It’s that time of year- wedding season! This is the first year where we have had multiple weddings (like, oh….5!!???), and we are both in the wedding party for one! If, like us, you are staring down the huge expense of multiple flights, attendant attire, guest attire, gifts, and any other expenses that come with wedding season, I wanted to break down how to budget for wedding season and how you can avoid going broke for your own (edit this)!
Set your budget:
- Use your points. This is the time to cash in those airline miles! Since weddings often fall during peak travel times (weekends and holidays) it can get expensive when you start jetting off to multiple weddings in a year. Try to use miles for flights that would otherwise be too expensive. If you are not currently collecting miles, A. What are you doing? and B. Start now! Find a credit card (and obviously pay it off in full every month!) that will reward you, either with general points or for one particular airline. Z and I each have travel cards that reward us for every single purchase and came with a signing bonus.
- Airbnb/stay with friends or family. If you are attending a wedding in your hometown or the town where you attended college, try to stay with friends or family for the weekend. You will save money and spend time with loved ones that you may not see very often!
How to budget: for the wedding party
- Split the bill. Between bridal showers, couples showers, lingerie showers, bachelorette parties, wedding gifts, and allll the other expenses, you might be seeing nothing but dollar signs. Try to split as many expenses as possible with your fellow bridesmaids. Swing for an Airbnb instead of multiple hotel rooms on the bachelorette, or split the cost of decorations between everyone.
- Limit your stuff. Don’t get caught up in buying all the ‘stuff’ that comes with weddings! Every time I walk into a store, especially during wedding season, I’m bombarded with bridesmaid/bride tchotchkes. It can be temping to grab every ‘Bride Tribe’ koozie and bag you see, but think about how many uses you are getting out of all of that stuff, and if anyone will even use it! For brides, think about what your bridesmaids actually need, instead of loading up on junk that they’ll never use again and creating more waste.
- Do your own hair and makeup. This is a HUGE expense that can take a toll on your budget. If you or someone in the wedding party is good at hair and makeup, use them! If you are going the DIY route, Pinterest and YouTube are full of tutorials so you can practice before the big day.
- Be upfront about your budget. Be honest with your bride and fellow bridesmaids from the beginning. Almost everyone is aware that weddings (and all the accoutrements that come with them) are expensive, and as long as you set expectations in the beginning you will be fine. If you can’t come to the bachelorette, or can’t pitch in as much for a big bridal shower gift, that’s ok!
How to budget: for guests
- Re-wear pieces you already own. There is NO reason to go buy a new dress for every wedding this year! It’s wasteful for the environment and not great for your wallet or closet space. Take a look at what you already own and see what can be repurposed. Got an old gala dress from a charity event? Re-wear it for that black tie wedding! All those cute cocktail dresses you’ve been hoarding for date night? Rock them! If you are really stuck, consider borrowing from friends or renting from a service like Rent the Runway.
- Know the dress code. Wedding dress codes are all over the place, but no need to worry! Have a go-to piece that fits every kind of dress code. If you have multiple obligations this year, try to find an outfit that will work for any kind of wedding, whether it is casual, cocktail, formal, or black tie. Knowing what is appropriate ahead of time will save you from stressing later on!
- Plan your gift budget. Take some time to think about how much money you want to spend on each couple. While you can re-wear pieces over and over, you cannot re-gift pieces over and over. Most couples now ask for money or experiences for their honeymoon rather than gifts, so think about each couple- are you best friends? Co-workers? Distant relatives that you barely know who invited you for some reason? If you are giving money, how much would you have spent on a registry item? For most couples, around $100 is decent, but do a little research first!
Attending multiple weddings doesn’t mean you have to break the bank! Be smart when planning your social calendar and keep your wallet happy!
