5 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding Venue in 2023

1. Pick an off-peak date

Not all wedding dates are created equal. Find out which ones are most popular by looking up WeddingWire’s wedding date calendar. If there’s more demand for a given date, you’ll usually pay a higher price for a venue. You could score a discount for choosing a less popular month, such as January or February.

2. Skip the Saturday wedding

Saturday is a popular day for weddings, but it’s also generally the most expensive day to get married. You can likely reserve your venue at a lower price if you hold your wedding on a Sunday, or even a weeknight.

3. Try a nontraditional venue

A restaurant. A brewery. A vacation house. All these options are potential wedding venues. Picking a spot that doesn’t usually cater to weddings can help you save money — and give your nuptials a unique feel.

Restaurants, for example, typically don’t charge a venue fee. Instead, you pay for the food (and maybe the booze). Pick one with stellar decor and you can shave that cost off your budget, as well.

Make sure the venue is equipped to handle a large event, and don’t forget to factor in rental fees for things such as tents, lighting or bathrooms, if necessary.

4. Negotiate unexpected costs

Lots of unexpected expenses can pop up during planning, including cake-cutting and corkage fees or power for your DJ and a photo booth. You don’t have to accept them unquestioningly. If a cost seems unreasonable, respectfully request to have it removed.

5. Use the venue’s resources

Ask each venue what’s included in the rental fee. Some will include items such as tables, chairs or linens, which can translate into hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in savings. Beware of upcharges for higher-quality items. If you opt for a DIY venue or a backyard wedding, you’ll likely have to buy or rent everything from flatware to serving dishes to lighting.