8 Money-Saving Tips That Actually Work When Planning Your Wedding

Weddings cost money and lots of it.  And if you are not strategic with your planning, you could spend even more than you should.  Paying for the vendors, renting out a venue, buying your dress and hiring Peoria, Illinois Wedding Videographer won’t be all cheap.

At Kinard Photography& Wedding Films, we believe wanting to commemorate your special day does not set you back financially.  Thus, we offer affordable videography packages; this way, clients trying to cut back on their spending can avail our services.  So how do you plan for the perfect wedding without breaking the bank?  With smart money-saving tips.  Incorporating these practical tips into your planning will help you minimize your wedding expenses.

Establish your priorities

What are your goals for your special day? Outline all the things that matter most to you.  By establishing your priorities, you will not easily be side-tracked down the line.  Consider crossing off things that are not that important to you.  For instance, if a centerpiece is more important to you than a three-tier cake, skip the cake.  Remember, this is your day, and you make the rules.  Go over your list of goals with vendors; this way, they are in the loop of how much you are willing to spend.

Choose an off-peak season

Have you tried scouting wedding venues during the busy season?  You will notice two things, the bookings full and any available slots are exuberantly price.  The same thing applies to hiring a Peoria, Illinois Wedding Videographer to shoot your event.  During high-peak season rates for hiring a professional wedding are higher than low season.  A cost-effective tip is to choose a date during the offseason.  Having your event during the offseason will cut significant costs from your wedding budget.

Hire a local videographer

Many couples are so fast to dismiss wedding vendors in their local area that they miss out on expert skills at affordable rates.  A Peoria, Illinois Wedding Videographer will cost you far less than hiring a big shot shooter from out of town.  You may have to cater to travel expenses for the videographer, which does no favors to your budget.  A local wedding videographer would also be more open to throwing in a few extras in your videography package.

A Peoria wedding videographer will be more familiar with the different local locations and know just the style to bring out epic shots on your grand day.  Suppose you are having a classy garden wedding at Luthy Botanical Garden.  In that case, your local shooter will know how to incorporate the shade in the private little coves to bring out killer wedding photos and video.

Manage your guest list

Have you ever began writing a guest list that the list went on and on?  Stop and take a close look at the list.  Are you inviting people out of obligation?  Big mistake!  When deciding who you want at your event, you should consider that more people means more expenses to incur.  A guest list bloat will end up costing you more.  Try keeping your event intimate by asking fewer people to attend.

Go with in-season flowers

Roses, lilies, orchids, magnolias; brides love their flowers, and we approve.  Flowers look great in pictures and also take the venues to the next level.  So, it is safe to assume they are an essential part of the event.  If you want to keep expenses for flowers pocket-friendly, you can do two things: use fresh flowers sparingly and choose in-season flowers.

Fresh flowers are expensive, so instead pf using them in bulk.  Get a small bouquet of fresh flowers and consider using fake flowers for the venue decorations.  It will save you a lot financially.  Also, in-season flowers that are readily available will be more affordable.

Keep an open mind

If you are working on keeping things under budget, it is crucial to be open to different ideas.  For instance, if you have an idea for a videography style, but your account does not cater to the expense, you should be flexible in exploring other options.  If your Illinois Wedding Videographer offers different options within your price range, keep an open mind and give their suggestions some thought.

Suppose you were set on having your wedding film covered in vintage style on gorgeous grassed and landscaped courtyard at The Eureka Cannery and it turns out to be way beyond budget.  You can ask your Peoria wedding videographer for some tweaks you can incorporate to make the package affordable to your needs.

Pick venues that allow BYOB

Budgeting for food for your big event is something you can easily maneuver by hiring a local caterer who can provide affordable meal option.  Unfortunately, this is not the case when it comes to drinks.  Alcohol is mainly expensive, especially when you do not have control over who is drinking what at the event.  Because standing over your guest shoulder to keep the expenses in check is unrealistic, a better option would be to buy your drinks.  Not all venues allow this, so ensure you do your homework on those that do and consider them for hosting your big day.  

Borrow what you can

Your wedding day is the first in the next chapter of your life.  Trust us when we say you do not want to begin it with debt.  Weddings are expensive, paying for venues, buying your dress, paying for food down to buying decorations.  When you sum all these up, the total can be overwhelming, and that’s not even half of it.  How do you get through it?  By being smart about what to buy and what to borrow.  You do not have to get everything new from the store; you can borrow items from close family and even neighbors.  If you are hosting a small event, you can consider getting a few outdoor chairs from friends instead of hiring. 

 Are you having an intimate or grand event?  Kinard Photography & Wedding Films is the videography and photography service you want capturing the special moments of your day.  We are shooting experts who you can depend on to be punctual and attentive to gathering all intimate details in raw footage and going through everything to improve its quality.  When we finally submit the final result after two weeks, we will assemble the photos and video in an online gallery which you can keep with you for years. 

Wedding photography is something we are both passionate and knowledgeable about so expect out shooters to have exceptional talent with the camera.  They will capture the raw and authentic emotions throughout the day and compile them into a beautiful and memorable film/video you can share with your family.  Give us a call, message us or send an email with details about your wedding photography goals, and we will get back to you with a plan ready to make it happen.