Wedding Tip: What to Spend Less On (and More)
It's no secret weddings are expensive! The national average cost of a wedding is $35,329. Here in Utah, the average is a lot less at $15,257. While there are many reasons for this, a couple may be: the ceremony, shorter engagement time, and more DIY-ing. In Utah, the majority of wedding ceremonies are performed in LDS Temples, with only a few family members present. This cuts down on costs majorly. Also, the average engagement length for my wedding couples is about 3-6 months, way lower than the national average of 14.5 months.
If you're looking to further cut down the budget to spend more on things like, the honeymoon, your future house, etc. I've compiled my best tips on what to spend less on that you and your guests may not remember from the day. I've also included my best tips on what to spend more on to make your day the best day ever! Before we start, think of the five things you are making a priority. These are the things you've dreamed about for as long as you remember. Don't let these things go if they'll make you happy! Ex. most brides prioritize their wedding dresses, but I personally didn't! I got my dress super cheap so I could spend more money on other things like travel and photography.
Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments.
What to Spend Less On:
1. Cake Topper. Cake toppers can get so extravagant these days! People can end up spending hundreds (nope, not a typo) on them, and throw them in a box or in the trash right after the wedding. Your guests won't notice it either, and you'll have to take it off quickly to cut the cake. My tip: Only spend more on this if it's one of your top five priorities! You can get cheaper cake toppers that are just as beautiful from local lettering shops, or on Etsy.
2. Wedding Favors. Wedding favors are going out of style, and it's probably a good thing. Your guests are there for your wedding, and maybe the food. Anything else is just spending extra money on things your guests probably won't keep. My tip: If you're going to have wedding favors, choose something edible like chocolates! If not, don't worry about it too much. Not many weddings have wedding favors these days.
3. Invitations. I cannot tell you how sad I feel when I see someone's beautifully designed wedding invitations with real lace, or gems, etc., in my trash can because the wedding is over. They're so pretty, but in the end, no one will keep them after the wedding besides you and your mom! My tip: there are tons of sites that make cheaper invites that are just as beautiful! My favorites are Vistaprint, Shutterfly, and Imaging Depot.
4. Guest Book. Don't get me wrong, I love guest books. But, sometimes they're more extravagant than they need to be. Fingerprint trees get everyone's fingers dirty, polaroid guest books can get expensive fast, and you may not even keep them up in your house for more than a year. My tip: Get a regular photo album guest book, with room for writing. That's all you need! This can be on lots of priority lists, so if it's on yours ignore my paragraph.
5. Flowers. Flowers are on both of my lists, because they can go either way depending on your personality. Why to spend less: they die after the wedding, they're very hard to preserve, and can get very, very expensive. My tip: I discovered wooden flowers that look exactly like real flowers! These last forever, as well.
What to Spend More On:
1. Photography / Videography. I may be biased, but photography is the most important part of your day besides you. A great photographer can make a $5,000 wedding look like a $20,000 wedding, and a not so great photographer can make a $20,000 wedding look like a $5,000 wedding. These are one of the only things from your wedding you get to keep and show to future generations to remember the best day ever! My Cache Valley recommendation: Abigail Erin Photography (photo + video)
2. Venue. Like photography, the venue can make your wedding look like a million bucks! It can also set the theme of your wedding. Make sure you pick a venue you both love, that describes you and your relationship. Ex. We are getting married at Bryce Canyon, because it's our favorite place, we are very outdoorsy, and we got engaged there. My Cache Valley recommendations: Castle Manor, Riter Mansion, Tony Grove Lake.
3. Food & Drinks. This is what the guests look forward to the most after the ceremony! Good food can make your wedding the favorite of wedding season. Choose food that you actually like, instead of basing it on the fanciness of the food. I've seen a few weddings that chose very expensive, fancy food, that turned out to be not so great. Find a restaurant you love, and see if they cater! You can do this for dessert too. My Cache Valley recommendations: The Copper Mill, Zeppe's, Chick-fil-A, etc.
4. The Honeymoon. Your week long after-party with your new hubby (or wifey)! Travel, buy souvenirs, make lots of awesome memories, before you have to go back to real life! This may be one of the few times you get to go on an extravagant vacation with just you two, and not worry about anything else.
5. Flowers. For the second edition of the flower option, this is why to spend more money on flowers. They look amazing in photos, are so much fun, and add so much to your decor. My Cache Valley recommendation: The Flower Shoppe.
