Weddings, especially in Africa, are mostly flamboyant no matter how much you plan to keep it low key. This may be as a result of numerous relatives, the culture, etc. However, being African or Nigerian does not mean you must spend above your budget to have a beautiful wedding.
These 8 tips will help you a great deal if you are trying so hard to avoid the heartache of having a wedding that’s ridiculously above your budget.
1. Trim Your Guest List
Although you do not want to miss anybody while sending out wedding invites, it is imperative that if you are planning a low budget wedding, you should filter your guest list as much as you can.
There is additional cost with each addition to the list. Basically you should plan the wedding for you and your spouse and not the people around.
Photo Credit: Luxe
2. Be Mindful With Venues
This may sound a bit precarious but a reception venue is not compulsory. You could always opt for a dinner with close friends and family. This would cut down cost a lot or better yet, you could use your own home (or the home of a parent) for your ceremony, or perhaps a public park with a lovely scenery.
3. Rent / Purchase A Low Cost Wedding Gown
Renting a wedding gown may not be the best idea for most brides but it’s cheaper than getting a custom made gown. Also there’s a high chance that you would find beautiful low-cost wedding gowns to purchase.
4. Settle For Home-cooked Meals
Family member(s) who know how to work their way around meals would be of great help. You do not need a caterer to take care of your wedding food if it will cause a rise in your budget. Your friends can be of help too. Serving light refreshments instead of a full meal is not a bad idea too.
This can also work for a wedding cake.
Photo Credit: Colorfully
5. Be Your Own DJ
You don’t have to hire a professional Disc Jockey to be in charge of the music at your wedding. You can make a mix-tape prior to the wedding and hand it over to a family member who has a flair for music and get him/her to ensure your guests have a good time.
6. Precise Photography
Hiring a photographer for the entire wedding is not exactly necessary. Get one for the ceremony and part of the reception to capture the essence of the event. This should slash cost.
7. Help Over Gifts
Rather than accept outrageously expensive gifts from wealthy family members and friends. You could ask for help instead, it won’t hurt.
8. Be Picky With Vendors
Whether you like it or not, you have to accept some vendors will charge fees that are way beyond your budget. If you have a tight budget, stick to the vendors that suit your budget.
It doesn’t matter if you have a blank cheque for your wedding or you are planning on a fixed budget, ensure you have a memorable one surrounded by people you love and yes, Iludio planning tools can readily come to your rescue if setting up your wedding budget is more dicey than you expected.
Main Photo Credit: Destiny Magazine
