Embarking on the journey of planning your dream wedding in Orlando is an exhilarating experience, but let’s face it – the costs can quickly add up. We tapped into the Orlando wedding community to share their thoughts on how to save money on a wedding. Check out these budget-friendly wedding tips that will help you turn your dream wedding into a reality.
Save Money on Your Wedding: Venue Tips
Club Lake Wedding Venue
Book an All-Inclusive Wedding Venue
Our biggest budget saving tip would be to book an all-inclusive venue which can help you save not only money but also time. We have vetted and negotiated with top wedding vendors in the industry at preferred rates so when you book with an all-inclusive venue like us, you are getting the full property for the whole day and all that comes with it along with caterer/bartender, wedding coordinator, DJ, and florist at exclusive venue partner rates. While saving some money, you also get to have peace of mind and a fun and stress-free planning process.
Choose an Off-Peak Time of the Year
The decision that will potentially save you the most money will be your choice of the wedding date. In Florida, off peak tends to be during the summer in May, June, July, August and September.
Find a Venue with a Flexible Vendor Policy
Venues that are open to any licensed and insured vendors is a key factor when looking into how to save money on a wedding. You get to shop around and find the best rates versus being locked in to a limited selection of vendors.
Consider the Day of the Week
Consider booking your wedding on a Sunday-Thursday. This has become much more popular and many times it is easier to book the vendors you love for a great price on these days as well.
Start the Planning Process Early
Couples are typically engaged for 13 months before they tie the knot. We suggest that couples start the planning process shortly after their engagement. You’ll be glad you started the planning sooner. Not only can you lock in rates early, but you can also shop for deals and save money along the way.
Negotiate Venue Pricing
It seems like a no-brainer but if venue pricing is out of a client’s budget, some venues, including our own, are happy to see what I can do to help.
Save Money on Your Wedding: Photography Tips
Contempo Photos
Bundle Videography
Look for photographers who also do videos. We offer both services, which allows us to throw in an extra discount if you go for both photo and video. This bundle has many benefits- a synchronized team, the same aesthetic, more memories, and savings – it’s a win-win!
Only Book the Time you Need
A great way to keep your budget slimmed with photographers is to make sure you’re booking only the time you need with your photographer on the wedding day. One primary factor for photographer pricing is how much time you’d like us there live – camera in hand and capturing photos. For example, there are plenty of weddings where the couple isn’t doing an exit at the end of the night, or doesn’t necessarily want us to capture the dancing/party. In that case they may only need 6 hours of coverage vs the typical 7-9. Therefore, cutting down your live photography time can be a great way to save on your wedding budget!
Create a Faux Exit & Consider Second Shooter Time
Do a faux grand exit with your bridal party and family (or everyone if you want to) after dinner, before the party starts. That way you will have a beautiful grand exit captured but you won’t have to pay for your photo/video team to stay until the very end of the night. If you have a budget for a 2nd photographer, great! But save money by only having them for 4-6 hours instead of the entire day like the main photographer. That way you’ll have all of the important second points of view captured, and then the main photographer can easily take care of the rest.
Limit the Number of Edits and Use Natural Lighting
Some photographers charge extra for extensive post-production edits. Limit the number of edits or request only essential edits to keep costs down. If possible, opt for shoots that utilize natural lighting. This can eliminate the need for additional equipment and reduce costs associated with studio setups.
Save Money on Your Wedding: Floral Tips
In Bloom Florist
Consider Pre-designed Collections
Wedding florists everywhere are starting to have minimum order requirements for in-person consultations. If you are on a tight budget and want to avoid floral minimums, pre-designed collections that are add-to-cart allow you to have beautiful, high-quality wedding florals for intimate and small weddings that won’t break the bank.
Bridesmaid Corsages
Have your bridesmaids wear wrist corsages or pin-on corsages and you could save 50% on the bridal party flowers. Wrist corsages require fewer flowers and less intricate arrangements, reducing both floral costs and labor expenses. Additionally, the simplicity of wrist corsages can offer an elegant and modern touch to the bridal ensemble while serving as a practical keepsake.
Repurpose your Flowers
Repurpose florals from the ceremony to the reception to help stretch the decor budget. It is very common to use the floral sprays from the Arch and transfer those to the sweetheart or head table. We also love when the florals on the welcome sign can double to the seating chart. With a little enhancement, turning the bridesmaids’ bouquets into centerpieces is also a great money-saving option.
Maximize your Wedding Floral Budget
There are many ways to maximize your wedding floral budget by remembering that the focus is on YOU as a couple – in other words it is you and your significant other who should be in the spotlight with the more luxurious, bigger ticket items. For example, let’s say your bridal bouquet budget was marked at $250 and it contains hydrangeas, roses, garden roses, and other white linear and filler florals. Each bridesmaid can carry smaller bouquets with less expensive florals such as carnations, a few standard roses and other inexpensive fillers and you can have the higher ticketed floral arrangement.
Save Money on a Wedding: DJ Tips
Classic Disc Jockeys
Do Your Research
If you’re trying to find ways to save money on your wedding, I would encourage couples to research average rates for specific vendors before they choose budget numbers. Wedding Wire and other sites often list rates, and this can give you a better handle on average rates. More importantly, it will help you set a more realistic budget, before you start and choose your favorite vendors. This will save you a ton of sticker shock when choosing vendors of any type!
Spread the Love to Ancillary Events
Many DJs have their services and packages start with a minimum number of hours. If you’re debating on having a shorter reception, consider the customs, traditions, meal service style, and number of speeches planned. If there are toasts by family members that will be just as special shared at the rehearsal dinner or farewell brunch, spread the love into the ancillary events! This can help to streamline the all-important timeline and avoid incurring additional charges for extending the night. This is where I will also emphasize the importance of an experienced day of coordinator who can build a solid timeline!
Find a DJ That Does It All
One of the best ways for how to save money on a wedding is to find a DJ who does it all…. MC, announcements, timeline management, lighting, audio covering ceremony, cocktail hour and reception is a plus!
Save Money on Your Wedding: Catering Tips
Uncommon Catering
Choose Your Service Style Carefully
Plated meals typically require more staff which will increase your per person cost as well as service charges. Plated meals are also typically lengthier and more formal. If you are seeking a more casual and relaxed event definitely consider a buffet style meal. Being deliberate about your service style is a major consideration for how to save money on your wedding.
Find a Caterer that Offers a Sliding Scale
Conclusion: How to Save Money on a Wedding
In conclusion, orchestrating your dream wedding in Orlando is an amazing journey, but the associated costs can be overwhelming. We hope these thoughtfully-gathered tips on how to save money on a wedding will help you get the most bang for your buck on your special day!
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