10 Ways to Save Money For Your Wedding

It’s no secret that weddings are expensive. Like, crazy expensive. The average wedding in Canada costs around $30,000, and at times that may feel like a budget wedding. I have found that Pinterest is both a blessing and a curse when it comes to weddings, it helps you visualize your dream wedding and come up with cool ideas, but it also sets the bar way too high for the average bride.

You see these giant displays of flowers on the arch, down the aisle, massive centrepieces, and even greens hanging from the ceiling. You fall in love with the look then request a quote from the florist… and it's nearly $15,000 JUST for florals!? Perhaps expectations need to be drawn back a little.

I have created a list of things that you don’t need in your wedding and that you can allocate that money elsewhere! Keep in mind that these are merely suggestions and that if you want to do it then go for it! It is your wedding and you can do whatever you want <3

1. Omit Wedding Favours

I’m sure you have heard this before on your favourite TikTok or in other lists, but omitting favours is one of the easiest ways to save money on your wedding day. Guests don’t need little chachkies with your wedding date engraved on them, and honestly, they are often forgotten. I have worked so many weddings where guests forget their favours at the table and at the end of the night I need to collect them all. The bride and groom end up with having eighty shot glasses that they spend a small fortune on. If you want to go ahead with favours then I’d opt for something edible like a cookie or little bottle of gin, etc.

2. Ask for Discounts

You would be surprised by how many vendors are willing to give a slight discount on their services/products if you ask. I used to work at a large bridal retailer and I was given permission to give up to 10% off at any point. Bridal dresses, bridesmaids dresses, etc. When vendors work on a commission basis or are self-employed they usually have the discretion to give a discount to capture the sale. Worst case scenario they cannot give one but hey, at least you tried!

3. Have a Smaller Cake – or Don’t Have One!

Gone are the days when you need to buy a 5 tiered glamorous cake. Cake styles are trending towards more minimalistic, and just purchasing a small single-tiered cutting cake. Couples are opting towards having fun alternatives such as cupcakes, donuts, cake pops, pies or other sweets for dessert instead of just cake. Again, when I worked weddings I saw so much cake get wasted because it was cut by the venue for people to take slices and only a fraction of guests actually took them. Some venues also charge a cake cutting fee which is typically $2 to $4 per guest, which adds up quickly on top of the price of the cake.

I have seen “cake hacks” where couples purchase a Styrofoam cake and either icing it themselves or paying a baker to do it. They then purchase a sheet cake from Costco and put it in a small section of the Styrofoam one for a “cake cutting” moment. They then cut up and put out the sheet cakes for people to eat. Guests don’t know, you get the glamorous photos without having to spend hundreds on a cake.

4. Use Artificial Flowers – Or Rent Them!

Wedding flowers can become extremely expensive extremely quickly. Most florists quote between $90-$150 per bouquet, $100-$300 per centrepiece, and $500+ for arch displays. The floral bill gets extremely expensive – and quickly. Another thing about live flowers is that they wilt on hot days and get thrown out after the wedding. If you go this route, I recommend donating the flowers to a retirement home. It is wonderful seeing the flowers get a second life and give smiles.

If you live in Calgary, the absolute BEST quality artificial flowers can be found at the Silk Plant Warehouse next to the Chinook Centre. The flowers are so realistic and you can DIY them in advance. If you are not a DIY’er then you can find decent quality flowers on Amazon from Ling’s Moments! Find links to my favourite Amazon products linked on my website!

I have a few flowers for rent from the Silk Plant warehouse and will be increasing my inventory over the next few years!

5. DIY’ing (or not!!)

Speaking of DIY’ing, there are so many projects that you can do. You can easily go down a DIY rabbit hole and make signs upon signs upon signs… Sometimes by opting into DIY’ing your own signs you can end up spending more than if you were to just purchase signs. That being said, by purchasing blank products and then using your Cricuit to personalize each item you will save money in the long run. It is also a super fun hobby which you can even turn into a small business!

6. Book a venue that allows you to bring your own alcohol

Alcohol can easily put you over budget, especially if it Is a host bar! Check out my blog about All things Alcohol for even more details about this, but for the purpose of this list - we are just talking about the venue. If your venue does not have in-house catering and bar, ask if you can bring your own catering and alcohol! Sometimes venues let you bring your own wine but charge you a corkage fee (a fee for allowing you to bring your own wine). If they don’t charge this there is the possibility of saving SO much money. If you have a local winery, brewery, etc, you should contact the company and ask if they can give you a discount if you purchase a bulk order. Sometimes they will even deliver it for you. You will probably need to purchase insurance and a liquor license but typically they are around $10 to $50. One of my favourite hacks is purchasing your wine and spirits at Costco, because if it is unopened then you can return it and save some money!

7. Don’t’ get matching PJs

We have all seen those adorable photos of the bride and bridesmaids kneeling on the bed in their matching PJs and slippers… It is a fun picture, but is it really worth the money? If you get the word “bridesmaid” on it as well you have purchased a one-use item that your bridesmaids will probably keep in their closet forever. You can accomplish the same thing by asking your bridesmaids to wear neutrals. It will save you a few hundred dollars that you can spend elsewhere!

8. Wedding Shoes

You don’t need Jimmy Choos. Well, if you want them you do, but for us budget brides you don’t. I found my shoes at a garage sale for $10 and they were in perfect condition. Shop shoes in advance so you can find the best deals on them. They’re hardly in photos and are typically only worn once. Cut down your shoe budget and put it towards something more special to you like your dress.

9. Cash Back Credit Card & Collect Points

If your vendors accept credit cards, I recommend applying for a credit card that gives you cash back or points. I know couples who have paid for all of their wedding expenses on a credit card and earned enough points it paid for their honeymoon. I believe they got a West Jet card. Amazon offers you 5% cash back for 6 months when you sign up for their credit card too! Check out my favourite Amazon must-haves for some of my favourite deals.

10. Pick an off-season or weekday date

Most venues have peak season and off-season dates that allow you to save thousands of dollars. Another benefit of having a weekday wedding is that people tend to drink less (keeping your bar tab low) and less guests will RSVP yes (keeping your food tab low). Another benefit is that more vendors will be available on your date and might have weekday rates to take advantage of, hotels will cost less, flights are less, etc. On the contrary, having your wedding on a long weekend will make things more expensive. Just something to keep in mind while you are picking a date!

Of course, there are so many things to spend money on, and ways to save. Hiring a wedding professional such as a planner will help you navigate where to spend the money and what is not worth it. No matter what you do, follow your gut and make sure your wedding is what YOU want!