At least, once in every man/woman’s lifetime, they’d be event organizers or help in organizing an event— their wedding— if they ever plan to settle down. Planning a [your] wedding can sometimes be one hell of an experience, especially when vendors’ products/services can cost an arm and leg. Thanks to some platforms like the Ayefro App [check it out on App or Play Store] that brings together all event vendors for clients to choose those with the best rates and services, according to their budget.
If you’ve enough to put together a luxurious wedding, why not? If you don’t, however, you must be careful in your expenses. You shouldn’t sell your kidneys to have your wedding. Trust me, no one will remember how classy or boring your wedding was… a week after it has happened. So… give yourself a break!
In our bid to impress people, we sometimes dig our own graves. Everyone is happy at our wedding except us because we start our honeymoon as a bankrupt double. Drowning in countless debts after a wedding is a needless choice a couple makes because having a properly-planned, low-budget wedding is very possible.
There are two groups of people who are almost impossible to convince about anything; party foot soldiers and a couple who insist their wedding is a once-a-lifetime event, thus, don’t mind spending everything to make it memorable. I guess I didn’t write this with the latter in mind. Lol.
Food/Drinks
We all want to have a buffet at our weddings but it goes without saying that not everyone can afford it. If you are serious about having a prim, low-budget wedding, the first thing to cut down on is the number of invited guests. You will lose some good friends but, at least, you won’t lose your sanity. Remember that no matter how much you try, you can’t everybody to your wedding.
Cutting down your guest size automatically cuts down so many other expenses, especially food and drinks. Instead of a buffet, you can package well-sized pastries and meat for your guests. You can get your assorted drinks at wholesale rates with an estimate of your guest list in mind. And mind you, after your wedding, you’d always have complaints of people not getting served. We are in Africa!
Jewelry
You don’t need to buy jewelry at throat-cutting prices just because it’s your big day. Tell you what, most of these ornaments will hardly be seen by anyone. No one will know if your earrings are made of diamond or wood. No one will know the cost of your jewelries. Even if they would, who cares!?
I have seen some ladies walk away from relationships just because the man could not afford a particular type of ring or bracelet. Whether you wear a 24-carat gold ring on your wedding day or not, what really matters is the journey after that day. The jewelries are only symbols and tokens. What will sustain the marriage is the character of both spouses… not the jewelry type!
Gown
If you can afford an extremely flamboyant wedding gown, go for it. However, if you are intentional about keeping a simple budget, you must buy your gown with the fact that you can’t wear it anywhere after your wedding in mind. The groom’s tux can be worn over and over again but not the bride’s gown. It’s like buying a car that can be driven only once in your life. You won’t spend so much in buying that car.
Unless you’re going to rent out your gown intermittently, you must spend only little on it. If possible, have it hand sewn by a [your] local fashion designer.
Pair of shoes
It’s interesting to know that most of the things we spend so much on to impress people are not even seen by them. One of such is our pair of shoes. For the bride’s, her gown almost covers her feet and no one sees what’s down there.
Don’t wear a pair of shoes that are on life support to your wedding. That notwithstanding, needless to break your account to buy a pair of shoes either.
Decoration
Your wedding is your big day and it is understandable you want the venue to look delectable. However, you’d be amazed all the details you plan your decoration with will go unnoticed by many. Most may not know your wedding color was either beige or mauve. Many will not even know the wedding theme was that of Black Panther or Jamaican.
Let that decoration be spot on but spend within your means.
Photography/videography
In this age of social media, photography/videography has almost become the bulkiest part of the wedding budget of most couples about to walk down the aisle. These come in the form of pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding shoots. Some of these services can cost, at least, GHC10,000 while others even quote their rates in dollars.
Keeping a low-budget means finding vendors who can give you a service that falls within your financial strength. Pictures age. Videos become old with time, too. Cut down on how much you spend on such.
Reception venue
Possibly, you can have your reception right at the church grounds. Renting a different space outside the church creates a lot of inconveniences to some guests, especially those who may not be driving their own cars. Aside all these inconveniences, it helps you save some money.
If you can have space to contain your guests in the church where you wed, go for it. It saves needless expenses.
Clothing bridesmaids/groomsmen and page boys/girls
If you want your friends to be on your bridal team, oftentimes, you must be prepared to clothe them because you may be crashing in on someone’s monthly budget. However, having a ‘tight’ budget means doing away with some of these expenses.
If you can’t do away with this bridal team, convince them to, at least, clothe themselves.
Bridal convoy
Get friends to use their cars as the bridal convoy. After all, what are friends for!? There’s nothing shameful about using what you have. Needless to rent a fleet of luxurious cars… only to be seen walking on foot a day later.
Hiring event organizers
Leaving your wedding in the hands of event organizers because of reasons best known to you is great. However, as much as possible, you must handle the organization of your own wedding. Aside the experience it gives you, it helps you save all that money you would have spent on over-priced goods/services of organizers.
If it’s an MC you need, save money. Get one of your eloquent friends to do it. They even know you better than any other person will. Courtesy technology (like Ayefro App), you can sit in the comfort of your home and reach out all vendors with little stress.
Always remember that no one will remember how awesome or boring your wedding was a week after it has passed. Thank God for forgetfulness.
The success of a marriage doesn’t depend on how little or big the wedding was. If you want to keep a low-budget, it is possible!
By Kobina Ansah
The writer is a playwright and Chief Scribe of Scribe Communications (www.scribecommltd.com), an Accra-based writing firm.