Weddings should happen at least once in your lifetime. When this special day comes, you have to prepare yourself for a lifelong commitment among other things. Of course, as this is a special day, it’s no longer surprising that you want to make sure that everything goes the way you dreamt it to be when you were a child. Who wouldn’t want to have their dream wedding fulfilled?

In truth, dream weddings can be pretty expensive. Back in 2019, the average cost of a wedding was $33,990. This includes everything you’d find in a wedding such as the reception, dresses, food, and everything else. However, it doesn’t include the honeymoon mind you, that’s a separate expense mind you.

This is just the average though. If you’re dreaming of an extravagant wedding with many guests invited, you’ll have to spend over $50,000 for the best options possible. If you are on a budget, you can spend at least $25,000 for the minimum requirements but these are still pretty wonderful.

Sadly, the hard truth is that wedding prices are on the rise each year. This is caused by the change in the economy, as well as the increasing price of the goods and services that you have to avail. It’s no longer surprising why more and more couples are opting to avoid marriage instead as it is such a costly ordeal. On the other hand, there are those that get married in court which is way cheaper.

If you really want to achieve your dream wedding, that doesn’t mean you’ll have to start spending an arm and a leg for the expenses. There are a few ways with which you can achieve the wedding of your dreams easily. Before you begin listing down those expenses, check out these few methods in which you can pay for your wedding at.

1. Avail A Wedding Loan

It may seem like an odd thing for banks to do but believe it or not,  wedding loans do exist. They function similarly to house loans, car loans, and basically any other type of loan you can make at a financial institution. These are great if you don’t have the money for your dream wedding, but you are confident that you can pay it in the future.

Like any loans, a wedding loan comes with its own set of terms and agreements. At the bottom line, however, this helps you pay in monthly installments. Not everyone has the money upfront to pay for a costly wedding which is why such loans are important in helping you achieve your lifelong dream wedding.

As with any other loans, wedding loans will also calculate an interest rate that you’ll have to pay on top of your loan. Of course, these rates are easily manageable as you pay for them overtime only. It’s much easier to pay for these small interest rates over time as compared to spending for your wedding in one go.

Do keep in mind that not everyone is qualified for a wedding loan. The financial institution that you are going to take a loan out of will do an assessment to see how much you are qualified for and whether or not you are capable of paying for it in the future. As such, it’s always good to keep a good credit rating as this will help increase your chances of being approved for a loan.

During the assessment, make sure to stay as truthful as possible. You wouldn’t want to be handed a loan that you can’t pay for. You’ll also be required to submit a few documents that will help you increase your chances of being approved so make sure to scour your office for these papers as soon as possible.

As a general rule of thumb, you should only loan what you believe you can pay for in the future. Keep emergencies in mind when taking up a loan as well. The last thing you’d want is a loan dragging your family down.

2. Hire A Professional Wedding Organizer

It might seem like an odd thing to do. I mean, you are already trying to pay for an expensive wedding, why should you pay for a professional wedding organizer as well? These pros may cost you once again but they are well worth it if you are trying to aim for a wedding under a certain budget. 

You see, professional wedding organizers literally do all of the organizing parts for your wedding. They are perfect for couples that don’t have the time to organize their wedding themselves. From picking the venue, design, flowers, to finding the right makers for the dresses, organizers do almost everything except being the ones to say I Dos.

They don’t just organize a wedding whichever way they like. They’ll base it on your preference as well as your budget. If you are planning a wedding under a specific budget, these professionals will do all that they can to ensure that you don’t spend a dime above the price that you set.

To help you get your dream wedding, they’ll look for cheaper alternatives. This includes finding wedding venues that are cheaper but still elegant, as well as looking for caterers that can charge for less than others. Don’t worry though. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they are going to get you subpart services. They usually have contacts with various suppliers so they know who to call once you set a budget.

3. Save Up Early

If it’s not too late, you should consider opening up a separate bank account in which you can start building funds for your wedding. These funds will not only help you during emergency cases, but also ensures that you don’t go broke once you start to plan your wedding. Believe it or not, it’s very easy to save!

You should begin cutting back on things you don’t actually need. Instead of going to Starbucks for your morning coffee, why not make one at home instead? You’d be surprised at how much you can save monthly by picking the lesser expensive things. This is just one of the ways you can do it though.

It may seem weird to start saving for your wedding even if you are single but you have to keep in mind that these affairs aren’t cheap. We’re not even talking about the expenses that come with building a family! In truth, it’s never too late or too early to start saving for your wedding so open up an account that you can let your money on.

4. Lessen Your Expectations

If you really don’t have the budget for it, you don’t have to go all out. One of the ways people cut costs on their weddings is by inviting lesser people to the event. Invite close family members from you and your significant other’s end and then a few close friends as well. You don’t exactly need to invite your co-workers too.

We’ve said earlier that weddings should happen at least once in your life but that doesn’t mean you can renew your wedding vows. More and more couples are having second weddings. Most of them did because they believe that the first time around wasn’t everything they’d planned it out to be. With the budget, they are able to achieve their dream wedding during their second ceremony.

You can opt for a civil wedding for the first time. Most couples do this so that they can be eligible for certain benefits. It also makes it easier for them to run a business as partners as soon as possible. Once you have saved up the budget for it, you can begin planning the wedding that you’ve dreamed of since birth.

5. Work With Your Future Husband/Wife

Understandably, weddings are no measly expenses. It’s something that you plan for years. You don’t have to do the planning and spending alone, however. It’s important that you work with your significant other so that you can make each other’s dream wedding come true. 

The common misconception is that it’s the groom that has to do all the spending for the wedding but that shouldn’t be the case. With the cost of services and goods becoming more expensive each year, it’s more economical for the groom and bride to be to work with one another to get their dream wedding.

As a couple, there are many things that you can do together. For starters, you can open a shared account through which you both deposit a certain amount monthly. You can also start a business as a side hustle so that you have the funds for your upcoming wedding.

Wedding days are naturally costly and you need to prepare yourself financially for them. What’s important to know is that your dream wedding is always achievable thanks to the wide selection of payment options that you can try to ensure that it doesn’t hit your budget heavily.  One of the best ways to prepare for a big day like your wedding is to start saving early and set a realistic budget that prioritizes your must-haves. Additionally, exploring flexible payment plans or considering DIY options for certain elements can help reduce costs without compromising on quality. With careful planning and creativity, you can bring your vision to life while staying financially comfortable.

Also, remember that weddings are two people’s affairs so avoid shouldering all of the expenses if you can’t handle them.