Wedding planning is stressful enough, even if you don’t factor in the cost of everything involved. On average, Canadians spend an average of $22,000 to $30,000 on the day of their nuptials. While a wedding is certainly an important occasion celebrating the love between two people, it’s just one day out of their entire lives together that shouldn’t eat up the entirety of their savings. From securing your favourite venue to looking for affordable designer wedding dresses on sale, here are a few tips on how you can have your dream wedding on a budget. 

Create a Wedding Budget 

The first item on your wedding to-do list should be to sit down with your significant other and create a wedding budget. Take a look at your combined finances and figure out how much you can both realistically spend on your big day without going into the red. Make a list of all of the most important expenditures. Get quotes from multiple vendors for each item on the list so that you can see which one offers the best value based on your needs, expectations, and vision. Once you’ve acquired a complete price list, it’s time to start narrowing down the most important items. 

Book the Same Venue for Your Ceremony and Reception 

Many couples tend to use separate venues on their wedding day—a place of worship for the ceremony and a banquet hall for the reception. But did you know that you can actually save a lot of money by using the same venue for both gatherings? A number of high-end wedding venues have a special space designated specifically for ceremonies. The best part? Your guests won’t have to travel from one location to another to attend your wedding.

Consider the Time of Year and Day of the Week 

The time of year and day of the week you choose to get married can greatly influence the cost of your wedding. Peak wedding season in Canada typically starts sometime in the spring and goes until the end of fall. This is because a lot of people prefer to get married during milder temperatures. Due to the high demand, wedding venues increase their prices during this time of year. 

Note that the day of the week also makes a difference. Saturdays are usually the most expensive day of the week to get married due to high demand. But if you choose any other day of the week such as a Friday or Sunday, you may be able to get a sizeable discount on the venue.   

Choose a Picturesque Wedding Venue  

Extravagant décor and flower arrangements can significantly increase your wedding costs. Choosing a picturesque wedding venue that suits your style allows you to minimize the amount of décor and flower arrangements needed to beautify the space. 

Check Out Pop-Up Wedding Dress Sales 

Affordable wedding dresses can be hard to come by in regular retail shops, so why not check out a pop-up wedding dress sales in your area? It’s a great place to find the perfect designer wedding dress on sale that fits within your budget without forcing you to compromise on your personal style. To complete your look, you can also shop for affordable bridal accessories all at the same pop-up sale. 

Opportunity Bridal is a boutique wedding dress shop that offers a wide range of over 600 quality designer gowns at discounts of 50%-80% off manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP). Our sizes range from 2 to 28 and we provide onsite fitting rooms so brides-to-be can easily put together stunning wedding ensembles before making a decision. Check out our upcoming bridal sale events near you.