As we get closer to summer (YAY), wedding season will be in full swing before we know it! The wedding industry is absolutely massive, and as soon as you say the word “wedding” costs double or triple for items. So what are some ways to save money when planning a wedding? I’m so glad you asked!

My husband and I got married in 2021 at a beautiful camp that we both attended as kids and again as summer staff. This venue alone saved us thousands of dollars. We did the wedding outdoors and the reception in one of the lodges. The camp only charged us for the cost of the rooms that each of us (and family + friends) stayed in, which was much less expensive than a hotel would have been. Outdoor or church venues, backyards, etc. can be a great way to have a beautiful wedding without breaking the bank. If you choose to have an outdoor wedding, just be sure to have a back up plan in case of rain.

We also bought most of our items secondhand. My dress was secondhand, much to the disdain of my father, who lovingly wanted me to have “my own” dress. However, my friend and I had gone to try dresses on and to figure out the style I wanted and I completely fell in love with the dress. However, I didn’t mind a secondhand dress (and it was a mannequin dress; so it hadn’t been worn in anyone else’s wedding before).

We also bought our linen napkins and china plates secondhand. Our decor was mostly either secondhand or borrowed. We also ended up selling most of the decor (including some of the faux flowers used for decorations) after the wedding and re-cooped a lot of money that way. We did real flowers for the bridal party, but all other flowers were faux (fake). This also saved tons of money!

Our wedding was still during the COVID-era, so we opted for cupcakes and a smaller cake. However, due to the size of our wedding (only about 50 guests), we could’ve probably just done the cake. However, someone we knew did the cakes for us and they turned out beautiful. I wanted simple and another friend decorated the cake when we got there. A chef friend of my husband did the food for an amazing price, and I think it’s one of the few weddings I’ve been to where both the food and the cake were delicious.

Family and friends can be amazing help when planning a wedding! The top left picture (see above) was of one of the hair pieces that my wonderful friend/bridesmaid made! She made one for myself and each of my three bridesmaids and I still have two of them today. This was such a sweet gift and absolutely beautiful. I used mine during the reception (after the removal of my veil). Another family friend let us borrow some pieces of fabric which were used in our outdoor ceremony. My husband and his father built our backdrop (a wooden hexagon, which was donated to the camp afterwards for other weddings). My sister did our engagement pictures (she’s not a professional, but did an incredible job) and one of my husband’s friends flew up from out of state to do our photography for a fraction of the price that a different professional would’ve cost. We also had family friends do the music for our wedding. We had a violinist, a harpist, and two singers, it was one of the most beautiful ensembles I’ve ever seen in a wedding (and I mean, come on, a harpist!!!).

All of this to say, there are ways to save and still have a beautiful wedding! Use your resources, talk to friends and family. Keeping it small will help, but if you want a large wedding, go for it! You can still save in other ways. Check thrift stores and facebook marketplace; these two places saved us thousands of dollars. Overall, the whole wedding was under $5000 (including everything; even our outfits), but we still got some wonderful memories, pictures, a dress, and a nice suit (my husband had a custom suit made and still uses it today).

What other ideas do you have to help save on wedding planning? Let me know below!