Since you and your partner got engaged, you can’t wait to get married! It’s an exciting time planning for everything, from choosing the perfect wedding dress to figuring out what aesthetic you want for the ceremony. And the best part is that it’s going to be in Vegas! That means that it’s easy for everyone to get there since there are flights from basically every city in the US, and there’s no need to spend too much time planning your bachelor and bachelorette parties. It’s a city made for weddings, and you can’t wait to have your big day happen there.
But something you’ve been thinking about a lot is just how much everything is going to cost. You didn’t realize it was all going to be so expensive! Luckily, there are some great strategies you can use to save money on your wedding. So if you want to save on your Vegas wedding, follow these tips.
1 Budget
When money is what’s stressing you out, the last thing you want to think about is money. It’s much nicer to scroll through Pinterest looking at wedding dresses, and counting the number of likes all your posts about your wedding on Facebook get. But if you’re serious about saving money, the first thing you need to do is sit down with your partner and talk costs. Will either of your parents be helping out? Are your savings going to go into spendings?
Once you’ve determined how much money you can spend on your wedding, you can create a budget. Decide on what your most important purchases are. If you’re having a wedding in Vegas, then obviously the biggest concerns are costs of travel (which we’ll review next) and finding a venue that’s affordable. In 2016, the average wedding cost $35,329, but you can spend less than that. And if you haven’t started saving since your engagement, it’s time to start.
2 Save on airfare
There are lots of great ways to save on airfare, and it’s more than just checking the American Airlines website every day. There are great sites out there, like Travelzoo and Scott’s Cheap Flights, where you can subscribe and find out about cheap flight deals all around the country. And with Vegas being such a popular destination, it’s the kind of place that’s cheap to fly to no matter what time of the year. All you have to do is wait for the notification to pop up in your Inbox.
Check out Google Flights and Momondo, too. It’s what Scott does: three-quarters of Scott’s Cheap Flights deals come from these sites. And if you’re one of those people who’s always on your phone, download apps like Hopper (which tracks the price of flights) and Skyscanner (which will update you if the price of your flight you’re looking at goes down). Remember that many airlines will refund part of your ticket price if you see the ticket you bought is cheaper later.
3 Use your credit card
Okay, we know. Using your credit card too often is tantamount to gambling, and that’s the last thing you want to do when you might spend some of your wedding gambling. (Side note: don’t gamble. Don’t. Not with your married future at stake.) And most Americans are currently in debt, and the last thing you want is to do is have debts before moving in together, buying a house, or starting a family. So it’s scary to use a credit card.
However, there are some great credit cards out there that can help you save by giving you points and rewards. Especially if they’re travel or accommodations-based cards, this can help save on actual costs of your wedding. Just one great example is the Chase United MileagePlus Explorer card, which has a hefty award of 40,000 miles if you spend $2,000 in the first free months.
4 Stay in a hotel chapel
One of the best ways to save money on a Vegas wedding is by staying at a hotel chapel. Instead of having to pay for hotels and venue separately, you can pay together, and get married there, too! And there are great perks, too. According to the Tips for Life blog, “any hotel chapel can provide you with a variety of wedding services, including live broadcasting of your ceremony online, limousine transportation, professional photo and video shoots. Most of them offer fresh floral decorations and even a honeymoon helicopter flight. If you book your chosen wedding package beforehand, you are guaranteed to get a good deal.”
A Vegas chapel wedding costs anywhere between $50 to $3,000, so if you do your research, you can save big.
By following these tips, you’ll save big on your Vegas wedding! Which means more time to plan for what matters — the bachelor and bachelorette parties.
What other strategies are you using to save on your wedding?
