When planning a small wedding, it’s understandable that you want to stick to a modest budget without sacrificing quality. And, though wedding costs can quickly add up – from decorations, to venue, to food – there are ways to balance your spending so the money you do spend is spent on important parts of the wedding, and not expenses that will quickly be forgotten or thrown away. I’ve put together this guide on what to skip and what to savor to help you decide which parts of your wedding are most important to spend money on, and which parts you can go without, DIY, or order for cheaper in order to save money in the long run. SKIP: Expensive invitationsThere is an abundance of options when it comes to invitations for a small wedding. There is no reason to spend hundreds on special paper and printing for invitations that your guests will likely toss out as soon as they mark your date in their calendar. Instead, you can DIY your invitations using a photo printing program from a drugstore, complete with envelopes from a craft store, or even send invites via email or phone. Professional language and a few dollars spent to make sure the invites look good (if they are digital or on paper) will go a long way in ensuring your invites don’t seem cheap or quickly thrown together. SAVOR: A great photographerIf there is a must when it comes to quality, it is a great photographer. Don’t be afraid to spend a good portion of your budget on a highly-rated and recommended photographer, as photos will be how you remember your special day for the rest of your lives. Skipping out on an experienced and professional photographer will make it difficult to capture beautiful wedding memories, which are a must regardless of the size or extravagance of your wedding. SKIP: An expensive indoor venueIf you are planning a small wedding, one of the easiest ways to cut down on costs without looking tacky is to use an inexpensive outdoor venue such as a beach or mountainside instead of renting a large indoor venue that can cost thousands. For many outdoor wedding sites, such as a beach, the only thing you need to purchase is a permit. This will allow you to have a beautiful, natural wedding without spending a cent on a building rental. Not to mention, outdoor photos often turn out better than those taken indoors, regardless of venue. SAVOR: Tasty, high-quality snacksInstead of serving a large, low-quality/inexpensive meal, opt instead for a smaller assortment of high-quality snacks such as fruits, desserts, and cheeses to keep your guests satisfied without breaking the bank. (Keep in mind that, if you decide to serve snacks instead of a full meal, you should let your guests know ahead of time or host your wedding reception at a time that is not traditionally mealtime.) This will allow you to feed guests more expensive foods without using a large portion of your budget on a buffet or large dinner. Of course, what to skip and what to savor ultimately boils down to your priority list. If you haven’t done our “Setting your priorities” activity, connect with me as I’m creating a FREE simple course/activity for how to set your priorities and stick with them throughout your planning. This activity will help you to determine what to skip and what to savor according to your vision. UPDATE: Planning a "Simple" Backyard WeddingBackyard weddings were popular even BEFORE Covid-19 forced many couples to scale-back their larger celebrations due to venue closures and capacity restrictions. As simple as they may seem, there are some logistics, preparations, and details you need to consider before your (or your family's home) become the site to hot and event. Isabella Caprario wrote and excellent article for Porch.com titled "The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Backyard Wedding". I encourage you to to consider all the elements before committing your abode to a venue. We've done many weddings either at a vacation rental property, backyards at private homes, or even family ranches. So, with careful consideration and preparation, it can be done!
13 Comments
2/16/2022 09:08:38 am
All of the items above are great! These are really the things that you must think very carefully. It takes a lot of preparation before the very special day so taking your time is necessary. From the <a href="https://www.windsongtagaytay.com">events place</a> to the very small things like invitations, we would like to make it perfect according to your plan. This article is a must read for all couple who is preparing for their wedding day.
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I like that you suggested opting for a natural wedding venue in the outdoors, because the photos would look way better with natural light. I will share this tip with my partner so that we can decide what private wedding venue packages to get here in College Station, Texas. We just got engaged last December, and we want to start planning for our special day now because we want to set the date in December this year.
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3/6/2023 10:17:50 pm
It got me when you said that an outdoor wedding venue would have a beautiful and natural touch, but we would probably need to get a permit first. I will consider that when my partner and I start planning for our special day starting this weekend. We have just been engaged earlier this year.
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3/12/2023 12:53:04 am
I like that you talked about choosing a wedding venue location rental outdoors to have a natural ambiance that can have better photos for our special day. I will suggest this to my partner now that we have just been engaged this weekend. We will start planning now because we want to get married in August, so I hope that we can find a perfect facility that can offer that kind of experience for us at the right price.
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3/14/2023 02:14:03 am
Thanks for letting me know about having a beautiful, natural wedding with outdoor venues which can even look better in photos. I should look for an elopement venue rental with packages that offer an outdoor area. It will be perfect for the vision that I have wherein we would want to have our memorable day with the mountains as the backdrop of our ceremony.
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12/11/2023 11:12:32 pm
Thank you for your insightful blog on planning a small wedding on a budget! Your practical tips helped me navigate what to skip and savor, turning my intimate celebration into a memorable and affordable affair. Grateful for your valuable guidance
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12/13/2023 02:49:50 am
This budget-friendly wedding guide is a lifesaver! It navigates with practical wisdom, helping couples discern where to cut costs and where to savor precious moments, ensuring a memorable celebration without breaking the bank. A must-read for those planning an intimate wedding!
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2/6/2024 12:47:48 am
Thanks for sharing this invaluable guide on hosting a small wedding on a budget! Your insights on what to skip and what to savor are truly amazing. 🌟 Your practical tips will undoubtedly help many couples create a memorable celebration without breaking the bank. 💍
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Wendee Vezzetti
7/10/2024 07:45:56 am
THANK you!.... Yes, its important to get grounded on what things cost, yet also align them with your priorities.
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10/15/2024 06:06:52 am
Thank you for sharing such an insightful and practical guide on planning a small wedding on a budget! Your tips on what to skip and what to savor are incredibly helpful for couples looking to create a meaningful celebration without overspending. It's great to see advice that focuses on the value of personal touches and prioritizing what truly matters. This post offers fantastic ideas for making the most of a special day while staying within budget. Truly appreciated!
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Wendee
10/15/2024 06:59:14 am
Thank you! And yes - I think determining what to skip and what to savor comes down to vision, priorities (identifying what is most important), budget and the logistics of where couples decide to have their intimate, small weddings. 🫶🏻
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Wendee VezzettiMother, teacher, planner, gardener, mountain biker, entrepreneur, librarian, hiker, snowboarder, reader, dork, chocoholic, trail runner and creative. Wendee has been planning weddings in Colorado since 1995. In 2012, she decided to "go small" and only plans micro-weddings & elopements with 35 or fewer guests. Contact Wendee to get started planning your intimate small Colorado wedding. Categories
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About WendeeI've been planning weddings since 1995 when I moved to Colorado from Iowa. I cut my teeth at Keystone Resort in their wedding department, then then ventured on to planning corporate meetings. But, I kept helping friends and their friends with weddings starting my first full-service company in 2002 (yes - planned the big overwhelming ones). In 2012 with the birth of my son, values shifted and I decided to go small, intimate and meaningful. Please connect with me to make your dreamy, simple mountain wedding come true!
Behind the Scenes of a Micro-WeddingEver wonder what goes on behind-the-scenes of a micro-wedding day? Jaime L. Barba, one of our talented professional photographers, captured me at work ⬇️ from one of our May 2023 weddings in Boulder, Colorado. Enjoy! .... and yes, she does wedding day content creation (a great alternative if you cannot afford videography) for couples as well as photography.
Wedding Day Content CreatorWhat is a wedding day content creator? It’s someone who is there on your wedding day taking pictures on a cell phone (or in Jaime's case, her professional equipement), documenting behind-the-scenes moments, capturing and telling stories, and delivering short-form media content of your wedding day in real-time. Checkout one from our September 2023 weddings ⬇️.
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Custom Weddings of ColoradoColorado's best planner for intimate weddings, elopements and micro-weddings. Starting her event career in 1995, Wendee said "goodbye" to planning large weddings in 2012 and has since been specializing in small weddings & elopements. Based in the Western suburbs of Denver-Bouder, servicing the Central Colorado Mountains such as Estes Park, Winter Park, Grand Lake, Vail, Breckenridge, and beyond.
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