A guide to affordable nuptials: how to plan your dream wedding (in Toronto) without going broke
| May 1, 2015
Toronto’s a pricey city, and residents are justifiably concerned about the cost of groceries, dinners out, and of course, sky-high real estate. But enter the city’s wedding world and there’s a much larger set of money woes. Snapping up your favourite downtown venue, feeding top-notch cuisine to your closest family and friends and looking sharp on your big day doesn’t come cheap. But exactly how much more should local couples expect to drop on a Toronto wedding compared to the rest of the country?
To help you be prepared, we looked at the average prices for wedding essentials in Toronto—booking a venue, hiring a catering company, buying a gown, for instance—and compared them to typical costs nationwide.The numbers below are based on traditional weddings, which usually consist of 150 guests and a 10-person bridal party. (Based on Weddingbells' 2015 Bridal Survey).
The above figures might seem daunting and tempt you to elope. But before you give up on your dream wedding, we have a few helpful tips from TD Canada Trust‘s Ray Chun that’ll help you plan the wedding you want without spending a fortune. And for bridesmaids, groomsmen and close relatives who are expected to shell out on lavish gifts, matching dresses and destination bachelor or bachelorette parties, these helpful hints will also help you survive wedding season without going broke.
Set a Realistic Budget: Avoid nasty surprises at the end of your big day by being realistic about your budget. Be mindful of all of the possible costs, and remember even small details will add up.
Save up: There’s no way of getting around the fact that having your wedding in Toronto could involve a substantial hit to the wallet. Make sure you’re as prepared as possible by creating a smart savings plan for the year leading up to the big day. The same goes for members of the wedding party: if you know you have five weddings to attend in the summer, start saving in the winter.
Charge it: Your credit card can be a useful tool. Many cards, such as TD’s travel cards, have rewards program that you can take advantage of to book flights, purchase gifts or load up points to put toward that tropical honeymoon or exotic bachelor party.
Shop around: Venues and caterers might scare you into booking ASAP or forever losing your preferred date, but there’s no harm in looking around for longer to score a deal. Similarly, bridesmaids don’t have to buy the first chic dress they see. Try and do as much research as possible before committing to big purchases.
Think ahead: You’re more likely to cash in on deals and savings if you plan well in advance, especially when you’re booking a flights or hotels. This will also help manage stress levels leading up to the big day.
DIY: Making wedding details like seating charts, party favours and centrepieces isn’t just cute, it’s cost-effective, too. Enlist the help of crafty friends or relatives to make it easier.
Stick to it: No matter how tempting it is to increase your budget as you go along, it’s important to stick to a plan and work backwards. Your guests aren’t likely to miss those extra hydrangeas or notice if it’s a five-piece or three-piece band.
This post was sponsored by TD Canada Trust. Learn more here.
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