How to Enjoy a Busy Wedding Season without Going Broke

Celebrating a new marriage together with your friends is great fun, but all those wedding invites can put a real strain on your budget. Between wedding attire, travel costs, and gifts, each wedding can add up to a pretty penny. In fact, according to the most recent research, the average wedding guest is out $673 for each wedding they attend. That’s enough to make you go broke by the time wedding season is through!

If these numbers are scaring you, take a deep breath and relax. You don’t need to go into debt just to attend your friends’ weddings. Just follow these hacks for simple ways to celebrate in style—and within budget.

1.) Save on airfare

• Clear your browser cache before searching for a flight. 
• Get the lowest prices by booking your ticket for mid-week and/or taking a red-eye flight. 
• Use apps like Kayak and Hopper to help you find the best-priced tickets. If your destination is within driving distance, you might choose to hop on a train, board a bus or rent a car with some friends and turn the drive into a fun road trip. 

2.) Think outside the registry
Jump off the registry bandwagon and get creative instead! You can gift the couple with a more personalized gift, like a themed breakfast basket for the morning after or tickets and reservations for a dream date night. No one has to know how much (or how little) you spent. Plus, your gift is sure to be memorable and treasured by the couple.

3.) Don’t buy a gown
Instead of dropping a ton of money on a gown you might wear once, rent one for a fraction of the price from rental services like Rent the Runway. You can also borrow from a friend or purchase your dress gently used on sites like PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com.

4.) Invest in a good suit
If you’re looking at several weddings over the next few months, it might be worthwhile to invest in a top-quality suit or tux you can wear again and again. Once you’ve got your suit, you can change up the outfit for different weddings by swapping the shirt and tie or the cummerbund and bow tie.

5.) Look up hotel alternatives
Instead of spending hundreds on a hotel stay for every destination wedding you attend, check out sites like AirBNB for cheaper lodgings. Save even more by booking a full apartment or an entire house with a couple of friends and splitting the cost.

6.) Don’t be afraid to say no
If you’re asked to be a bridesmaid or an usher and you know you can’t afford the associated costs, don’t be afraid to explain your position to your soon-to-be-married friends. They’ll likely understand and either accept your declination or adjust their plans so you can afford to be part of the wedding party.

Here’s to a season of affordable and joyous wedding celebrations!

Your Turn: How do you save money on wedding expenses? Share your best ideas with us!

*Community Financial does not endorse the information, content, presentation or accuracy, nor make any warranty, expressed or implied, regarding the websites and/or apps mentioned above.