The long, dramatic walk down the aisle, the vows to love one another forever, the first kiss as husband and wife – weddings are made up of truly romantic and magical moments. Unfortunately, they can also be marred at the very start by distressing budget concerns, especially if your budget is quite limited. Aside from being very special and romantic, weddings can also be very expensive, and the worry over costs can put a real damper on the whole event. To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, we’ve compiled a list of top tips for thrifty wedding planning that will ensure you not only have the perfect wedding, but the perfect price tag to go with it.

The Wedding

There are plenty of ways you can save on the many wedding details, and below are just a few:

• Adjust your wedding date. Is it really necessary for you to have your wedding in June, or during the weekend? If not, then try a weekday wedding in September or October. Chances are, prices on everything from venues to dresses to cakes will be lower during these times since they aren’t peak seasons or popular wedding days.

• Get thrifty with the details. Invitations and flowers need not be pricey. Invitations can be made more affordable by using lesser material. By foregoing reply cards and opting for online replies, or placing reception information with the invitation instead of using a separate reception card, you use lesser paper. As for flowers, opt for the ones readily available or in season, as they cost much less than those flown in but still look gorgeous. Also try interspersing realistic and elegant silk flowers with the real ones to add beauty and character to bouquets whilst cutting costs. You also get to decorate your home with the silk flowers afterwards.

• Know where to look for wedding attire. This is one area where you can really save a lot. There are many stores today that allow you to rent gowns, and this would be perfect for bridesmaids since they don’t really get to wear their gowns again and renting would save you a ton of money. As for your wedding dress, try looking online for a cheap wedding dress. Online stores like Leah S Designs, which sells bride dresses in Melbourne, have wide selections of beautiful and affordable wedding dresses for you to choose from. They also have exquisite wedding jewellery and other wedding accessories at prices that won’t break the bank.

For your groom, try renting tuxes for the groomsmen at just one menswear shop and you will most likely get the groom’s tux rented at a discount or for free.

• Get smart with make-up. Make-up and hairstyling can cost a lot for the bride alone, but there are also the bridesmaids who need to look extra special as well. To save on make-up and hairstyling, try asking a make-up savvy friend to do your make-up for you for a small fee. You can also have your make-up and hair done as a group in a salon and get a significant group discount.

For just your own make-up, try going to the salon but not informing them that it is for a wedding. You still pay the salon for their services but at a significantly lower price than what you would pay if you mentioned it was for a wedding. You can opt to do your own make-up as well if your wedding is more casual than formal, and just learn from make-up and hairstyling videos and tutorials online. Just make sure to practice before the actual day to get the look just right.

The Reception

• Get a smaller cake. For most wedding receptions, the wedding cake is a highlight of the night, but if you’re going to be practical bigger really isn’t better here. The truth is many of the guests aren’t even going to eat cake, so getting a big one would not only waste money but a lot of cake as well. To save on cake and cash, just get a small, decorated cake for the pictures and a plain and simple cake for the guests to eat.

• Get creative. Instead of buying wedding favours and place cards, why not combine both? For instance, you can try frosting guests’ names on simple sugar cookies, wrapping these in cellophane bags and placing them on guests’ places to have a place card and favour rolled into one. For decorations, try draping lengths of cheap sheering fabric tied with 2-inch ribbons to create a romantic ambiance.

For the happiest day of your life, let romance take centre stage, not the expenses. Follow these tips and have the most beautiful, romantic and unforgettable day of your life without worrying about the cost.