5 Clever Money-Saving Wedding Budget Tips | North AL, GA, and TN Wedding Photographer
Setting a wedding budget can be challenging, but actually sticking to it? Now that’s the hard part! There’s no escaping the fact that weddings get more and more expensive every year, and deciding how much you want to spend (and what you want to spend it on) is a daunting task. Thankfully, I’ve got five clever money-saving wedding budget tips to help you plan your dream wedding—without breaking the bank.
5 Wedding Budget Tips to Save Money
1. Set Your Priorities First
Before jumping into wedding planning and budgeting, I recommend identifying your top priorities for the big day—aside from getting married, of course! Knowing where you’re willing to spend the most money will help inform how much you allocate to different categories. If, for instance, you’re all about florals but don’t care as much about hiring a band or DJ, you can scale your entertainment budget down to dedicate more to a wedding florist.
As a wedding photographer myself, I may be a bit biased in holding photography as a non-negotiable. However, I do think that photos are the one part of your day (besides your spouse!) that you get to keep forever. Prioritize accordingly and find a wedding photographer who will document your day the way you want to remember it. I also have a whole blog about determining how much wedding photography coverage you need, in case you want some extra help.
Featured weddings:
Caitlin + Stephen | Romantic Eden Gardens Wedding
Andrea + Jeff | Intimate Mountain Wedding
Kathryn + Joel | Romantic Mountaintop Wedding
Hannah + Khemrak | Rustic Family Farm Wedding
Alex + Mackayla | Traditional Church Wedding
Gabby + Josh | Summit Bechtel Mountain Wedding
2. Break Your Budget Down Into Percentages
Breaking down your wedding budget into percentages is incredibly helpful as you plan your expenses. Everyone’s budget will vary slightly depending on what they prioritize most, but you can typically expect the following:
- Venue + food (40–50%): Includes rental fees, food, alcohol, transportation, and service fees—this is the largest expense. You can also include your wedding cake or dessert in this category.
- Photography + videography (15%): Covers professional coverage for the day.
- Flowers + decor (10–15%): Bouquets, centerpieces, and ceremony decorations.
- Entertainment (8–10%): DJ or live band.
- Wedding attire + beauty (5–10%): Dress, tux, alterations, hair, makeup, and rings.
- Wedding planner/coordinator (2–10%): 2–3% for day-of, 10% for full-service.
- Stationery + favors (5%): Invitations, save-the-dates, programs, bridal party gifts, and guest favors.
- Contingency/miscellaneous (2-5%): Emergency fund for unexpected costs.
As a general rule of thumb, try to keep your venue and food expenses under 50% so you don’t break your budget. Don’t forget to take into account hidden fees, such as taxes and service charges, that can increase your venue/catering bill upwards of 20%.
3. Consider Alternative/Lower Cost Venues
Venues are usually one of the largest wedding day expenses, but you can get creative to avoid overspending. Backyard weddings are an excellent way to reduce location costs while creating a cozy, intimate atmosphere. You can also save money by tying the knot in a public park or opting for a local church that won’t charge an arm and a leg.
I also suggest researching all-in-one venues that provide everything from food and rentals to flowers and entertainment. The upfront cost might be higher, but you could end up saving big since you won’t have to outsource every vendor.
Featured weddings:
Angela + Ricky | Outdoor Backyard Wedding
Matt + Patti | Intimate Church Wedding
Hillary + Jamie | Romantic Sunset Backyard Wedding
Beth + Kevin | Autumnal Wedding in the North Georgia Mountains
Aliah + Thomas | Cloudland Canyon Family Adventure Elopement
4. Offer Unconventional Food Options
Wedding reception food is another major cost, but there are many ways to stay on budget without leaving guests hungry. Consider hiring a food truck or two for your big day. According to Zola, you could save $50-60 per person by offering food trucks versus traditional catering. Hiring a local restaurant to provide food on your wedding day can also cut costs, especially if you stick to casual classics that are easy to feed a crowd, like barbecue, tacos, and sandwiches.
Featured weddings:
Lucy + Will | Outdoor Winter Wedding
JCP Content Day | Vintage Brunch Elopement
Kaitlyn + Kamron | Glamorous Tama Wedding
Jessica + Klein | Intimate Forest Wedding
5. Choose Off-Peak Dates/Times
My final tip for saving money on your wedding budget is to plan your ceremony for an off-peak date or time of day. Wedding season generally runs from May to October, so expect higher costs this time of year. Weekends and holidays are also notoriously expensive times to get married, regardless of the month.
Since most weddings take place in the afternoon or evening, you might be able to save by opting for a morning timeslot—and then you can celebrate with brunch! If you have the flexibility, weekday weddings are another smart way to spend less, as Monday through Thursday is a less popular option.
Featured weddings:
Lacie + Paige | Historic Malbis Nursery Moody Wedding
Daissy + Dylan | Rainy October Fall Wedding
Still searching for a wedding photographer? Reach out now and let’s chat!
xo,
Jessi
Get more wedding inspiration:
Callan + Grant | Boho Wedding on Lookout Mountain
Cali + Shannon | Fall Mountain Wedding at Cloudland Canyon
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If you’re looking for a fun, laid-back documentary style photographer, then look no further! Jessi is an Alabama Couple, Family, and Wedding Photographer based in Fort Payne, AL. She also serves the Chattanooga, Atlanta, and Gulf Coast areas and specializes in engagement, wedding, maternity, newborn and family photography. Jessi also enjoys commercial and creative portraiture if you need the perfect headshot for your next job, or want to capture an important milestone in your life. Available for travel worldwide. Find out more at www.casaraphoto.com and inquire at https://casaraphoto.com/contact.
(c) Jessi Casara Photography
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