9 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding Venue

Whether you have decided on a small, intimate outdoor wedding in your backyard or a large, traditional wedding ceremony and reception that includes your family, extended family, friends, coworkers, and their guests, the venue you choose is the anchor to your wedding festivities and sets the tone for the wedding—because of this, selecting the location that best reflects your own personal style is crucial. However, for many couples, their budget is an equally important factor in planning their location.
For most couples, the wedding venue and catering will likely be the most expensive cost on their planning list. On average, a couple can count on the venue rental fees plus food and beverage costs coming to about 40% of their budget. According to The Wedding Report, in 2023 the venue expenses for a rustic, summer wedding in the Twin Cities with 150-200 guests averaged between $18,752 to $22,919. For many couples that is 100% of their budget if not more!
The good news is that you don’t have to forgo the type of venue you desire just because your budget is not within the average range. Following are some cost-effective ways to afford your dream venue without blowing out your entire budget.

Many venues have packages that are “all-inclusive”. These types of packages will offer discounts on the rooms you would typically rent and may offer free amenities or upgrades such as extra space, table setting decorations, ceremony arches, firepits, discounted guest accommodations, and other “freebies” that would otherwise be ala carte expenses. By bundling your entire event under one roof, you can gain a lot of value for less money.

While upscale hotels and luxurious ballrooms have wonderful venue space, they also can prove to be very costly. Many other options are more budget-friendly but can still offer the same vibe. Consider unique and different venues such as a park setting, a restaurant overlooking a lake, a library, or even a river boat. Depending on the number of guests you decide to invite, there are many out-of-the-box venue ideas that can bring down your overall cost.

The Minnesota wedding season typically runs from mid-May to mid-October and therefore is when your venue costs will be highest. A winter wedding can cut 20-30% off your venue bill and can be breathtakingly beautiful. During the holiday season, many venues are already dolled up for the season and can help cut the cost of providing your own decorations. April is another off-season month that, depending on the year, may provide a lovely spring setting. While not every venue offers off-season discounts, many do. Just ask your venue coordinator for their discounted months and what they include.

Not only does scheduling a wedding on any day other than Saturday provide considerable savings on your venue, but many of your other vendors will also offer discounts for non-Saturday events. This could translate into significant savings and give you the desired venue that may be out of budgetary reach on a Saturday. Additionally, having a Thursday or Friday wedding provides an opportunity to create an extended weekend of merriment for your guests. Many couples have their rehearsal dinner on Thursday, celebrate their special day on Friday, and then continue the festivities into Saturday or even Sunday. Very nice for your out-of-town guests!

If you are set on having your venue on a Saturday but the corresponding costs are way over budget, another consideration is to look at your guest list. While it can be very tough to do, when it comes to cutting down on your list the only people who can do that is you and your spouse-to-be. Create your initial “A” list of everyone you want and then create a “B” list based on venue pricing per guest and see how close you can come to your budgetary number. This will help you determine whether the size of your guest list or venue is your highest priority.

If you find cutting guests is just too difficult, then another consideration is limiting how many guests you allow to bring their plus one. Perhaps you look at those who only have long-term partners and spouses, but bringing a date isn’t an option. Another consideration is to have an ‘adults only’ policy where children are excluded. Or maybe some children with immediate family but no other guests’ children. Adding an FAQ on your wedding website regarding Plus Ones is an effective way to provide your reasoning and handle questions your guests may have if you choose to limit Plus Ones.

Hosting a bar with unlimited alcohol can take up 8-15% of your total wedding budget! Ask your venue coordinator about limiting the time, dollar amount, or type of hosting. Perhaps you provide only wine and beer with a set amount until it runs out. Or you only host the bar during the cocktail time for one hour before dinner. Maybe you only host non-alcoholic beverages and a mocktail or one or two signature cocktails for a limited time.
Similarly, you can look at cutting appetizers. Butler-passed appetizers can get very pricey for the time between your ceremony and the dinner reception. Instead opt for snacks such as nuts, popcorn, or snack mix. Not only will it save on cost, but it will ensure dinner doesn’t go to waste!

It may seem counterintuitive, but paying for a wedding planner or consultant to help coordinate your venue and vendors can save you money in the long run. Planners and consultants usually have relationships with certain venues and vendors and many times can get discounts and add-ins that can add up to significant savings.

By booking your venue 12-18 months in advance of your big day, you can lock in today’s pricing for next year’s wedding. It also allows time to arrange a payment plan to help spread out the overall cost. Some venues even offer a discount for paying in full well in advance of long-term bookings.