First off, congrats on your engagement!! Now that you have said “YES” to starting the next chapter of your life, it’s time to take a step toward the journey of planning your wedding. When it comes to wedding planning, couples are often overwhelmed as the cost of things begins to add up.
Trust us, we know how expensive weddings can be, but we believe that your wedding dress shouldn’t cost so much (learn more at the end). And we believe your wedding shouldn't cost so much, either! So we have combed the Internet to find other companies who are all about helping couples save money and get their dream wedding for less!
Save Money On The Planning
Sometimes a wedding planner is not in the budget, but also, keeping track of all of the details and getting down the aisle is easier said than done. Luckily, there is an app for that, WeddingHappy! This wedding planning app will keep you on track and on budget. You'll be able to stay on top of the details from the palm of your hand!
Save Money On The Invites
Break the traditional approach of mailing out formal invites, and send out digital invitations instead. Sure it is nice to receive a letter in the mail, but for something that will most likely just be thrown away, it makes sense to spend less. Evite make sending your invites hassle-free and inexpensive. Their services allow you to customize your invitations with thousands of different fonts and options to match your wedding’s colors and theme. Plus, they offer various packages from free to premium invitations perfect for any wedding budget.
Jaimie Macari Photography
Save The Groom Money
For brides, one of the most exciting experiences of wedding planning is finding THE dress. However, shopping for a suit or tuxedo is a much different experience. But there is an online, menswear company that does things a little differently! We saw The Black Tux featured on this past season of The Bachelorette; in the episode where the guys had to race through an obstacle course in wedding attire to get to Becca! This company makes it possible to skip the trip to the tux shop and the tailor with online ordering and free at-home try-on. Their tuxedos and suits retail for $1,200, but their rentals start as low as $95.
Our brilliant bride lizzie wearing maggie sottero // photo: Danielle Applebach Photography
Save The Bride Tribe Money
You've probably been a bridesmaid before becoming a bride, and if not, you've probably seen '27 Dresses' or 'Bridesmaids.' So you get that bridesmaids' dresses aren’t something your girls will ever wear again. You can save your tribe money with bridesmaid dress rentals, too. Rent The Runway has some really gorgeous options and great prices, with dresses starting as low as $30!
If you can't find the look you are dreaming of with rentals, Lulu's is another cost effective option to shop bridal party looks. All their dresses are under $200, and their site is easily filtered by length, color and price. Plus, you can read really insightful reviews often times with a great variety of customer uploaded photos!
Either way, you can still make it a memorable experience by getting your tribe together and shopping your favorite looks before deciding. This way you get the perfect choice for your special day, and your bridesmaids will get a one-time look that saves them money and maybe even closet space!
Save The Guests Money
6. Hotel Blocks by WeddingWire
We understand that wedding planning is often times overwhelming, and the last thing on your mind is where your out-of-town guests will be staying. Getting room blocked off for your guests can often come with a pretty high price tag! With all the other details you are planning, you may not have time to search for the best deals in your area. The planning professionals at WeddingWire have created Hotel Blocks, basically like Google Flights but for hotels. It's as easy as plugging in the date of your wedding and a few other necessary details. They will compile a list, and you can choose the offer that meets your needs best. After you’ve placed your reservation on Hotel Blocks, you can share it with your guests and leave the rest up to them!
OUr Brilliant Bride Jessica wearing Nicole miller // Emily Mathewson Photography
Save Money On The Reception
No reception is complete without an ultimate dance party playlist, and finding the right DJ can be tricky. After all, you’re trusting someone to set the tempo for the entire night. The WeddingDJ app allows you to: select the perfect songs for your wedding party's grand entrance, create playlists for you and your guests to boogie on the dance floor to, and make song suggestions to keep your guests celebrating all night. You don’t have to worry about missing a beat (😉pun intended) with the WeddingDJ!
Save The Bride Money
This one might seem a little obvious, but maybe you found us through a Google search and have never heard of us before. So we don't want to assume and risk you missing out because we really do believe your wedding dress shouldn’t cost so much. And to help with that, we get in brand-new, designer, overstock and discontinued dresses straight from the manufacturers that are always marked 30-80% off the retail price! Basically, you are able to walk out of our shop with a brand-new, designer dress for a fraction of the retail price, saving you hundreds!!