Wedding costs are skyrocketing. Count in factors such as hyper-inflated prices of venue bookings, food, plane tickets, event coordination, wedding garb, and decor. The events industry, including weddings, took an undeniably massive hit from the pandemic.
Couples had no choice but to get unconventionally creative. This meant evading wedding traditions for some. Many resorted to cutting down their guest lists or passing down a part of the costs to the entourage. Some had to cut corners in their wedding cake, entrees, and venue reservation time.
Add to that the imminent threat of a pandemic that’s yet to dwindle. We never thought we would see micro weddings becoming the norm and, with couples wanting to get married sooner, this trend is far from dying down. Nevertheless, these newfound wedding practices are all done with the best intentions in mind. Here’s how people who are planning to get married soon can save costs and still have a memorable ceremony.
The Invitees
As mentioned, shortening that guest list to adhere to local guidelines for gatherings is one practice that has now become widely accepted. Not only does it ensure everyone’s safety, but it unknowingly also saves couples a lot of energy from having to choose the perfect day when all invitees, if not most, are available.
Couples can take advantage of how people have become more understanding of the current situation. Of course, there is the option to invite guests who cannot make it to the ceremony to stream the event online. Hire a professional wedding videographer in your area, and you’ll be well on your way to having lag-free coverage of your wedding.
Still, the occasion wouldn’t be complete without the presence of those dearest to the bride and groom. If the pandemic taught us anything about social events, it’s that we learned to value our intimate circle no matter how small it is. Make sure that everyone follows proper safety protocols to prevent any issues.
The Invitation
One other benefit the new normal offers for couples planning to wed is they can skip on personally inviting their guests. Although it has been around for quite a while now, online invitations and having invitees RSVP virtually are becoming more popular in the wedding scene. You can collect active email addresses of invitees months ahead and send them a message when the invitation template is all set. You can take it up a notch by building a website solely dedicated to the event.
Contrary to popular belief, building a website is cost savvy. In fact, couples can save more from it than so than stationary invites. Maximize your chosen web design software’s features and sitemap capabilities to give a good overview of what your wedding is going to look like. Apply your color motifs on the pages, provide dynamic slideshows of your prenup shots and the venue, show the members of the entourage, enable invitees to RSVP with a visible call-to-action button, and provide a link to the online streaming of the event. An eye-catching website will help guide guests instead of referring to multiple sources, such as your announcements on social media and text messages.
As meetups prove to be difficult these days, handing out actual stationary invites isn’t much preferred. Still, if you want to go with the bedazzled paper for the keeps, booking your stationer months ahead is worth considering. This gives you ample time to brainstorm on the design and print out the best one. Besides, booking earlier will save you on priority fees you will need to shoulder if you booked in a bottleneck period.
The Actual Event
Sometimes, all it takes to avail of the best function deals is to speak up. A hotel could have a limited-time offer that you could include in your reservation contract. Or, negotiate for adjacent rooms to stay in for bridal showers and rehearsals leading to the wedding day and complimentary meals for guests who are staying after the event.
Be also very keen on your cash-outs as well. Setting a maximum cost per person would help. Look into elements that you could tone down. For instance, there’s not much need to go over the top with your decor with a tiny crowd or hiring a band when you could maximize the venue’s sound system. You could also consider renting your wedding veil but still have your own wedding gown to keep. For significant expenses like bookings, you could always choose to pay with your credit card and earn a lot of points.
An Event to Remember
Owning up to the expenses of this special event in your life is tantamount to taking in a whole new level of responsibility in a sort of rite-of-passage manner. Not all loved ones will be cool with your less-than-normal preparations, but their opinion should not dissuade you from fully enjoying the occasion.