Getting married is a big leap — and a huge financial commitment. According to Zola, the average wedding in the United States now costs $33,000!
To cut costs, some couples are opting for micro-weddings. Smaller than traditional weddings, micro-weddings allow couples to splurge on the things that are important while cutting back on everything else.
If you want to save money on your upcoming nuptials, here’s what you should know about budgeting for a micro-wedding.
Erika Taught Me
- A micro-wedding is a small wedding, usually under 50 guests.
- The average micro-wedding is around half the cost of a traditional wedding.
- Having a wedding on an off day and doing things yourself can help cut costs.
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What Is a Micro-Wedding?
As the cost of living goes up, micro-weddings are becoming an increasingly popular option for cash-strapped couples. A micro-wedding is a wedding with a small guest list — usually less than 50 guests.
Smaller weddings can range from a couple of hundred dollars to around $10,000. The fewer guests you invite, the greater your savings will be.
Micro-weddings give you the option to splurge on big purchases, like hiring a good photographer, while cutting back on other less important things.
Budgeting for a Micro-Wedding, Step by Step
If you’re getting married soon and want to cut costs, here is how you can budget for a micro-wedding.
Step 1: Determine your budget
Figure out how much you’d like to spend and set a maximum limit. This will help as you make big decisions like searching for a venue or talking to catering companies.
Step 2: Figure out what’s important
Prioritize what matters to you. While being thrifty can be part of a micro-wedding, it doesn’t have to be. You can splurge on things that are important to you.
Create a list of your non-negotiables and things you’d be willing to compromise on. Knowing what’s important will help you determine how to spend your budget and where to make cuts if you need to.
Step 3: Plan your guest list
Next comes the hardest part of planning a wedding: the guest list. The typical wedding has around 115 guests but can be substantially larger than that. A micro-wedding cuts the guest list in half, keeping it to around 50 guests.
While this isn’t a hard and fast limit, keeping your guest list under control will translate into cost savings. It can reduce costs by giving you access to a smaller venue and having fewer tables to decorate.
Step 4: Create a cost estimate and track your spending
To pull off a wedding, you’re going to have to work with several different vendors: caterers, the management team at your venue, the photographer, the DJ, and the officiant.
Each vendor is going to come with a price tag, and the more vendors you have to work with, the higher the cost of your wedding will be.
Create a cost estimate of one to three vendors for each service. Compare prices to get the average cost and look for opportunities to negotiate. You might be surprised to find that some vendors offer bundled services while others may offer discounts.
When you’re ready to start putting a deposit down on different vendors, set up a tool to track your spending. This can be a budgeting app you already use or just a pen and paper.
Step 5: Plan for extra costs
Create a buffer for unexpected costs. Whether it’s an unexpected trip to Target or leaving a cash tip for the wait staff, expect the unexpected.
Aim to spend only 90% of your budget. Set aside the remaining 10% for last-minute things that you aren’t able to plan in advance.
Tips for Planning a Wedding on a Budget
Planning a wedding can be stressful, even if it’s a micro-wedding. Here are a few tips to help keep your costs down.
Have your wedding on an off-day
The most popular day to have a wedding is Saturday. Because demand for Saturday weddings is so high, venues can charge way more.
Consider getting hitched on a different day of the week instead. Midweek weddings are generally cheaper and can significantly cut your costs.
Buy or borrow a used wedding dress
There’s an old tradition of incorporating something borrowed into your wedding. Why not make that your wedding dress?
While the cost of a wedding dress varies, brides can expect to pay well north of $1,000 for something they’ll wear only once. If a nice wedding dress is at the bottom of your priority list, consider borrowing or even buying a used one.
Don’t call it a wedding
Weddings command a premium, regardless of the vendor. The moment you call and ask about a wedding, expect the price to go up.
Instead of having a wedding, consider having a wedding and a party. Host an intimate ceremony with close family and friends but a separate reception on a later date for everyone else on your guest list.
That way you still get to celebrate with your loved ones but you won’t have to pay wedding prices to do so.
RELATED: How Should Married Couples Split Finances?
FAQs
What is a realistic budget for a small wedding?
A realistic budget for a small wedding is around $100 per guest.
How many guests is a micro-wedding?
A micro-wedding is up to 50 guests.
TL;DR: Save Money With a Micro-Wedding
If you’re willing to have a small wedding, you can save a lot of money. Fewer guests means fewer costs, and the money you save can be put to other expenses, or even to something besides your wedding, like your honeymoon or a down payment on a home.
Set your non-negotiables, compare vendors, and track your spending so you can celebrate without the stress of wedding debt!
For more tips on budgeting for all of life's events, check out these episodes of the Erika Taught Me podcast:
- The Woman Behind 2,000,000 Weddings
- Upgrade Your Life With These Life Hacks
- How To Set Your Kids Up Financially
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Amanda Claypool is a writer, entrepreneur, and strategy consultant. She's lived in the Middle East, Washington, DC, and a 2014 Subaru Outback but now resides in Austin, TX. Amanda writes for popular sites including, Forbes Advisor, Erika.com, and The College Investor. She also writes about the future of work and the state of the economy on Medium.