How to save cost when planning a wedding
Imagine starting your lives with lots of debts thanks, to your wedding. How stressful is that? Many couples spend all they have to throw a big wedding to please people and later struggle financially. Some even take loans to finance their weddings. A shocker, right?
There will always a better bigger fancier wedding than yours so quit the show-off. Have a wedding that you can comfortably cater for. Don’t bother people with demands to fundraise for your wedding. They will not share in your marriage.
To avoid all these unending financial dramas of calling people every day to remind them of your pledges, find alternatives that can help you cut costs
Make use of the off-season
The most popular months for weddings are February, April, August and December. This is when everything wedding costs as close as double the cost and wedding planners and vendors make a kill. How about choosing an off-season month, you will save so much are the services will be cheap and there is room to negotiate the prices
Combine the venues
I find moving from one venue to the other very costly and time-consuming. Have your service and reception in one venue. It will also cut down on the transport expenses as well as its less of a hustle for your guests
Stick to essentials
Prioritize and settle first on those which the wedding cannot go on without. Go for simple décor that still stands out. In as much as they say cheap is expensive, cheap can still serve the same purpose. You don’t have to go for Chiavari chairs which are so costly when you can get dressed chairs that go for even 20bob. Just have them beautifully dressed
Purchase food items
Instead of having the caterer do everything, how about you get a list of items from her and buy all them all and pay only for the labor. It is way cheaper. You don’t have to go for a top notch chef or catering company, these ones cost and arm and a leg if not both.
Quit on the designer gowns
Cut out your dream gown design and have the local tailor make it instead of importing or buying a designer. If you opt to import, quit on the designer gowns. After all, no one will probably notice it was a designer gown. Even better, hire one. It is just for one day unless you are the sentimental kind who wants to keep it for your granddaughters.
Make us of ecards
I bet all your friends if not most are on WhatsApp, create an ecard and send them and cut down on printing costs. You can print just a few for specific people. You don’t need any graphics expertise to design an ecard, Google up some sites and software that you can use to design. I would recommend Canva and Picmonkey, they are very simple to use and require no technical knowledge
Bargain as much
Don’t just take the prices you are given by vendors, negotiate the lowest price they can offer. Every vendor has a Minimum figure in mind, strive to get that.
Reduce your guest list
A wedding should be an intimate event and hence invite only close friends and relatives. This habit of inviting your whole village is too costly an affair. Don’t go inviting even your childhood friends whom you last saw in primary school and relatives you’ve only heard of but never seen. Do not make your wedding a community function.
Make use of the resources around you
If you have friends who own cars, ask them if they can offer their cars to be used for transport instead of hiring. Make use of their skills and their connections. If a friend knows a vendor who can give you a discount, go ahead and take advantage. If they know how to do décor, well make use of the skill. Most are always willing to offer what they have to assist you. It will really cut down costs for you
Multi-service vendors
It is cheaper to get a vendor who will offer you an array of services as opposed to a different vendor for each service. Say for example, the caterer also offers tents and chairs and décor services. Grab such an opportunity and negotiate the best rates. Or a makeup artist who doubles up as a hair stylist or even a venue that gives a package inclusive of food, décor and cake. A classic example is the wedding packages offered by Safari Park Hotel
Take advantage of Freebies
This also includes items on discounts, giveaways, wedding packages, honeymoon packages and sales offers.
Weekday wedding/ Evening wedding
Most Kenyan weddings are on Saturday. A day when everyone is available, no wonder crashers have it smooth. How about you choose a weekday for your wedding. It may sound selfish but I believe those who matter to you will make the sacrifice to be with you on your special day.
You can also do an evening wedding and you will have combined the day and night activities. I have always wanted an evening wedding. Looks so cool and cheap too.
So yeah, pretty much that’s how you can plan a wedding on a tight budget and save yourself the embarrassments and brokenness after your lavish wedding.
Do you have other cost-saving tips for planning a wedding? Let us know
Daisy Chepkoech is a Freelance Blog Writer, Social Media Manager and Trainer. She is also the Marketing Director at Dake Business Solutions. Daisy holds a Bachelors degree in Communication and Media Technology from Maseno University.
Do you have any news or article you would like us to publish? Kindly reach us via outreach@t4d.co.ke or howtodoafrica@gmail.com.
