If you’re looking for the ultimate affordable wedding planning tips, you are in the right spot! The wedding industry has taken on a bad rep, with the average wedding costing $30,000 in 2022. Wowza! 

You can still plan a dreamy big day even on a budget with these affordable wedding planning tips, inspiration and budgeting hacks. Just read on!

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In This Article:

How to Plan a Low Budget Wedding
Can I Have a Beautiful Wedding For Under $5,000?
The Three Largest Expenses With a Wedding
What Is the Cheapest Way to Have a Big Wedding?

How to Plan a Low Budget Wedding

Planning a low budget wedding is possible with some creativity and research! Here are our best tips to planning a low cost wedding:

1. Book a Non-Traditional Venue

The venue is your biggest expense so opting for a non-traditional space can save you a lot of money. This type of space could be a large backyard, outdoor settings like farms or ranches, or even, a local bed and breakfast with a large outdoor area. Outdoor spaces tend to be the least expensive, but you’ll also want to account for putting up tents to protect your guests from rain and sun, as well as to define the space and make it feel less like a field and more like a wedding.

Get inspired by our favorite outdoor wedding ideas here!

2. Be Flexible With Dates & Times

The most common time to have a wedding is on a Saturday during the late afternoon into evening. If you want to save money, this can be an excellent place to do it! Venues will always be cheaper when you break this traditional timing mold. Here are some ideas:

• If you want a Saturday date, think about having a brunch reception.
• Weekday weddings any time
• Off-season dates (which tends to be winter in most regions)

This can be more inconvenient for your guests and result in a smaller guest list, so that’s something to keep in mind while planning. However, this is an increasingly popular and common trend as weddings become more and more expensive.

3. Make Your Own Invitations

Many people spend a small fortune on beautiful wedding invitations and save the dates with reply cards, thank you cards, etc. Skip the save the dates and simply send out your own invitations. You can find general invitation cards easily online, or make your own using affordable services like Vistaprint and Zazzle.

4. Look for Newbie Caterers

Cut down on catering costs by looking for less experienced chefs and catering services near you. You can use services like Thumbtack to locate new catering businesses, or even check out local culinary institutes! Many of these institutes have great chefs in training that are always looking for ways to make a little extra money, show off their skills and build their resume.

Another bonus tip for the food portion of the event is to have your food options set up buffet-style. This will remove the need to have any wait staff and therefore save money.

5. Narrow Down Your Guest List

This idea may be a given, but it’s an obvious solution when it comes to reducing wedding expense. The more people you invite, the more expensive it becomes. So if budget is a concern, only invite the family and friends that are truly the closest to you. This means not inviting distant relatives or friends of the parents that they haven’t seen in years.

6. Do It Yourself Decor

Decor doesn’t have to be store-bought or extravagant, make your own centerpieces and ceremony decor by yourself or enlist the help of your bridal party. There are a zillion DIY wedding decor ideas online, but here are some of our favorite to help get your creative juices flowing:

DIY Wedding Arch Ideas On a Budget
15 DIY Winter Wedding Ideas
Gorgeous Wedding Decor Under $25
16 Rustic Wedding Ideas to Include Right Now
17 Dazzling Reception Table Decor Ideas

Can I Have a Beautiful Wedding For Under $5,000?

If you’re working with an extra tight budget, you’ll be pleased to know that throwing a wedding for under $5,000 is absolutely possible! Read about the three largest expenses with a wedding below to make personal adjustments, and refer to the above tips on how to cut costs while still planning a beautiful wedding.

The Three Largest Expenses With a Wedding

With the average cost of a wedding in 2022 being $30,000, you can imagine there are definitely a few big ticket items that suck up a lot of that budget. Many factors combine to determine the full cost of a wedding, but these tend to be the three largest expenses with a wedding:

1. Reception Venue

You may have been able to guess this number one expense: the reception venue. This large cost is easily one of the most impactful on the wedding decision making process, as the reception venue can make or break a budget, as well as the wedding aesthetic the bride is aiming for.

The venue can also include other costs, as it is commonly a package deal including catered food and beverage, staffing, and most often also including table and chair rentals, as well as the cost of renting the space.

The cost is very dependent upon the number of guests you are planning to attend as most venues determine their pricing per guest or in tiers.

2. Engagement Ring

The price of an engagement ring can vary widely, but this purchase does tend to cost more than any other wedding-related expense (beyond the reception venue and its inclusions).  The average cost of an engagement ring in 2022 was $5,225, making it a large portion of the average wedding budget. 

The cost of the ring will vary based on the size and the type of the stone used, the cut, the manufacturer, and any additional customization.

3. Photographer

If you’re in the market for a wedding photographer, you’ve probably gasped at what their going rates are these days. Having wedding photos taken is expensive, with the average cost of a wedding photographer in 2022 ringing in at $2,000. If you also choose to have a videographer to take video footage of your special day, that will usually cost at least another $1,000.

What Is the Cheapest Way to Have a Big Wedding?

One of the best ways to have a large wedding on a budget is eliminating the cost of one of the biggest wedding expenses: the reception venue. Having your wedding celebration in a backyard or other low-cost outdoor space is the best way to have as many guests as you want without spending a fortune.

Don’t forget to look into tent rentals to define the wedding reception space, protect guests from the sun and rain, and create a wedding-feeling atmosphere. You can then rent tables, chairs, and sound equipment if you aren’t going to have a DJ (they usually bring their own set up).

Read our best articles on how to throw a beautiful backyard wedding:

How to Plan a Backyard Wedding
25 Amazing Spring Backyard Wedding Ideas
Gorgeous Decor Ideas for Your Backyard Wedding
9 Things You Didn’t Consider With a Backyard Wedding