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It's no secret that weddings can be seriously expensive. And sometimes you just can't seem to find the loopholes for how to make your big day more affordable. Luckily, we've got some tips for you if you're a bride on a budget (aren't we all?). Read on to find out the seven things every bride can cut from their wedding budget to help save money.
[Photos: Shutterstock]
1. Professional Makeup
The first thing you can skip out on if you're on a budget is having your makeup done professionally. You can instead ask a close friend to do your makeup, or even try your hand at it yourself! If you really don't think you can do it yourself, you can definitely find cheaper alternatives than having your makeup done professionally.
2. Extensive Guest List
One important tip to remember is to go through many rounds of reviewing your guest list before deciding on a final one. Ask yourself questions like: "have I talked to them in the past year?" or "would I miss this person at my wedding if I didn't invite them?" when choosing your guest list. But you for sure should cut back on an extensive guest list if you're trying to stay on a strict budget.
3. Save The Dates
You can just as easily opt for digital save the dates as you could send printed ones. This is an easy way to save money on postage stamps-- which can definitely add up. If some of your guests don't use email, like older relatives for instance, then you can always pay them a visit and hand deliver your own save the dates or simply call them with the big news.
4. Videographer
Sure, wanting to have a wedding photographer for your special day is completely understandable. However, do you really need a videographer too? Think realistically, how often are you really going to watch your wedding video? Especially in the day of social media, you'll already have plenty of snapshots to look back on. So, consider cutting a videographer from your wedding budget (unless you get a really good deal on one).
5. Veil
Some brides choose not to have a veil altogether. Veils aren't as much of a tradition as they used to be, and you can definitely choose to skip out on one. You can instead opt for an inexpensive hair accessory to add some glam to your bridal hairstyle.
6. Wedding Cake
You can also remember to talk to your wedding reception venue location to see if they have wedding cake options that are part of your overall deal. You can save a lot of money this way rather than going outside of your venue looking for a bakery. If your wedding venue doesn't offer a wedding cake of their own, research local bakeries so you can score the best deal possible.
7. Garter
Think about whether you really want to do a garter toss at your reception. If you don't, then you could definitely cut a garter from your wedding budget. Trust us, cutting mulitple things from your wedding budget that may not seem to be so expensive at first can definitely add up in savings after awhile.