The wedding season is already upon us and we know planning the Nigerian wedding of your dreams entails a lot of expenses. Expenses that some can afford but some on the other hand may not particularly be able to afford (at least without incurring serious dept).
Planning an elegant and low-key wedding on a tight budget can be a demanding task even for experienced wedding planners. But the fact is that you can make the most of a wedding, irrespective of how much budget it is planned with.
It is not our fault sometimes; our parents always want to invite the whole world if possible (lol).
Do you want that small wedding with about 50-100 guests but are you not sure how? creating a proper wedding outline will go a long way.
Small weddings have been trending in recent times and they are not necessarily cheap. They also depend on one’s idea of a “small” wedding.
In this post, I will show you how you to organize a budget friendly low-key wedding that will wow your guests.
Here are 8 small wedding ideas to help you organize an intimate but classy Nigerian-style wedding with fewer guests:
Pick a Date:
Ensure you set a date and start planning your wedding 3–6 months prior to that date. You need to have this date at the back of your mind when picking a venue and hiring vendors. Everything must be done and completed in good time, before this date. Most brides get stressed because of the rush when their wedding date is close by and a lot has not been done.
Enlighten your parents in good time so that they don’t inform and invite the whole world.
Create a Shopping List:
To further help you avoid the usual impulsive overspending and stick to your budget, start off by making a list of things to buy, rent or hire for the wedding.
Create a guest list:
What does small mean to you? If you want a small wedding, then we will assume you mean less than 100 guests. If that’s the case, you need a guest list to work with. Write the names of the guests you wish to inform and don’t make extra invitation cards beyond your guest list. This will help manage the crowd.
Get a planner:
Yes, planners are expensive. But the only way to manage your budget is to work with a planner. Someone in the industry who you leverage on their already existing relationships to get things done and cheaper.
Keep a Small Budget
Make a spending budget and keep it small. Highlight your expenses by spending the most money on the things that matter most to you, and spend the least money on other not-so-important areas.
That’s how to have the wedding you’ve always dreamed of, on a small budget. For example: if your priority is having a designer gown and you’re not so concerned about a music band, you may want to splurge on the designer wedding dress and then hire a DJ instead of a band. Another example is if your top priority is having a top-notch wedding photographer cover your big day, and you would rather use your father’s backyard as the wedding venue, then by all means do so. It is all about splurging on your top priority and keeping other areas low key. Remember, it is not appropriate to cut corners when it comes to catering for your guests.
Stick to Your Budget:
When it is time to start shopping and hiring vendors, stick to your budget.
To keep your budget small, skip unnecessary extras. For example: make a simple wedding cake with one or two tiers instead of a very tall cake. You may want to forget about wedding souvenirs and hire a professional DJ – it’s more affordable.
It is advisable to go for a photographer rather than videographer. Forget about having wedding reception dress changes – wear your wedding gown for both the church ceremony and reception.
Simply focus on giving your guests a good venue, great food and pleasant music.
Keep Your Bridal Train Few:
Having a few people to work with makes managing people and things easier. Since you are talking of a small wedding with a few guests, it is only appropriate to have a few bridesmaids and groomsmen.
Cut down the number of bridesmaids and groomsmen – maybe, just have a best-man and chief bridesmaid, and maybe one flower girl…maybe.
Note that it is the norm for bridesmaids and groomsmen to buy their own outfits, although the couple get to choose the colours and styles. However, be attentive to their comfort. It may be best to let them choose the styles in the colour you want. And do not ask them to buy a really expensive outfit just because you are the bride.
Keep the Menu List Simple:
When deciding whether to serve a buffet or sit-down meal, consider the size of your wedding venue. If the venue is small, do not do the buffet, as there may be limited space to set the buffet stations.
Be sure to have multiple serving stations if you want to serve buffet-style meals, so that you do not have your guests queuing for food for too long and getting annoyed.
If you want to serve sit-down meals, be sure to have an adequate number of servers, so that the item #7 does not go on forever. If you have few friends and family to serve food to guests, instead of paying servers, you may be able to save a little money by having a buffet instead of a sit-down, as buffet style meals use fewer servers and so will cost less.
That’s it for our tips on how to plan a low key wedding in Nigeria. Now, it is your turn to talk to us:
Share your own low key wedding ideas with us in the comments below, or tell us which of the tips above you like best?
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