Singaporebrides | Weddings 101

May 2022

8 Straightforward Ways To Save On Your Wedding

By Audrie Soh

Share this article on:
Facebook

Reduce the cost of your wedding with these eight simple ways.

We all know weddings are an expensive affair and it is important to have a clear budget in mind before embarking on the wedding planning. But sometimes, even with a budget, couples tend to stray away from the figure that they’ve decided on and overspend in some or all areas of their wedding, resulting in a sizeable debt even before they say “I do”.

To help couples stick to their wedding budget, we’ve highlighted eight simple and straightforward ways they can employ to cut down on their wedding expenses and save on their wedding.

1. Pick a bridal boutique that meets your budget

Brides in Singapore are spoilt for choice when it comes to shopping for a wedding gown. There are plenty of bridal boutiques to cater to brides of all walks of life and budget, from all-in-one boutiques to boutiques that bring in branded designer wedding gowns.

If you wish to stick to your wedding budget, you should shortlist your favourite bridal boutiques based on its style and price range. You should steer clear of boutiques whose price range falls outside of your pre-determined budget for wedding dresses to avoid being tempted to overspend.

2. Wear only one wedding dress throughout the celebration

Instead of having outfit changes, stick to one wedding dress throughout the celebration. While most bridal gown packages tend to include the rental of two dresses, you might need to top up if you require a third dress or if your chosen boutique only offers one dress in their packages.

While having more than one gown change will certainly make you feel like a celebrity, if you are having an intimate wedding celebration, multiple dress changes might feel unnecessary. Instead of spending on renting a second or third wedding dress, why not spend the money elsewhere? You could put the extra into hiring the photographer on the top of your list, or upgrade your hotel stay to a suite, or even put it into your house fund for your new home.

Alternatively, you can pick a wedding dress that allows you to change up its look without getting a second or third dress, such as a removable A-line skirt that transforms the dress into a modern and sleek mermaid silhouette or a detachable cape that allows you to show some skin after your church solemnisation.

3. Opt for a minimalist setting with simple decorations

Since styling your wedding venue takes up a sizeable portion of your wedding budget, a simple way to cut down on cost for your wedding is to opt for a minimalist look. Now, going minimalist doesn’t mean your wedding can’t be grand or beautiful. With the right team and props, a minimalist wedding can be as lavish and impactful as a wedding that is heavily decorated.

4. Keep the wedding cake simple

Like your wedding decor, you should keep your wedding cake simple. Grand, elaborate cakes are going to make a huge dent in your budget, especially if you are already working on a tight budget. Opt for something minimalist and go for lesser layers. If your wedding meal already includes a cake for dessert, then you might want to consider a single layer cake for your cake cutting instead of one with multiple layers.

5. Make your own wedding invitations from online resources

A customised wedding invitation with a painting of you and your groom and a romantic scribble of calligraphy might be part of your vision of a dream wedding, but the cost of engaging a professional wedding stationer and calligrapher might be beyond the amount you’ve set aside for your wedding invitations.

While a personalised set of wedding invitation is certainly a nice touch, it is not the only option for something customised. With online printables in any theme and colour scheme readily available, you can easily DIY your very own wedding stationery, from your invites right down to your place and menu cards for the wedding. For a more eco-friendly alternative, you can choose to send e-invites to your guests instead.

6. Streamline your guest list; don’t invite too many people

Another area of your wedding that’ll take up a large part of your wedding budget is your guests. The number of guests you intend to invite will determine the size of your venue and the cost of the food for your celebration.

So, do up your guest list with great care. Invite those whom you really want to share your wedding day with, and leave those whom you haven’t seen in a long while or are not close with out of it. This will give you a better idea of how much you’ll need to set aside and which venues are suitable.

Perhaps with a smaller guest list, you don’t have to miss out on your dream venue because of its limited capacity, or have to cut down on other areas of your wedding that you would like to spend more on, like your dress or honeymoon.

7. Get married during the non-peak wedding season

In Singapore, the peak wedding seasons tend to be at the beginning and end of the year. Dates like Valentine’s Day and double numbered dates are also very popular among couples, which translates into a higher demand in bookings for venues, especially the popular and trending ones. So, if you are looking for some savings, you might want to take note and avoid these popular wedding dates and peak wedding season.

Instead, aim to get married during the non-peak wedding seasons. Venues and wedding vendors alike are less busy during this period, which means they might run some promotions on their venue space or services, resulting in some cost savings for you. Some, if not most, venues charge a lower fee for weekday weddings, so you might want to consider that. Or, if you are set on a weekend wedding or one during the peak wedding season, consider a wedding luncheon instead of dinner to help save on your wedding budget.

8. Omit the wedding favours

If you’ve been to enough weddings, you should know that guests seldom take home the wedding favours at their seat, or if they do, these favours would be forgotten at some corner in their homes. So, instead of spending money on favours that your guests may or may not use or bring home, why not do away with the wedding favours altogether, and spend the money elsewhere? You can always put the money that would have been spent on wedding favours to better use, such as planning more entertainment and activities to keep your guests engaged during the celebration.

Credits: Feature image from Yan Ling and Guo Hao’s Charming Wedding at Regent Singapore by Chris Ling International Photographers

All content from this article, including images, cannot be reproduced without credits or written permission from SingaporeBrides.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram for the latest article and promotion updates!