Planning a low-budget wedding does not mean you have to compromise on style and personal touch.
Many of us still believe that weddings are supposed to be expensive affairs. Contrary to that opinion, some have discovered budget-friendly ways to organise affordable yet stylish and splendid weddings.
If tying the knot is in your plans and you have been stressing about the budget, wedding planning experts advise that it is best to stick to your means to avoid a situation where the wedding ends up becoming a burden later on.
This involves allocating a realistic budget and cutting on unnecessary expenditure to please family and friends.
Setting a wedding budget is one of the first—and, frankly, most important—planning tasks to complete.
Here are some ideas that can help you navigate the hurdles and organise a memorable and successful Ksh100,000 wedding.
Find a Simple Venue
Most of us want to have a memorable wedding.
No one wants to have a venue that does not meet their standards. In most cases, people prefer to postpone a wedding rather than settle for a venue that does not excite them.
According to Alice Wahome, a wedding planning expert who spoke to Kenyans.co.ke, venues typically gobble more than 25% per cent of the total budget. However, she stated that it is possible to keep the cost to a minimum.
One of the ways you could do this is by organising the event at home, church or at a simple and affordable venue.
However, with this you will need to factor in the cost of renting tables, chairs, dinnerware, decorations and other items.
The wedding expert states that Ksh37,000 should be enough to cover this expense.
Organise Your Own Catering Services
While it is possible to cut costs on many items, the one aspect that gives people headaches is the guest list.
Many of us come from tight-knit families and would naturally struggle to leave out some relatives. However, couples are advised to keep the list to only close family and friends to avoid running into huge bills.
This means that you should ensure that catering costs don't exceed 29 per cent of the total wedding cost.
One of the ways you can go about this is by having a team of good caterers from your circle to help you with this task.
If you plan well, the same amount could be enough to buy a wedding cake.
Look for Bands in Your Area
Music makes events memorable and adds a touch of elegance to a wedding.
Therefore, if you are keen on not stretching your budget, you could enlist locally available bands to grace your wedding.
Organise a wedding eve rehearsal with them that will ensure that everything goes according to plan and meets your requirements.
The total entertainment cost should not exceed 13 per cent of the total wedding budget.
Find Dazzling But Affordable Wedding Rings
Don't forget to include rings in your wedding checklist.
According to Alice, couples spend up to 9 per cent of their budget on wedding rings. While wedding rings are considered special, there will always be enough time to get replacements long after you exchange your vows.
You could decide to go for the most budget-friendly one at the time of your wedding.
Videography and Photography
Photos and videos are part of the wedding furniture and serve as a time travel machine when couples want to recap their weddings years down the line.
Ensure that your budget allocation for this purpose does not exceed 15 per cent. You can check out professionals offering such services online and pick one offering the best services within your budget.
Use the remaining chunk of your 100K to cater to special items like:
-
Flowers: 8 per cent
-
Couple's Attires: 7 per cent
-
Wedding planner: 6 per cent
-
Lighting and decor: 6 per cent
