Keeping a low budget wedding is no easy task. Whether you’re getting married at home or on a paradise island such as Bali, it will likely be the most prominent and priciest event you’ve ever hosted!

To keep the cost at its minimum will need a close track of your savings. Keeping an update on everything you’ve bought or spent on a spreadsheet will help you from getting overboard during planning. However, keep in mind that unexpected costs are likely to appear, thus will require you to make necessary cuts to maintain your budget.

It’s a lot of work, but the time and effort will pay off and ensures you’ll be debt-free and therefore live happily ever after! Here are our top tips to keep your wedding budget down.

Know Much You Will be Spending

The spreadsheet we recommended you to create should have three expense columns: Estimated, Modified, and Actual. The researching costs should go under Estimated, the proposals from your chosen wedding vendors under Modified, and the final amount you pay in Actual.

Another column labeled Extras is an excellent idea to prepare for things you might forget or for unexpected needs in advance. A good 15 percent of your total budget should be enough. Remember never to spend this fund upfront, as you will need It for miscellaneous incidents to arise throughout the planning process.

The last thing to consider is the budget for gratitude or tips. This can add a few hundred to the wedding cost. Prepare at least USD 800 to your vendors for their hard work, as your hairdresser or waiter will generally expect some tips unless their service isn’t satisfying.

Find the Right Wedding Packages

If you’ve chosen an all-inclusive wedding package, then services and fees from venue, décor, and priest should all be included in the package. Be aware that these wedding packages may be inflexible, and changing the options to decrease the budget may not be possible.

Different vendors offer different packages and prices. When choosing these vendors, note that some packages may include more service than the other. For example, services such as photography can be very different from each other. One might include a photographer during the big day and give you all the raw photos on a disc, while the other may have a photographer available for a few hours but will provide a whole album with edited photographs.

Another example is the availability of makeup & hairdressers, as some wedding packages may or may not have them. A glass of champagne may be included in the package, while others may only give you fruit juice.
You get the idea. Therefore, the best thing to do if you’re considering buying a wedding package is to ask the right questions. You should feel that you’ve received clear information on what you’re buying and everything you’ll be receiving from the wedding package before you make the deal.

Choose Your Menu Wisely

Due to the number of your guests reaching up to 50-70 people, your food and beverage cost will probably take the BIGGEST chunk of your budget.
If your wedding will take place in a chapel as part of a hotel, then the best option is to take the reception/dinner outdoors. This will save you a ton of money.

Another way to help reduce your budget is to book your wedding from an independent wedding company rather than booking directly from a hotel/resort or chapel.

Order Your Paper Items & Make Your Invitations

Creating and ordering your own invitations can help you save a noticeable amount of cash. Thanks to technology, nowadays you can do this stuff at home and on your own. You can choose the right paper (companies online usually send samples for you to decide on) and print them on their printer, assembling and eventually mailing them.

Invitations with calligraphy can be expensive to buy. If you must have calligraphy on your invites, consider purchasing a calligraphy pen and practice writing the invites yourself. It’s really not that hard, and only experts would notice the difference. Loads of tutorials are online that can help you with it.

Cut Down Necessary Upgrades & Packages

Be aware that Bali’s hotels can be tricky with their wedding packages by offering cheap deals that may only include basic services. And once you purchase these packages, they will then provide you add-ons that may or may not be necessary.

Say no to unnecessary upgrades and take what is offered in the base package. A common mistake made by couples is changing the design or colors of the tablecloth or the type of cake provided by the wedding packages, potentially costing you up to thousands of extra dollars.

Better with Fewer Vendors

If your hairdresser offers some beautiful wedding gowns for you or the catering team also provides some wedding cake, consider hiring them to give a couple more services for the ceremony. It’s always a better offer when one vendor offers you more than one service, as you won’t need to worry about paying multiple setups and delivery fees for separate vendors.

Keeping a close eye on your budget and spending only on the most important things is essential for maintaining a budget wedding, but it doesn’t need to be stressful. After all, it’s all for celebrating your love story with the most important people in your life. Follow our tips above, and you’ll be sure to stay within your means.