Planning a wedding budget is a huge undertaking and can be very stressful. Oftentimes, things are overlooked or underestimated. Ultimately, it’s hard to determine how to save money on your wedding. Since a lot of 2020 weddings got postponed to 2021, then rescheduled to 2022 and 2023, couples are now choosing to not delay their wedding anymore. “Love is not cancelled” and couples are opting to have smaller, more intimate ceremonies, known as Micro Weddings. So let’s get into what exactly can you save on, what costs remain the same, and what to invest in for a Micro Wedding.
BUDGET ALLOCATION
In Ontario, traditional weddings usually range between an average of $45,000 to $60,000 CAD. Micro Weddings may cut down that number to anywhere between $30,000-$50,000 CAD. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the wedding cost is cut in half. It’s just allocated differently.
Every couple apportions their budget based on what is really important to them. For some couples, honouring their family traditions are really important. They allocate more money towards food and entertainment. For others, having a beautiful venue and decor is at the top of their list. Therefore they invite less guests, but go all out on decor and other details.
GENERAL WEDDING BUDGET ALLOCATION Transportation: 2-3% Transportation for the wedding party, guest shuttles or parking attendant. Ceremony 2-3% Marriage license, officiant fee, church, musicians. Stationery 2-5% Save the date invites, wedding invitations, RSVP cards, wedding programs, menus, place cards etc. Gifts 2-3% Gifts given to the bridal party, groomsmen, bridesmaids, ring bearer, flower girls. Flowers and Decor 7-15% All flowers and decoration for the wedding. Music and Entertainment 8-12% Dj, band, performers and dancers. Attire 10-15% Wedding dress alterations, wedding day hair, make up , and gowns. Photography & Videography 10-15% The cost of services as well as any required photography location permits. Reception 45-50%: Cost of food , cake, alcohol, venue rental fees, chairs (as many venue chairs are really dated), taxes and gratuity. |
WHAT YOU CAN SAVE ON
1. Wedding Venue, Catering and Party Favours
When making a budget, cutting the guest list in half can save you some money on catering, favours and wedding venues. An A and B list is a good start at cutting down the guest list. This will help you to have only close family and friends included in the ceremony.
A decrease in the number of guests will allow you to book smaller venues. Therefore, you will be spending less on the venue cost, catering and party favours. Another way of saving is by reusing some of the ceremony decor for reception or other wedding events.For catering options, you could ask for a passed Hors d’oeuvres menu with 4 appetizers and a cocktail. Alternately, having a “cocktail hour” instead of an open bar is also a rising trend that you can adopt.
You can consider off-season low pricing options for different venues as well. However, it is important to note that the cost per head (~ $110-$160 CAD per person) remains the same or may increase in some cases. So the only reduction is in the overall cost (50 people compared to 150 for example). Ultimately, allowing you to save or re-allocate it towards a different wedding budget category that you may be more passionate about.
2. Digital Invites
Wedding invitations generally cost a few hundred dollars even for a small wedding. So creating digital invites is a good way to cut down on the cost associated with creating, printing and mailing out the invitation cards. Instead you can use an online wedding invitation cards service or create your own based on your wedding theme. You can also contact us and we can offer you different digital solutions for invitation cards and the RSVP process.
3. Delay Honeymoon
Instead of having your honeymoon scheduled shortly after the wedding ceremony, couples can save the cost of their trip by delaying their honeymoon by a year or two. This will save you a lot of stress and allow more room for worry-free wedding planning so you can focus on the wedding first and budget for your honeymoon later.
4. Transportation Cost
When it comes to transportation, you can rent a Limo for only the couple to save cost. You providing alternative transportation options for your bridal party, but you do not have to book it all. Alternately, providing the wedding party with some ride sharing options is also a great way to cut down on the cost of transportation.
WHAT EXPENSES REMAIN THE SAME
1. Videographer and Photographer
No matter how big or small a wedding is, hiring a photographer is always included in the budget. You want to make sure your special day is documented with all the special memories that you share with your loved ones. Videography, alongside photography, is becoming a rising trend as a lot of guests are unable to attend weddings due to social distancing and travel restrictions at the moment. So the cost of hiring a photographer and/or videographer remains the same.
What you could save on however, is the amount of time you hire the photographer/videographer for. For instance, plan your wedding in a way where you can have the major events of the day in the first 5 hours of the ceremony. As a result, you can hire a professional for only those few hours instead of a full day.
2. Wedding Ceremony and Officiant
The cost of ceremony and wedding officiant remains the same, whether it’s an intimate event or a large event. On average, the standard fee for a wedding officiant usually ranges from $500 to $800. The ceremony is the central part of your wedding. Therefore, this is something you do not want to compromise quality on.
3. Vendors Hired
As many weddings were postponed from 2020 to 2021 and 2022, a lot of vendors have full calendars booked. They need to increase their resources and hire employees to meet the increased demands of the industry. Therefore, the cost of hiring vendors remains the same, if not increased, in 2021 and 2022.
OPTIONAL SAVINGS
1. Makeup/Hair For The Bridal Party/Bridesmaids
You can always choose to pay only part of the cost for the bridesmaids/bridal party make up. This will save you tons while setting up a budget for your wedding. You can choose to provide them with gift cards so they can use it towards their makeup and hair instead of paying the full cost. A lot of couples also get creative by providing drinks or snacks for their family and friends while they get their makeup or hair done.
2. Hotel Room Reservations
Just like hair and makeup, you can choose to provide the venue location to your guests and they can book a hotel room in the area based on their own budget. Alternatively, you can check with different hotels on what deals they have available at the moment and provide a list of coupons/deals to your guests.
3. Rehearsal Dinners
For rehearsal dinners, you can choose to only have Hors d’ oeuvres, pizza and drinks or even snacks/sandwiches from a local bakery. Alternatively you can also opt for only desserts instead of having a full course meal. For smaller weddings, you can also choose to skip the Rehearsal dinner, and if absolutely necessary, practice the entrance and exits at home. There are always other creative ways to thank the wedding party, so you can definitely consider other options.
WHERE TO INVEST / SPEND ON
If you’re not planning to celebrate again after the pandemic, but rather want to put your entire budget towards your micro wedding, there are many different, creative ways to reallocate those funds on a smaller guest list.
| SOME OF THE THINGS TO INVEST IN Live Feed in addition to photography and videography Floral Bouquet Certain wedding elements that are important to you as a couple Head Table Personalized Venue Decor |
In the end, there are no set rules for how much you should spend on your wedding. It is, however, recommended that you work with a wedding planner. Hiring a wedding planner can make all the difference when it comes to planning your special day. Firstly, as professionals in the industry with extensive knowledge and network, they can save you on the vendor cost. Secondly, they can help you lower the cost of other things on your budget list. Lastly If you plan your budget with an event planner, or give them a budget estimate, they’re more likely to stick to your budget than if you were to do it alone. So, decide what’s important to you as a couple, make a budget and stick to it!