairs. Keep an eye out for delivery fees. In addition, Amazon Prime is a great investment. You can share your free, next-day shipping with up to four family members who reside at the same address for a fee per year (with a 30-day free trial). If someone you know has Prime and is willing to accept your orders, such as your parents, this is excellent since you can take advantage of their free delivery. Other advantages of Prime include getting free music and movies!

Cut Down the Guest List
This might be the most obvious way to reduce your overall expenses, but we also get how incredibly hard it can be. This one was saved for last because it's extremely difficult for individuals to complete. The fact that costs are lowered the fewer the number of guests is, however, indisputable. Your location, food, and drink will account for roughly 50% of your budget, so if fewer guests are expected, you can save costs and even go for a smaller venue.

The wedding budget is bound to look different for everyone. While it might be perfectly justified for a couple to spend thousands of dollars on decor, another might want to get their friends and family involved to create some personalized DIY decor instead. We hope the wide array of ideas above gives you some ideas you can lean on as you plan your budget wedding and have the most perfect wedding day ever!