Planning a wedding is expensive. In fact, the average cost of a wedding is now more than $32,000. From dresses to food, to flowers and centerpieces, it all adds up to an often-expensive day. It doesn’t have to be all dollar signs, though. There are some ways to cuts costs. Here are six essential money-saving wedding tips to stretch your budget.

1. Schedule the wedding during an off-peak season.

Months like June and September are popular for weddings. But choosing a date from November through March will provide some wiggle room for negotiation with some of your vendors and help save some green. Hazeltine National Golf Club holds weddings year-round – with beautiful views of the golf course whether it’s green or covered in wonderfully white snow.

Image Credit: Brian Bossany Photography

2. Hold the ceremony and reception in the same spot.

Not only will this eliminate some of the transportation headaches and other burdens that come with having two locations for the wedding day, it will save money, too. A lot of vendors charge by the hour, so having them all in one spot for the day will cut travel time and costs.

3. Avoid Saturday weddings.

If you choose a Sunday or Friday night wedding, it will offer more options and likely lots of deals. Vendors and venues look for business on these wedding off-days, so they’ll be willing to work with couples on price breaks if they book on a Friday or Sunday rather than the ever-popular Saturday.

Learn more about the benefits of weddings on Sunday.

4. Serve brunch or lunch at the reception instead of a sit-down dinner.

If you have brunch or lunch at a restaurant instead of a full dinner, your bill will be cheaper. The same is true at weddings. Serving a delicious brunch or lunch will not only be a way to reduce costs, but may also be easier for your guests to accommodate in their full calendars. 

Photo Credit: ChrisandKristyPhoto.com. Ballroom North at Hazeltine

5. Keep the numbers down.

We're not only talking about number of people you’ll invite, but also the size of your wedding party. A smaller wedding party means less money spent on their accessories for the wedding, gifts, bouquets, and transportation. For guests, try narrowing it down by category, so you won’t single people out. For example, you may choose to nix children and co-workers from the list. Also, be specific about inviting couples. Not everyone needs a “plus-one” – limit it to spouses and fiancees.

6. You don’t have to let them eat cake.

Wedding cakes are traditional, but they can get pretty spendy. There are plenty of ways to serve desserts without having expensive cakes on hand. Changing it up with other fancy desserts, cookies, or cupcakes still provide a nice sweet-tooth option but will often save on the wallet. If you are set on cake, consider a smaller display cake and get sheet cakes to serve your guests.

Hazeltine National Golf Club is a private golf club located in Chaska, Minn., about 30 minutes southwest of downtown Minneapolis. The club opened in 1962 with a mission to build and maintain a golf course suitable for the conduct of national championships. Hazeltine is one of only two courses in the United States to have hosted the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Amateur, and Ryder Cup. Hazeltine’s meeting and event space, golf shop and specified services in the learning center are open to the public. More information about becoming a member at Hazeltine is available at www.hazeltinenational.com.