Tips for planning a wedding on a budget

Breakdown your wedding budget

If you're early in the wedding planning process, it can be overwhelming. According to wedding website The Knot, the average cost of a wedding in the United States in 2025 is $33,000. Whether you are opting for a big event or a more intimate gathering, having a plan and budget may help.

Most wedding budgeting starts with knowing what you will spend. Clarifying who is paying for what early on is also important. Will there be any contributions from family or friends? What total amount would you like to spend? Below, is an example from The Knot of how much typically is allocated to specific expenses.

• 27% ― Venue and Rentals
• 24% ― Catering, Cake, and Drinks
• 10% ― Photography and Videography
• 9% ― Flowers and Décor: Bouquets/boutonnieres, centerpieces, florals, signage, lighting, etc.
• 8% ― Music and Entertainment
• 6% ― Wedding Attire and Beauty: Wedding attire, hair, makeup, accessories, etc.
• 4% ― Wedding Planner
• 3% ― Guest Entertainment
• 2% ― Transportation Services
• 1% ― Stationary: save the dates, invites, thank you cards, stamps, etc.
• 1% ― Ceremony: officiant, marriage license, extra fees, etc.

Getting a general understanding of how to allocate funds in a wedding budget may help tremendously. Keep in mind— it may be beneficial to include a bit of wiggle room in your budget for hidden expenses such as fees, vendor overtime costs, gratuities, alterations, stamps, marriage license fee, etc.

Tips on how to save money on a wedding

After you establish a budget, there are several ways you can cut costs and still have a beautiful, sentimental and frugal wedding. Here are a few ideas and resources.

Select a date

The date and time you choose for your wedding may significantly impact your wedding costs. Think about these ways to help your budget wedding:

• Off-season months. Peak wedding season is May through October so selecting a date outside of these months may help you save. Certain venues or vendors like photographers are willing to give discounts or negotiate pricing during these months.
• Weekday. Having your wedding on a weekday may reduce the cost and allow you to have more flexibility with sought-after venue and vendor options.
• Time of day. A morning or afternoon wedding is another great way to save money. Pricing often differs at venues for a wedding earlier in the day. You may also save on food or beverage costs.

Stationary

• Save the dates. Using an electronic option like Evite is a great way to save money. Or, if your wedding location is a destination for many guests, instead of traditional save-the-date cards, send out postcards featuring the destination where your ceremony will be held. It's a unique way to save on postage!
• Invitations. One easy way to save money is to make your own invitations, or at the very least, address the envelopes yourself. To cut down on costs, consider these tips:
  • Avoid custom wedding invitations and consider a service like Shutterfly or Minted that allow you to edit a template and make it your own.
  • For smaller quantities, explore Etsy.com and other handcrafted sites.
  • Utilize a site like Canva to create your own unique and custom invitations.
  • Limit mailing costs by sending one invitation to families rather than individual ones.
• Place cards. Place cards that designate where your guests will be sitting don't need to be super fancy. Try a DIY place card (check out creative platforms like Pinterest for inspo). You can also forego place cards altogether and just assign guests to a particular table.
• Thank you notes. Similar to the save the dates, invitations and place cards, consider your thank you’s for the shower, the wedding and the gifts at the same time. Carry the look and/or theme through and make or order them at the same time. Planning for the time investment, effort and cost-upfront could help avoid multiple orders and cut down on extra trips to the printer or additional shipping costs.

Décor and florals

Common décor items such as flowers are a staple of wedding receptions and can be expensive. Your local bridal center or florist can offer advice on other creative ways to spruce up your wedding and reception. Certain arrangement styles and materials are less expensive, and you could pay a fraction of the normal cost. Also, consider:

• Asking what florals are in season. This may help minimize extra costs from the florist.
• Add to floral centerpieces. Adding some height to any arrangement by using candles, unique vases, extra greenery or mason jars may be a great way to save.
• Recycling and repurposing wedding items. Utilize items like your bridesmaid bouquets after the ceremony. You can feature them (again) as your dinner table or cocktail hour decorations.
• Ditch florals altogether. Consider ditching real florals for fabric flowers, paper flowers, dried flowers, feathers, garlands, etc. There are plenty of gorgeous faux flowers online and they’ll serve as a lasting token of your big day.
• Rent décor. Consider loaning decorations such as vases, linens, and lights from local decorators. Some venues also have decorations available for rental.
• Bouquets and boutonnieres. Cut floral costs by considering an elegant single stem or smaller bouquet for bridesmaids. DIY florals are also a great way to save money and may be a fun prewedding activity with the bridal party.

Attire

Your outfit for the wedding day, the dress (or tux) and all that goes with it, is probably already on your mind. Be sure to budget and plan for other events like showers, bachelor/bachelorette parties or the rehearsal dinner. Make a list of all your events and start shopping for outfit ideas early so you can hit those end-of-season deals.

• Buy a used dress.  Resale websites like eBay, Etsy, Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace and resale stores are excellent for finding inexpensive wedding dresses. Selecting a simple dress is often elegant, practical and budget friendly. Explore online databases, like PreownedWeddingDresses.com, for worn-before options.
• Explore sample sales near you. Check with your local bridal or wedding salon and see if they have any upcoming "trunk shows" or "sample sales." During these events, a discount is often available on purchases.
• Rent a dress. If you don't feel it’s important to you to keep your wedding dress, renting your dress is another way to cut down on costs.
• Sell your dress. Get your money back post-wedding by selling your dress. There are several online outlets that can help you sell your gently-worn dress. A Wedding Dress Value Calculator can help you decide how much to charge.
• Tuxedos. Rent tuxedos as a group or simply wear matching suits. Renting tuxedos as a group allows for a less expensive group rate at most stores. Some grooms choose to dress casually.
• Wedding rings. Wedding bands do not have to cost a fortune and there are plenty of affordable options. Sterling silver, titanium and similar materials are less expensive, durable and can be personalized making them even more sentimental. Consider getting a Personal Articles Policy to help protect your rings, even before the big day.

Venue and food

• Choose a venue that fits your budget. Your venue takes up a large portion of your budget.
  • Consider nontraditional venues. Venues such as a backyard wedding, park or community hall make great wedding venues. If you choose to go with a more traditional venue, keep in mind hidden costs such as table rentals, permits, ceremony fees, etc.
  • Courthouse wedding. For small budgets, consider a city hall wedding. You can still make it a memorable day and even host a small gathering to celebrate.
• Food. The cost will vary according to the venue, but there are affordable options. Doing your homework could save you a significant amount of cash. A few options to consider are: 
  • Meals. If your reception is held in the late afternoon, consider serving heavy appetizers instead of a full meal. For larger weddings, evaluate if plated meals or buffets would be more affordable.
  • Cakes. Order a smaller cake that serves a fraction of your guests for show or cake cutting, and fill the gap with a less expensive sheet cake. Also, consider serving something different like cupcakes or pies instead.
  • Unconventional vendors. Depending on your venue, you may be able to cater sandwiches or a taco bar from more traditionally casual restaurants. Food trucks are also an alternative option.
  • Rehearsal dinner. Rather than a catered or venue rehearsal dinner, consider hosting a "potluck" style dinner at your house, a friend's or family member's.
  • Drinks. Consider how your beverage options may impact your overall cost. Open bar, wine, beer and soda only, a cash bar or a “dry” or no alcohol wedding are all options that carry various costs. Some of these options might help you save.

Limit guest count

While there are some fixed costs for weddings you cannot control, much of the reception scales linearly with the head count. That means with fewer guests, you'll spend less money on a venue, food and even decorations. According to The Knot, the average cost per guest in 2025 is $284 so reducing your guest count may significantly help with cost.

It can be hard to choose your guest list but consider these ideas when curating your list:

• Decide on nonnegotiable guests first such as your immediate family and closest friends.
• Ask yourself if you are willing to spend $200+ for each potential guest.
• Limit plus-ones to long-term relationships only.

Music

For your reception, look into local bands and DJs to compare pricing and included services. If you are really looking to save, consider making your own playlist and renting speaker equipment for your reception.

Every wedding is unique but these are a few ideas. Your wedding checklist should include what's important to you to feel ready and confident. And remember, with your impending wedding, your insurance needs will change so be sure to chat with your insurance agent.