10 Tips To Save You Thousands On Your Wedding

6. Find An Art Student To Do Your Invitations

Wedding invitations can easily cost hundreds of dollars. But when you find an art or graphic design student to do them, you’ll automatically save. It’s a win-win because they can use the invitation template in their art portfolio, and, of course, you can use them for your wedding. A friend of mine did this, as the art student, and soon she was in demand with all the bride’s friends, too. You never would have known a student was behind all the invitations—complete with guests’ envelopes individually done in calligraphy. In addition, the invitations were one-of-a-kind, which not many people can say these days.

6. Buy A Floor Sample Wedding Gown

Yes, just like when you’re out buying a bed or couch and negotiating with the salesperson about the floor model, the same goes for a wedding gown. According to The Knot, you can get a floor sample wedding dress for up to 50 percent off the retail price. That’s some serious savings! Remember, always negotiate, too.

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7. … Or Buy A Second-Hand Wedding Dress

Before you skip over this one, don’t! No one will know your wedding dress is second-hand, except for you, so why not consider it? There are plenty of places to find these, like Still White and PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com, where you may find your million-dollar gown—for far, far less than that, of course.

9. Cut Down On The Number Of Guests

Of course, having fewer people at your wedding reception will mean more savings.

“Don’t invite more guests than you can spend one minute of time with,” said Rev. Roger Coleman of Clergy Services Inc. in Kansas City, MO, who specializes in small family weddings. “If you invite 300 guests, spending one minute with each would take over five hours.” Wow, right? Point taken!

Cutting down a guest list is no easy feat, but if you frame it this way, it shows you have quality time with your guests in mind—and want to spare those who don’t make the list from being just a number.

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10. Don’t Get Married On A Saturday

Saturdays tend to be the most expensive days to get married, according to Bankrate, so choosing another day will save you a good chunk of change from the start.

However you choose to save money on your wedding day, just remember that it is possible. Then, you can use the money saved for other things—like the honeymoon.

About the Author

Natalia Lusinski

In addition to Don't Waste Your Money, Natalia is an ongoing writer for Bustle (sex, dating, relationships, and money), HelloGiggles (pop culture and news), Simplemost (lifestyle topics), and The Delite (feel-good stories). You can also find her writing in the L.A. Times, the Chicago Tribune's RedEye, xoJane, Elite Daily, Scary Mommy, Elephant Journal, and Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies, among other publications. She has a Ph.D. in couch-surfing, having spent four years sleeping on over 200 L.A.-area love seats and sectionals, all in an effort to whittle down her student loan debt. She still loves couch-surfing in other cities, too (hint, hint). More.

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