It’s one thing to plan out your dream small wedding — it’s another thing to foot the bill.
Unfortunately, the current average cost of a small wedding is a bit higher than you may expect. But don’t panic. Once you break down what goes into a wedding, you’ll find you may still be able to put together the event of your dreams, no matter your budget.
Here’s everything you need to know about the current average cost of weddings and how you can save a little money preparing for your big day.
What Is the Average Cost of a Small Wedding
If you Google, “how much does a wedding cost?” You’re going to be in for a bit of a shock.
Long story short, the average wedding costs around $30,000. If that seems like an exorbitant amount of money for a one-day event, that’s because it is. When it comes to averaging out wedding prices, you need to remember that for every 1,000 small, modest weddings, there will be at least one multi-million-dollar event that’s going to skew the numbers a bit.
Generally, you can expect to spend anywhere from $2,000 to $20,000 on your big day; the final cost depends on several factors. So, before you start panicking about being able to afford the wedding of your dreams, you should take some time to figure out just how the wedding of your dreams looks.
Where Does All That Money Go?
Asking, “how much is a wedding?” is a bit of a loaded question.
Wedding costs consist of several small purchases that make up the grand figure that’s been scaring happy couples for decades. And, there’s a good chance you won’t even need to think about making half of these purchases, especially if you’re planning a small event.
For example, a wedding venue or reception hall could cost upwards of $10,000 to rent. But, if you’re planning on hosting your reception at a family home, then you won’t have to worry about setting any money aside for that particular purchase.
Other significant and “not always necessary” wedding purchases that can wildly inflate the final cost include things like the cake ($500), live entertainment ($4,000), flowers and centerpieces ($2,000), and an open bar ($3,500).
How to Cut Wedding Costs
Now that you know a little more about what makes some small weddings so expensive, it’s time to talk about how you can reduce your overall wedding cost.
One of the easiest ways to cut back on wedding costs is by replacing professionals with your more talented friends and family members. Rather than shelling out a couple of hundred dollars for a cake, you could have a trusted friend bake one for you as a wedding gift.
While no wedding is complete without dancing, you don’t need a live band or a DJ to get your friends and loved ones moving. You could save a significant chunk of change by replacing live entertainment with a decent speaker and friend who knows how to make a fantastic playlist.
Finally, if you have your heart set on a specific spot for your reception, consider scheduling your wedding for the off-season when many venues will let you book at a significant discount.
Enjoy Your Big Day!
Planning a wedding can be stressful, especially when you have to plan around a tight budget. But, despite the average cost of a small wedding, there are plenty of ways you can put together a beautiful ceremony and reception that won’t break the bank. All it takes is a little creativity.
Are you looking for more advice on how to plan your dream wedding? We’ve got you covered. Check out the rest of our blog for more helpful tips and tricks today.
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