Weddings have always been expensive. While most men never really try to participate a lot in wedding planning, you might want to check out the things that affect the cost of most weddings. Of course, you can expect to pay for a lot of things if you decide to pay for the wedding or if you decide to split the cost of the wedding with your partner.

The date, guest list, and venue are three of the biggest factors that contribute to the 80% of the expenses made in wedding celebrations. So, how are you going to save money with these three decisions?

The Date

After dating for a while and you and your partner have come to a decision to get married, the first thing that both of you must think about is the date of the wedding. The month of the year, the day of the month, and the time of the day – how does this affect the cost of the wedding?

Wedding planning professionals study about the factors that involve weddings, including how the wedding date affects wedding costs. Since most people get married in June (the wedding month), this is probably the most expensive month to get married. September and October are also expensive wedding months because of the weather.

If you’re on a tight budget, you might want to check out off season months like in the middle of summer or winter. Weddings are cheaper in these months, maybe because of the inconsistent weather. Thus, it’s very important to have the venue set for all seasons. So, what’s the most expensive day to get married? Wedding planning experts say that Saturday nights are the most expensive.

Cheaper days for weddings include Friday and Sunday nights. If you want to get married on a holiday, expect higher fees because of bigger demands for event venues and services. You and your partner must be very critical with the date for the wedding as it affects the wedding cost a lot. A cheaper day to get married would be in the middle of summer or winter, set on a Friday or Sunday night.

The Guests

New relationships – these are celebrated in weddings. Of course, weddings are not complete without the guests who have close ties with the bride or the groom. It’s sad to say but the number of guests affects how weddings could cost. As much as you want to invite a lot of people in your wedding, you might only invite a few because you want to cut down on wedding costs.

Wedding planning professionals advise having “A and B” lists. The A list includes the people who you really want to attend your wedding, such as family members and close friends. The B list consists of the people who you would rather invite if someone from the A list can’t attend. Making categories also help a lot in deciding the final guest list for the wedding. You can decide whether to include co-workers or friends too in the list.

The Venue

The last factor that affects the costs of weddings is the venue, including the courses served in the wedding. That’s right – contrary to what most people believe, the venue itself doesn’t cost much compared to the food and wine served in weddings. Wedding planning experts say that it’s best to limit courses, preferring chicken or fish dishes if you are on a tight budget.