Let’s face it…not long after the freshly-engaged pixie dust wears off, the reality of wedding planning sets in. Now we are faced with the nitty gritty of guest lists, budgets, and what venues are even available in your budget for your dream date! Costs stack up, a thousand here, a few thousand there across different vendors and things can quickly spiral into a huge money pit. I have several Money Saving Tips for your California Wedding that are practical, and can be implemented in nearly any wedding.

Money Saving Tips for your wedding

You will be grateful for these 18 Money Saving Tips for your Wedding From a California Wedding Photographer,
• Consider hosting your wedding on a weekday or Sunday to save thousands in venue fees.

• Choose lighter weight paper stock for your invitations and skip envelope liners to save money.  

• Direct guests to your wedding website instead of sending multiple paper inserts to save hundreds 

• Order your wedding dress 8-9 months in advance to avoid rush fees.

• Shop during designer trunk shows or sample sales to save $150-$500 on your wedding dress.   

• Opt for minimalist bouquets for your bridesmaids, or opt for corsages.

• Repurpose your ceremony flowers and chairs for the reception.  

• Skip escort cards and instead make one large seating chart poster.

• Forgo expensive linens and use decorative runners or farmhouse tables that showcase wood table top. 

• Eliminate the need for guest transportation between venues.

• Stock the bar with mid-range liquor instead of top-shelf.

• opt for drink in hand toasts as opposed to hand poured champagne.

• Order late-night snacks for 60% of guests instead of for all attendees.   

• Prioritize the most impactful floral arrangements and decor to cut small, unnecessary touches.

• Consider alternatives to steak on your menu, like chicken or pork.

• Serve a plated meal instead of a buffet to reduce food waste and costs.

• Order only the number of invitations you need, accounting for households.

• Reuse and borrow décor items from friends and family.

• Cut your guest list to fit within your budget.   

-Skip the open bar! Can lead to a lot of over indulging, and costs rack up. Opt for a batch signature

cocktail or beer and wine only.

I hope you can use these Money Saving Tips for your California Wedding. Did these tips resonate with you?? I would love to hear from you! Send me a message or Book your California wedding with me now!

https://shannonbmontgomery.com/inquire

A few of my favorite wedding budgeting tools- Free!

https://www.theknot.com/wedding-budget?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Search+%7C+Membership+%7C+Budget&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwir2xBhC_ARIsAMTXk86x8SdqbRv-8ta9bw28ZbsPi3_Wg8b1h2nn3bdj6yyfPyLjF8qBSwAaArSFEALw_wcB&vers=1

https://welcome.zola.com/paidsearch_desktop_checklist/?pkey=wed_googlesem_desktop_research_np_list&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Wed_Research&orderkey=wed_googlesem_desktop_research_np_list&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwir2xBhC_ARIsAMTXk84wTfHBR87F-UziDlEzX_EjWhyZhu99q_lFu0Gwl08qvTptnTmfugUaAs8XEALw_wcB

https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/wedding-budget-cost-calculator