The low-cost wedding, an option for brides and grooms who can no longer afford the expenses. “At least everyone you care about comes”

Organizing a wedding has become a big stress in 2026, with many brides-to-be looking for any way to cut costs. The advice received on the profile groups proves useful.

The decor, the arrangements, the number of guests, the menu, all add up to the final grade PHOTO: Pixabay

If in past years it was a real marathon to give the wedding guests everything they expect and more, the continuous increase in costs means that tips for a low-cost wedding are in great demand. There are brides-to-be who no longer think about heavy smoke, surprise moments, dancing girls, shot cake, photo booth or 360 video, “instagrammable” vintage settings, which have become almost a habit, but are looking for tips to buy their outfits and wedding rings cheaper and promotions to purchase alcoholic beverages at good prices. The low-cost wedding, which does not mean a wedding without style, but implies that money is spent intelligently, is beginning to tempt and become a fashion.

Brides who are considering wearing a second-hand dress

Wedding outfits are a major expense that unsophisticated brides and grooms are willing to adjust. The advice offered online is diverse. The dress made to order, which should not increase the budget very much, but lower it if you have found the right workshop, the dresses purchased from the well-known Chinese platforms or from the outlet, yes, on the wedding planning groups, there are offers of second-hand dresses, all are tips that many brides-to-be are happy to take into account.

For gentlemen, it is recommended either to follow the promotions, or to visit the not-too-distant countries, from where you can return, say those who have resorted to this solution, with clothes to your taste at prices much lower than those charged by stores in the country.

Turkey is indicated in many comments for the purchase of wedding rings. “I bought them in Turkey, 280 dollars in 2022, white gold, without stones. For the bridal gown, they had an offer at KARACA and I bought two full suits (including accessories – buttons, tie/bow tie, two pairs of shoes for both suits, stockings, shirts, belts), basically all for 2,500 lei. The wedding dress was also 2,500 lei, modified for free according to my sizes – they delivered in two days, veil and crinoline included in the price,” is the story of a young woman. The travel costs (accommodation, food, gas) somehow brought the price closer to the amount it would have reached in Romania, but the fact that they could choose from a wide variety and that they also found other products – arrangements for meals, testimonials, etc. – at low prices made the experience recommendable.

“We bought our wedding rings in Ruse, there are many jewels in the center, we took a walk and that's it. The price was half compared to Romania. Now I don't know how it is with the euro”, another commenter pointed out.

“I recommend Istanbul, I made both my dress and wedding rings to order 1:1 with the pictures I had saved. As an idea, I gave €400 for the dress, given that I asked for an offer from several fashion houses in the country that make dresses to order and they were all around €2,500-3,000 at the time. With all the accessories for me, groom's suit, wedding rings, travel and accommodation, I did not reach €2,500, as much as I would have paid for the dress. I stayed for 6 days, I went to rehearsals every day, even twice a day.” a young woman reported how she did it.

“Don't invite too many people, because there's a good chance they won't come”

Another recommendation to avoid unnecessary expenses is regarding the guest list. A review of it is necessary, claim the “sufferers”: “Don't invite too many people, because there's a good chance they won't blame you and you'll stick with the paid menu, takeaway food that's right, but I don't think it warms anyone up.” Not long ago, other groups on social networks even launched a trend of inviting strangers to the wedding, because the bride and groom found themselves close to the big event, when they asked the guests to confirm, that they would have a lot of empty tables.

Another tip given to brides-to-be interested in saving is to make the expenses gradually. But that requires good organization.

“We planned everything a year and a half in advance, paid all the advances and started buying everything we need one by one. There are 5 months until the wedding and we already have everything bought down to the smallest detail. For the accessories I recommend Temu or Shein, I bought a robe and pajamas for me and the bridesmaids, flowers to put on the chest, bracelets for the girls, veil, crown, car decorations, glasses for us and the godfathers, etc.. you can find at half the price of Dragon and the quality is the same, they are identical products”, is another tip.

“The wedding is a maximum stress, at least rely on the guests, let everyone you count on come. The food should be ok. At my son's wedding, my brother reduced the gift because he didn't like the music. I think that the open or free bar for everyone is not an option either”there are other tips.

Daytime wedding and choosing Sunday can bring savings

Another saving can come from organizing a wedding where the party starts in the afternoon. Sunday, less popular with wedding venues, can also come with a lower price if you know how to negotiate.

Buying alcoholic beverages from the distribution warehouse (if there is such an option and somehow it is not included in the menu price) can bring other savings, even more so if it is negotiated to be able to return the unused drink.

And hunting for bargains of all kinds on special social media groups can fetch good prices. There are people who reported that this way they found the band at an almost unexpected price – 1,200 euros -, because another couple had given up. “There are all kinds of groups where you can find bands, photographers, etc. (…) I started early and followed all the offers. When some supermarkets have discounts, they have better prices than at the warehouse. I made the invitations from someone on Facebook and they cost me under 100 lei and I had somewhere around 80 pairs at the wedding. Now, it depends on what you want and how pompous you want everything to be.” other tips came.

Other netizens recommend that the saving process begins at least a year in advance, and that the couple set aside an amount that does not put too much of a strain on their daily living. “One month you take something, the next month something else and try to collect something more. My sister and brother-in-law put aside 1,000 lei and were limited to one salary about a year before the wedding. Their parents and grandparents gave them the pre-wedding gift to use in the preparations. With the gift from their grandparents, they got their wedding rings. Or if you want all the money, take out a loan for personal needs, look for offers with a lower interest rate”there were other tips.

Someone else reported that three years ago he bought the wedding dress in a bazaar in Ukraine, with the equivalent of 300 euros, which he later sold, the purchase price being half of what he found on offer in fashion houses. He gave up floral arrangements and testimonials, “and no one missed them”, instead he focused on food that would suit all tastes. Other recommendations concerned the purchase of drinks from duty-free, for those close to the border.

For those with some talent in making objects, another tip is to make the invitations, floral arrangements, fruit arrangements, etc. by yourself or with the help of skilled friends.

Waste is a characteristic of weddings in Romania, was another finding. The bride and groom are advised to call more on the family in the organization of the wedding and thus also create memories, which are much more precious than pomp.

How much does a wedding cost and where can you save?

For a wedding with approximately 200 guests, the cost can vary between 100,000 and over 230,000 lei, depending on how rich the menu is, what else the bride and groom want for their guests, etc.

Photo-video services generally start from 1,500 euros and can exceed 4,000 euros, a live band can cost from 1,000 euros and reach and even exceed 10,000 euros (if you opt for famous guests the cost increases accordingly), floral arrangements, decoration, lights, scenography can also exceed 2,000 euros, if you opt for a limousine, car retro, minibuses for the transport of guests will be other expenses, to these are added those for invitations, testimonials, etc.

Professionals in the field of organizing events also come up with other ideas to reduce the final cost: organizing the party in an unconventional place or in a less pretentious place – gardens, rural areas, family restaurant; a short list of guests; organizing the wedding out of season (weddings organized in summer and autumn are the most expensive), choosing a simplified menu, considering that almost never all the food served at a wedding is consumed; choosing simple outfits; giving up costly surprise moments, personalized testimonials, etc.

How much does it cost the guests

Even for the wedding guests, the expense is not exactly a joy. An event organized in a luxury restaurant also forces them to spend accordingly, starting with clothing, hairstyle, make-up, etc. and ending with the wedding gift. Since in Romania the wedding gift is almost an obligation, it must cover at least the cost of the menu, but it is recommended to offer a little more. Considering the costs, the gift must also start from a minimum of 300 – 500 lei/person, according to the discussions between the members of the groups on social networks. The amount increases depending on the relationship the guests have with the bride and groom.

In big cities, where both costs and income are higher, the wedding gift is also higher, on average 400-800 lei/person. Even in small towns and rural areas, the gift is between 200 – 500 lei/person in the case of a simple wedding, if it comes from an ordinary wedding guest, and the amount increases in the case of relatives and friends.