Wedding Budget Tips for Clients in the Time of COVID-19

Event planners working on weddings often encounter the same concern: Couples want to have their ideal wedding, but struggle with the budget necessary to fulfill their vision.

And now, these ordinary concerns are compounded by questions about how to hold any wedding in the time of COVID-19. These aren’t easy challenges to get around in “normal” times – let alone now.

To help you work with your clients during this difficult time and still pull off the wedding of their dreams, here are six budgeting tips considering the COVID-19 pandemic and the additional difficulties it presents.

Keep the Guest List Down

While most couples usually have trouble trimming their guest lists, this continues to be one of the best ways to cut costs.

And it just so happens, having a small guest list is one of the best ways to hold a responsible wedding during the outbreak as well!

Trimming guest lists has become easier these days for two main reasons. First, uninvited guests are likely to be more understanding than ever, given the need to limit social gatherings to small numbers.

Second, is that there are now ways to involve uninvited guests in the proceedings. For instance, many modern weddings tap into the idea of webcasting to welcome friends and family to participate remotely. This budget-friendly practice is likely to become more popular in the time of COVID-19 and should be seriously considered by couples scheduled to tie the knot soon.

Make Their Own Invitations

Ordering professional invitations can result in hefty bills. These days though, with many design and printing services readily available, couples can easily make their invitations instead (or have a creative friend help out with the project).

It’s a simple tip, but it can have significant savings. Plus, it’s more feasible for COVID-19 era weddings, given these events now likely involve fewer people. In ordinary times, when a few hundred guests might be on the list, hand-crafting invitations can be quite a task. With a smaller gathering though, a job like this can likely be taken care of in a single afternoon.

Find One Luxury to Cut

Here’s a fun story to share with wedding clients: One man examined his gourmet coffee habit and found he spent $2,300 a year! Granted, he also declared he wouldn’t quit — but for cost-effective wedding planning, it’s the number that matters.

This idea speaks to the concept that a couple may be able to find one small luxury to cut and generate a few hundred dollars a month in savings, which can be put directly toward the wedding.

And particularly now with smaller and simpler weddings, those savings may go further than they would have in the past. Not to mention, it also might be easier to make the cut in the first place! For instance, sticking with the coffee example — if a client is accustomed to a daily latte but has had to give it up during lockdown, he or she could continue to refrain when the store reopens and, instead, apply that daily cost to the wedding fund.

Open a Savings Account

Opening a savings account may sound involved, but if a couple starts planning early enough, it’s an interesting option, particularly if finances have grown a little bit tight during the outbreak.

In particular, the benefits of a high-yield savings account can generate compounding interest and offer a better return upon withdrawal. And even if the account hasn’t grown by the time wedding bills are due, having a chunk of money set aside in a savings account like this can help clients offset wedding expenses after the fact.

Skip the Band (and DJ)

Skipping a band in favor of a DJ is often cited as a savings tip. It helps, but wedding planners might also recommend skipping the DJ!

It’s perfectly possible to DJ your small wedding these days, and even a nice set of speakers will cost less than booking a DJ. Plus, while a single DJ likely doesn’t add a significant health risk, every person clients manage to cut from the attendee list makes the overall event a little bit safer.

Delay the Honeymoon

Planning a vacation under the current circumstances is difficult. Most people aren’t ready to travel just yet, and it may be a while before it feels completely safe.

From a budget perspective, meanwhile, factoring honeymoon costs into wedding expenses is a burden. For that reason, if finances are limited, planners can recommend that the honeymoon be delayed. Couples save in the short-term and plan to enjoy a honeymoon as soon as it’s safe to do so.

Wedding costs add up quickly no matter what, even with more couples having smaller, socially-distanced weddings. But by recommending tips like these, you can help a couple to plan both around Coronavirus and a tight budget, and still pull off a dream wedding.


Article exclusively written for eventleadershipinstitute.com

By Renata Jade