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Are you about to get married, but don’t want to break the bank to make everything ideal? Then, look no further because we’re here to help you out! Here are five amazing tips on how to plan a perfect wedding on a budget, so check them out and get down to it right away!

First of all, figure out your budget

When you’re planning a wedding on a budget, every cent matters. This is exactly why you must figure out how much money you have at your disposal. Figuring out a wedding budget is an absolute must, but you must know that this won’t be an easy task. This is because the wedding is the biggest and the priciest party you’ll ever host. Going over the budget is quite common for many couples, but you need to make sure that this doesn’t happen under any circumstances. So, come up with a detailed spreadsheet, keep track of your savings, and make necessary cuts if you still end up exceeding your budget. It’ll be hard, but we know that you’ll make it!

Don’t expand your guest list under any circumstances

Yes, we know that this is your big day and you want to invite all your friends, family members, and coworkers, but you know what? Expanding your guest list isn’t a great idea when you’re on a budget. Each addition you make will bring additional costs, which is the last thing you want, right? Besides that, it’ll make your wedding far less intimate, which is another thing you must look out for. So, if you think about inviting your neighbors because you don’t want them to perceive you as impolite—don’t do it. The same goes for inviting your parents’ relatives you didn’t know existed just because you feel obliged to do so. Don’t make any exceptions and you’ll do a great job!

Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize

The next thing you should do is to prioritize. It means that you should decide what is the most important to you as a couple. For some people, it’s all about the beautiful venue. For others, food and entertainment are the most important parts of their big day. So, it’s up to you to make a final decision and figure out what you want and what isn’t a priority. For example, if you’ve always wanted to show up to your wedding in a luxurious limousine, you should definitely make it happen. All you need to do is to consult with a company such as Get Chauffeured and they’ll make your dream come true in the blink of an eye. If there is anything else you wish to have on your big day, just go for it and save money on other aspects of planning. As simple as that!

DIY and save money on decoration

When it comes to saving your cash, the easiest way to do it is to opt for DIY decoration. This is particularly true if you’re an extremely crafty person, which means that this will be a piece of cake for you. Truth be told, wedding decorations often cost a lot of money, so many people think that they won’t do a great job on their own because the price justifies the quality. However, this isn’t always the case, so get inspired and use some amazing ideas you saw online. From a gorgeous wedding arch to classy invitations and wedding party favors—you can do anything you want with your two hands. You can even buy beautiful flowers and make a bouquet and table centerpieces as well. Possibilities are truly infinite, so get crafty and save a lot of money!

Skip a formal dinner

Even though a formal sit-down dinner is the most common choice among the couples who are about to get married, we must say that this isn’t the best option when you’re on a budget. And why is that? Well, it’s because formal meals significantly increase the price per guest—especially if you want to hire an upscale caterer. So, instead of this type of dinner, you can always host a potluck and ask your guests to help provide food for the wedding. However, if you still want to stick with a caterer, opt for a buffet style instead of a formal dinner. This will cut down the price while the food remains delicious!

As you can tell, there are so many great tips on how to plan a perfect wedding on a budget. These five are the best ones out there, so stick to them no matter what and you’ll make it happen. Just follow our guidelines and you’ll succeed, without a shadow of a doubt!

Have any more tips on how to plan your wedding on a budget? Let us know down in the comments.

This article originally published on GREY Journal.