How to Pay for Your Own Wedding (and Avoid Some Family Nagging Along the Way)

Weddings are expensive. The cost of them prompts family members (read: the bride’s family) to pay for them. But that invariably leads to quibbles with in-laws and infighting among families about, “These centerpieces are too tall,” and “Hey can I invite your Uncle Barry who you’ve never met before?!”

One way to avoid that is to pay for the wedding yourself. That’s right — if you’re really dead set on setting up your big day, you might have to forgo some free financial aid. Another way to cut expenses is to get a great deal on a ring, so check out Brilliant Earth before reading further. Without further ado, here are a few tips on how to pay for your own wedding.

Create a budget

To know how much you need to save, you need to have a budget. Figure out how much money you will set aside monthly until the big day, and set aside a set amount daily. Calculate a rough draft of a budget for each vendor you need. And pinning a date down also helps — that way you know how long you’re saving for.

Hold your wedding during off-peak season

You’d be surprised at how much cheaper weddings are in off-peak months like the winter versus typical  peak wedding months in spring and summer (June, August, September and October). Consider a February or March wedding to cut down on venue costs. Like the song, Stevie Wonder might have been right: “No wedding Saturday within the month of June.”

Negotiate

Vendors are often willing to be talked down to more simpler prices. That means everything from catering to music is up for “the talk.” Make sure you shop around first to get a gauge on how much services cost. After that, you can nudge vendors to give you a discount by showing them all the lower prices you’ve found for the same service elsewhere. But be sure to never take the first offer from any vendor. That’s why it’s called negotiating!

Ask your friends for their talents

Your friends are more talented than you think. Some of them might be able to do some of the wedding essentials themselves. Perhaps a friend who knows how to take pictures or arrange flowers. They’ll offer to do services for free, but be sure to pay them anyway. You won’t be writing off photos, but you will be saving tons more than if you were to hire professionals.

Open a wedding account at your local bank

A separate account strictly for the wedding will help keep personal expenses separate from wedding ones. A small monthly deposit of a couple of hundred dollars for a year and a half (or however long your engagement is) can really add up.

Find some work on the side

Perhaps you have some extra time on your hands. Working for delivery services like Postmates or ridesharing services like Uber can help earn extra cash. But wait! There are plenty more side jobs you can find for some extra income.

Weddings are expensive, and the costs can become a burden. But good on you for putting that burden on yourself! With these tips, you’ll be financing your big day and live happily ever after — without any nagging mother-in-laws getting in your way.

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