10 Money Saving Hacks for 2025 from a Wedding Planner
Planning your dream wedding can become massively expensive very quickly. Most couples are all too familiar with having created our perfect wedding mood board on Pinterest only to have the quotes arrive way higher than what was expected. There are many ways to save money- while some may require more time and effort, the process can be fun, especially when you can involve friends and family who are eager to help out!
Below are a few tips and tricks we have learned over the years:
10.) Wedding Cake
Average cost $300 - $1,000+
There are a few things to consider with your cake: The prettier and more detailed the cake is, the more expensive it is going to be. Fondant is “easiest” for bakers to lay and sculpt (most of the time) however buttercream is typically the preferred taste- buttercream may require refrigeration right up until you do the cake cutting, including transportation from the bakery to your venue. This can add to costs when a refrigerated truck is needed alongside added care upon arrival at the venue.
What you can do instead:
Have a smaller cake for cutting and serve your guests from a separate sheet cake or dessert bar.
Opt for a faux/dummy cake. These cakes are made out of soft styrofoam finished with fondant or icing that looks and cuts identical to a real cake in person as well as in photos.
Skip the cake and go for something you prefer! Croquembouche, macaron towers, doughnut trees, cupcake stands, and so on are a beautiful and sometimes more meaningful alternative to your standard cake cutting tradition.
9.) Wedding Dress
Average cost $2,000 - 10,000+
As much as we all love that Alexander McQueen wedding gown, the price tag on it can be the entire wedding budget or more for some! Keep in mind that just about any wedding gown you find will need some type of alteration done to be perfectly tailored to your body on the big day. This tailoring can cost anywhere from $600 - $1,500+ for basic alterations. While it may seem like a lot, especially if the dress itself costs a similar or lesser amount, keep in mind that the fabric alone is typically much higher quality and density than regular street clothing, which requires intricate sewing and handling that takes more time and expertise.
What you can do instead:
Attend “trunk” or “floor” sales from your favourite bridal shops to receive designer gowns worn for shows or as floor models, for a fraction of the price. These typically happen in the spring, but can take place year round, depending on your local shops inventory.
Find a rental shop that carries that designer dress you like (or a similar style) at a fraction of the cost. There will be no need to worry about cleaning, preservation and storage or selling your dress after the wedding. These shops operate just as a regular bridal salon would. They insure all gowns are cleaned, pressed and in good condition which you can try on and sometimes do moderate (reversible) alterations on at your own expense.
A non-traditional route could be to find a beautiful designer gown for a few hundred to thousands of dollars, a sparkly summer dress, boho flowy dress or a suit. A nice evening gown can be extremely unique and give your wedding a fashion-forward and personal flare.
Have a custom evening gown made just for you in your favourite colour. This can be something you can cherish and even re-work for years to come.
Lastly, check out your local vintage and second hand shops. Some even carry high end items! You never know what you might find- I have seen some stunning gowns come from the least expected shops. You may have to ask to see private collections from shops ahead of time. These stores typically have a seamstress on-site or can recommend you one they work with regularly. Thrift shop seamstresses can do some magical things with the right vision and pieces.
8.) Grooms Attire
Average cost $200 - $2,500+
The traditional grooms attire is a tuxedo, which realistically most grooms are never going to put on again as these are considered the most formal of mens wares. As traditional must-haves become less and less prominent in modern weddings, we are seeing a shift towards both brides and grooms buying wedding attire they will use again.
What you can do instead:
Get a custom suit made that will fit perfectly and look sharp no matter the occasion. This is something you can use again and again without hesitation. The price upfront might be steeper, but the payoff of having a great suit to use over and over will easily pay for itself over the course of your lifetime.
Renting a suit is another great way to get a designer piece at a great price without having to worry about dry-cleaning or storage. The only downfall is these suits will come in standard sizing that may not fit as well on all body types as a custom suit would and alteration accommodations may be limited.
Thrifting! You can find some stunning high-end suits at the thrift shop which can tailored to fit almost like a custom piece. These can be a great way to add in textiles that might not be as readily available anymore as a bonus!
7.) Food/Catering
Average cost $5,000 - $20,000+
Food is tricky because you want to provide a great meal to yourselves and your guests, however this can be a really big hit on the budget depending on what style you go for. Regardless of service style, you can account for Food and Bar to make up about 50% of your TOTAL budget.
What you can do instead:
Food trucks or food stations are becoming a popular trend that are always a hit! This way you are able to include multiple types of food and cuisines that may be special to you and your families. These are usually smaller tapas style plates that encourage your guests to mingle around to the various stations.
Buffet style service- there is nothing wrong with going this route, you will be saving on serving staff required for table service and guests will be able to portion out their desired amounts instead of being left hungry without the option for seconds.
Choose brunch over dinner! Breakfast style foods are typically much less than dinner options and provide for a fun and memorable guest experience. Who doesn’t love a good brunch! Guests will typically consume less alcohol during daylight hours to potentially save on your bar as well.
6.) Bar & Bartenders
Average cost - $2,000 - $5,000+
It can be hard to decide if you’d like to have an open bar and risk guests over ordering, leading to higher bar costs, or have a cash/by donation/drink ticket bar to help re-coup some costs. Proper etiquette would invite you to consider if you would offer a guest a drink in your home, prepare it for them, serve it to them and then ask for money for that drink. It may be seen as though guests are expected to pay for part of your wedding on top of giving a gift and possibly paying for travel and accommodations etc. This is of course not by any means a rule!
What you can do instead:
Have a dry wedding. This is gaining popularity with modern weddings for a number of reasons: to ensure a reasonable end time for the reception, because the couple themselves does not drink, recovering alcoholics may be present at the wedding, liability for friends and family increases significantly with alcohol consumption etc.
Have an early wedding with a breakfast/brunch/lunch reception. Guests are less likely to drink as heavily at a daytime reception, and you can limit what you offer for drinks with mimosas, caesars and a specialty drink being your only options. TIP: **This can help you save on food costs too since breakfast foods are considerably cheaper than dinner foods!**
Bottle your own, this is a totally legal way of having cheap wine and beer at your wedding! Through licensed distributors you can fill your own bottles for ~$2-6 each and either leave blank or get custom tables printed for to add a personal touch. **NOTE: Home brew of any kind is not permitted by law I'm Canada. **TIP: Have friends and family save their empty wine and beer bottles to clean and re-use at the wedding to save on buying the bottles new.**
5.) Decor
Average cost $5,000 - $20,000+
Decor is often the most important aspect of the wedding for many couples. They want something their guests will be able to remember as unique to them as well as have it be functional. This is where we find most couples end up being let down with their expectations vs what fits into their budget. Decor items whether rented or bought are going to be a pricey part of the wedding.
What you can do instead:
DIY, Pinterest and other social platforms are great for self-led projects if you know where to look. There are many groups dedicated to DIY crafts and decor ideas and even more dedicated to wedding decor ideas and directions. You would be surprised what you can do with a bit of creative thinking, a Cricuit and some Modge Podge- plus your friends and family will be happy to be a part of such a special element of your wedding day!
Thrifting! Can you tell we love to thrift? Not only is this a eco-friendly route, but you can score some really cool pieces you won't be able to fine anywhere else that you can re-use or most likely sell afterwards for a few $$. You can always DIY onto some of these items to give them that touch that may be missing.
4.) Floral & Greenery
Average Cost $2,000 - $15,000+
Depending how important floral and greenery is to you will determine the price for this category. Fresh cut and arranged flowers will add up quickly, so if you're dreaming of that lush centrepiece on each table, you’ll need to have a decent budget or some connections within the industry because even wholesale retailers are going to cost a pretty penny!
What you can do instead:
Opt for smaller arrangements on each table or eliminate flowers from the centrepieces altogether, you can create the same appeal with organics, candles, twigs and so much more.
See if there are any brides local to you having their wedding the day before or after yours that would like to share costs with you on floral arrangements.
Have an outdoor wedding in an area that doesn't need as much with florals and greenery. You would be surprised how well a good outdoor location can style for you without much help.
Faux florals are another great option for larger arrangements such as your arch pieces. These have come a long way since your grandma was buying them and can look real from a distance and in photos. You can make your own following sales at craft stores like Michael’s or search for a rental company that offers pre-made arrangements in your colours/theme.
3.) Venues
Average cost $6,000 - $20,000 +
Venues are the single most important aspect to any wedding. This is the canvas for your dream wedding, where you and/or your design team will base all of your decor around. The time of day and month you wish to host the event can affect the budget depending on the venue, as some do not operate during certain times or months and will charge a higher fee for their peak-season months (anywhere from June - October-December typically).
What you can do instead:
Have the wedding ceremony and reception at a joint venue. Many venues will have multiple rooms at various price points you can rent out for both the ceremony and reception. They will often have package rates to entice couples to book both parts of the wedding within their company. If it is a hotel they will often have a group discount if you fill X number of rooms.
Ask friends and family with land, barns, warehouses etc. if they would let you host the wedding in their space for a rate that works for you both. This can be a great way to have unique additions like horses or just the location itself. Your friends will often be more lenient on what you can and can't do on private property, just make sure you and your lending family member or friends are aware and have obtained all of the permits and licenses you will need in accordance with your local laws to keep yourselves and your guests safe.
2.) Favours
Average cost $500 - $5,000+
These are another one of the traditional items falling off the trend list rapidly for various reasons. The main reason being the sheer number of favours left over after the wedding. Whether guests do not want them or have forgotten to take theirs at the end of the evening, every wedding has had favours en-mass that end up being brought home by the couple or even going in the garbage :( This isn’t eco-friendly or budget friendly, which is why they are being dramatically scaled back or becoming more extravagant personal gifts to each guest which can be expensive and time consuming.
What you can do instead:
Choose and eco-friendly route like miniature potted plants or flowers, this can be a great alternative and a lovely way to re-use some of your wedding decor. These can be put on cute table set ups near your guest book or gift/cards area and a way for your guests to be reminded of your wedding day each time they care for their plant favour at home.
Go for a more personalized favour such as professional portrait photo booths, permanent jewelry, custom scent creation stations, engraved items, caricature artists - get creative with this!
Have a donation ticket for guests in place of a favour with $ amount and “charity jars” that guests can drop their ticket into to choose an organization that lines up with their beliefs.
Skip them altogether! Very few, if any guests are not going to be upset that they did not get a cheap favour from your wedding.
1.) Licensing, Permits & Insurance
Average cost $100 - $1,000+
We wanted to add this as the most important budget saving tip as it seems a lot of couples planning their own wedding have no idea they even need to obtain such a thing since they have hosted large parties before on private property. You may be required to obtain Special Event/Location permits and/or event liability insurance for some venues and locations. These are not hard permits to obtain by any means and usually only take a few minutes that can save you months of headache down the road.
We hope the above information will be helpful while planning your wedding day. Leave a comment below with any other money saving hacks you have come across!
Happy planning!