Save Money on Your Wedding Venue

Prioritize

Decide on the most important detail of your wedding venue that you can’t compromise on. For example, would you rather have an excellent catering service or a beautiful view and landscape? Once you decide, you will be able to cut the cost of the elements that are not a priority.

Choose The Right Timing

• Have a Day Wedding: In some venues and hotels, serving lunch or brunch is cheaper than dinner, and since they don’t usually have big demands during this time, your might be able to book the place for cheaper. You’ll also be unique in doing so.
• Get Married in the Off-Season: Summer is known to be the season for weddings in some countries in the Middle East and North Africa; so many venues take advantage of this. Instead, consider getting married in November or January when wedding venues can cost you much less. It's the other way around when it comes to cities in the Gulf region such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Doha and others. Click here to see some of the most beautiful ideas and reasons to get married in winter!
• Get Married on a Week Day: Just like with slow seasons, weekdays are not the choice of many couples. That is why many venues offer discounts on weeknights where you can have the wedding of your dreams – and pay less – on a Monday, for example.

Check Out Non-Traditional Venues

You do not have to go to a hotel banquet room to hold your wedding. Look for special wedding halls and venues within your budget such as restaurants, clubs or private villas. Check out other unconventional venues such as a local museum, an art gallery, a beach resort, a public garden, an aqua park, or someone's garden or farm. They might not be as expensive as wedding halls. 

Confirm Your Guest List

Make sure to confirm your guest list! If you are inviting 300 people to your wedding, then why rent a wedding venue that can take up to 500 people or more? Instead, look for venues that can accommodate the number of guests attending.

The venue rate is in most cases based on a rate per person (plus additional taxes and service charges). Do not overestimate the number of your guests as you will end up paying for them even if they don’t show up. Provide a realistic estimate and amend it, if necessary,  48 hours before the wedding date or depending on your contract with the venue.

When negotiating the contract with the hotel or any other venue, ask for at least 10% free guests above your guaranteed number of guests, i.e. if you are booking for 150 guaranteed guests, the hotel can provide you with 15 additional guests for free, but only if you ask for it!

Ask About Hidden Costs

Make sure everything is included in your fees, such as tables, chairs, linens, and all the other little details.

Pay attention to extras and hidden charges, for example, chairs might be included in the fee but what about chair covers? Will you have to pay extra for them? Make sure to clear that out.

Remember to ask what's included in your package. For example, go over the details on the menu, get your wedding cake on top, ask if they could install the dance floor and offer the sound system, perhaps they have centerpieces to offer and ask for at least one-night hotel accommodation if it is being held at a hotel. For outdoor venues, ask for security, parking, toilet facilities, tables. chairs and others.

Decoration

When selecting your venue, choose one that is already beautiful and partly decorated. One that requires minor décor will save you money on wedding decorations. For garden weddings, for example, you can save on flowers since gardens are filled with trees, natural blooms, and plants, so you won’t need to choose high priced flowers for your venue and centerpieces.

For restaurant weddings, you can also keep the decoration simple and minimal; remember it is a restaurant and not a ballroom.