Saying ‘I do’ doesn’t have to break the bank

According to a Zola survey, the most popular months for weddings last year were September and October, with January and February being the least popular. While it is important to consider weather for your big day, should you also consider picking a less popular day to save money?

The five most expensive parts of a wedding make up 90 percent of the costs, with the reception venue as number one at an average cost of 13 thousand 385 dollars. Consider a backyard or park for your reception. And DIY what you can.

Cindy Hudson, Wedding Coordinator, told Ivanhoe, “For instance, the cost of invitations, I think most couples create their own online now and print them off themselves.”

The venue marketplace “Wedding Spot” website says that booking your wedding on a Thursday is 17 percent cheaper compared to a Saturday night. Also save by using a DJ. That will cost around one thousand dollars, compared to a wedding band averaging four thousand.

Typically wedding planners range from five to ten thousand, but a day of planner or consultant are around one thousand. If you do your own, don’t forget those emergency details, like a sewing kit!

“Bridesmaid standing in line ready to go down the aisle and the zipper split, on her side, so we did a quick safety pin job up the side and took care of that, and yes there’s always some little something that’s going to happen,” Hudson said.

With ways to be prepared for your big day, every year in the U.S., there are about 2.5 million weddings, with an average cost of nearly 30 thousand dollars. The number one wedding city in the country is Las Vegas at 114 thousand weddings per year, followed by Gatlinburg Tennessee with 42 thousand. The most expensive U.S. city to wed in is Manhattan followed by South Florida. And consider saving on your photographer by creating your own wedding hashtag for guests to post their photographs!