After years in the wedding industry, I've seen where couples overspend and where they can save hundreds or even thousands without sacrificing the experience. Here are my tips:
1. Let Your Cake Be Dessert
Instead of serving cake late at the party, cut it after dinner and include it as part of your dessert buffet. You'll save money on extra desserts while still giving guests plenty of sweet options.
2. Make Your Flowers Work Twice
Flowers are expensive and so: there goes your budget. Reuse your bridesmaids' bouquets as centerpieces after the ceremony. Move your ceremony arch flowers to the sweetheart table or buffet. It's sustainable, meaningful, and can save hundreds. Talk to your florist about your plans, so they can arrange the flowers accordingly.
3. Trim Your Guest List
Ask yourself honestly: Can you invite 10–15 fewer people? Every guest adds costs for food, drinks, furniture, stationery, favors, and more. Also: Don't let others decide your guest list! Stick to your plans, even if everyone tells you to invite the neighbours 3rd degree cousins' mother in law.
4. Choose a Weekday Wedding
Weekday weddings often come with lower venue and vendor rates. Flights and hotel prices may also be significantly cheaper for your guests.
5. Skip the Rehearsal Dinner
Unlike in North America, rehearsal dinners aren't common in most of Europe. They're lovely, but if you're on a budget, they're easy to skip.
6. Turn Hotel Breakfast into Your Farewell Brunch
If your hotel already includes a great breakfast buffet, simply reserve a few tables together for your guests. Add a few bottles of champagne and you've created a beautiful farewell brunch without paying for another catered event.
7. Keep Your Wedding Party Small
More bridesmaids and groomsmen mean more bouquets, gifts, transportation, and extra expenses. A smaller wedding party saves money and keeps things simple.
8. Choose an All-in-One Venue
Pick a venue where your ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, and party can all happen in one place. Fewer transfers, fewer rental fees, less stress.
9. DIY Your Stationery
Design your seating chart, welcome sign, menus, and other stationery in Canva. Order them online in your destination country and have them shipped directly to your planner or venue.
10. Skip the Champagne Toast
If most guests don't even like champagne, don't pay for it. Let everyone raise the drink they already have in hand or that are included in your package.
11. Use Spotify for Cocktail Hour & Dinner
You don't need live music every minute. Create a playlist for cocktail hour and dinner, and save your entertainment budget for the evening party. During cocktail hour and dinner, people are busy with chatting and full of impressions. Live-entertainment would be a waste of money here.
12. Watch How You Pay
If you're living outside the EU/SEPA zone, use services like Wise whenever possible. Avoid expensive payment providers that charge high conversion and transaction fees. This alone can save you hundreds with each vendor. Great customer service also means offering customer-friendly payment options, so consider to change a vendor, if he only offers expensive options.
13. Go Digital with Invitations & RSVPs
Destination weddings require early planning. Send digital invitations and collect RSVPs online. Print invitations only for your closest family and friends, and use a wedding website to keep everyone informed.
14. Marry Outside Peak Travel Season
April, May, September, and October (especially in Portugal) often offer beautiful weather with much lower flight and hotel prices.
15. Skip the Tourist Hotspots
Everyone looks at Lisbon, Porto, or the Algarve first, which is exactly why they're more expensive. Explore lesser-known destinations for a more authentic experience and better value.
16. Get Legally Married at Home
Complete the legal paperwork in your home country and enjoy a symbolic ceremony at your destination. You'll save time, paperwork, stress, and quite a bit of money.
17. Ask About Commissions
This is one many couples never hear about (and that makes us angry sometimes). Some planners and venues receive 10–20% commission from the vendors they recommend. Those costs are often built into your final price. In the "best" case, it is transparent, but our experience shows, couples often don't know, that the recommended vendors are actually a lot cheaper. Ask venues and planners, if they work with a commission system (an no, it's not ok and no, it is not common!).
18. Don't Let Social Media Trap You
Instagram and Pinterest will constantly convince you that you "need" more. Create a clear budget, entertainmentplan, design and shopping list and stick to it. At least try as best as you can. It is a little bit like going to Ikea. Without a strict plan, you will end up with fluffy plush retrievers, 3000 candles and lot of other things, you did not know, you need them (and be honest: you actually don't need them!).
19. Welcome Dinner at a Local Restaurant
Instead of hiring a private caterer, ask your planner for a fantastic local restaurant. Arrange a set menu for your group and let your guests enjoy authentic local cuisine.
20. Skip the Tips. Leave a Great Review Instead
In Europe, tipping wedding vendors isn't expected. The best thank-you is a wonderful review, recommending them to future couples, and tagging them on social media. That support means far more than a cash tip.