How to save money on your wedding

We have a heap of helpful tips to help you save money on your wedding. Being thrifty or having DIY weddings can be fun and less costly that a traditional wedding.

Save money on your wedding

Setting a budget is key to saving money on your wedding.

    1. Cutting Costs for Your Wedding
    2. Creating a Budget: The Key to Wedding Savings
    3. Identify All Wedding Expenses and Save Money
    4. Establishing Spending Limits for Your Wedding
    5. Preparing for Unanticipated Wedding Expenses

Feel free to suggest any additional expenses for our list. We’re here to assist and simplify the process of wedding planning.

Click HERE to download our wedding budget list that even has sections to compare quotes from other vendors and a guest list to help you keep track of those attending.

Do you need more help? Check out our other pages dedicated to wedding planning.

money saving wedding tips
Cariss Teh
Beck Louise
James is amazing. He is professional and organised. He is a hard working, kind and genuine individual, who you would be lucky to have at your wedding. We hired him for SFX, photobooth, dj, and MC. Having him provide so many services allowed the booking and planning to be so easy which is also a main reason why we decided to go with Only DJs. I highly recommend James to anyone, and if we require a dj again will would go with him.
Huang Hao
I would like to sincerely thank James for the services of the night. The DJ&MC service was an important part of the perfect reception and I heard positive feedback from my guests. Again, thanks James for bring such a great vibe to my wedding!
Mariza F
James was highly professional and arranged the set music perfectly. We had a great night!Value added with the pyro, dry ice and photobooth all organised through Only DJ's Melbourne. This took a lot of juggling out of our hands when planning for our wedding.
Rose
Absolutely amazing doesn’t come close to describing James! From All the support and care we got prior to the wedding to the actual night was incredible! He had everyone up and dancing and nothing was ever too hard or too much! He understood the vibe we wanted and completely delivered! Thank you so so much for everything - we can’t recommend him enough!
Mitchell Tarr
Would just like to give a massive shout out to this legend!We booked only djs for our special engagement party.James went above and beyond to cater for all our needs, Very well spoken mc and absolutely awesome dj.Would highly recommend James to anyone!Can’t wait to book you for our wedding!
Shabnum Cassim
We had James DJ at our daughter's 5th birthday disco party over the weekend. He was a pleasure to deal with over emails and provided song lists and suggestions for games. He was very receptive to us providing our own music list too.During the party, he gave our music obsessed daughter an impromptu lesson on DJ-ing before the official event started, he was responsive and warm with all our guests and happy to pivot on additional games and timing as the party progressed throughout the afternoon.Highly recommended - thanks James!
Ellen Vacouftsis
Great experience with James, he was easy to deal with and very attentive to what we needed for our event. Would highly recommend his services to anyone considering.
Craig Merlo
On Saturday night we had a joint 50th birthday, Only DJ'S Melbourne was amazing. Steve the DJ set everything up which included lights, which looked fantastic. We had ages from 17 to 78 years old's at the party, everyone got up and danced throughout the night. Thanks to James for the great, quick communication, which took the stress off us for the night, all your work was appreciated. We look forward to our next event, we will be using Only DJ's Melbourne!
Shinay Dehommel
James was the best DJ, he is very professional and easy to deal with, nothing was to much trouble. If we ever have another event or someone is looking for a DJ he will be the guy to go to. Thanks legend for a awesome night!!
Sandy C
James was an amazing DJ and MC at our wedding!He really went above and beyond to ensure the night went well for us.Everything was planned extremely well and he gave some great recommendations to us to make the night even better.We highly recommend him to anyone who is looking for a DJ/MC at their wedding 🙂
peter marinakis
James was absolutely outstanding when it came to providing MC, music and equipment for our wedding. James is very professional and gave us great confidence leading up to our wedding as well. He read the crowd beautifully on the night and there wasn’t a single minute were the dance floor was empty, all our guests had a ball. Thank you James for your patience and expertise. Highly recommended.
Mr T
James was the perfect choice for our wedding music. He responded quickly to our questions and requests, and paid attention to every detail. He made us feel relaxed and confident, even when we were stressed out by the wedding planning. He was not only a great DJ, but also a supportive wingman, a lively hypeman, and a skilled coordinator. He was a true professional and a joy to work with. We highly recommend him!
Illyria91
An amazing DJ and MC, couldn't have been more happier. Highly recommend this gentleman and his amazing services. Thank you again Only DJ'S Melbourne for making my wedding perfect.
Vincent Chau
James was the epitome of professionalism and warmth. He worked well with our emcee to make our wedding night amazing. The dancefloor was packed, the Nutbush was banging, and the energy was fantastic. In the lead up to the wedding our emails were always responded to quickly and communication was great. Would recommend his services in a heartbeat. Thanks James
Natalie O'Keeffe
What an amazingggg experience we had with James!So friendly , organised and attentive!From the very first conversation with him, I knew he was the perfect DJ & MC for our special day! He also provides a very affordable Ipad photobooth that our guests loved using and sent us all the digital pics and gifs which we absolutely loved going through.He ensured our night ran as planned & he quickly adjusted to any last minute changes made and also made me feel that nothing was too much trouble!He had the dance floor going all night, he got all of our guests involved and he was so awesome with the kids!James, it was an honour to have you and to work with you and we appreciate you so much.You wont regret using Only Djs Melbourne!!Thank you so much James! Sending all our love to you and your beautiful little family xox
Liz Bailey
James is fantastic, played all our fave songs and had great vibe on the night. Highly Recommend !
George Gramnea
Great service provider and very professional
Cherie Appleyard
Bella C
On the 16/12/23 james was the DJ and MC for mine and my now husbands wedding! He went above and beyond in the planning process, had hundreds of songs to choose from and provided a plan that he finalised with us before the big day. the whole wedding reception he kept it running smoothly and communicated to us if we needed to do or change anything ! He was incredible and worth every dollar- it just shows you really do get what you pay for ! James thank you for making our wedding special and a night we will never forget!
Angelique Gabriel
James was super professional and responsive from my initial enquiry to the wedding day and everything in between. Would highly recommend for any event.
Aaron Yip
Exceptional service. We hired James for our wedding with the dry ice and Photo Booth options, these on top of his service were the best addition to our wedding. We felt so special dancing in the dry ice and the Photo Booth gave all the guest plenty of photos to recall the wedding with. Thanks James for taking the stress out of the process with his elaborate planning and thoughtful gestures.
Robin Fowden
10/10. James is a top professional, who you can rely on. I highly recommend you book Only DJ’s, they will go and above and beyond to ensure everyone at your event has a truly memorable time. They have been an absolute pleasure to work with.
pen flip
James was a great DJ, he really read the crowd and everyone had so much fun. My parents really liked him as well.
Daniela Scala
If I could could give 10 stars I would. James is absolutely fantastic as a DJ. He’s is a professional, and easy to deal with. I highly recommend his services.
Ally Wilwood
James - you went absolutely above and beyond for us at our wedding, and catered to our every individual need. Thank you so much for the incredible job you did at not only being a very fun and charismatic MC, but also for providing us with great tunes all night and for incorporating all our Arabic music. We absolutely cannot thank you enough! 🥰❤️
Jmar Thomas
James did an amazing job being the DJ for our engagement party. He was quick to respond to all our emails and went above and beyond to make sure we had a great night.
Danielle C
Wow, what amazing night we had at our wedding on Sunday and huge part of that was having James as our DJ. We wanted a Greek and Aussie mix, and the balance was perfect. James was happy to help with whatever we needed. He was also great at supporting and guiding my uncle at being our MC, which we really appreciated. Highly recommend Only DJs if you're looking for a reliable, fun and knowledgeable DJ.
Zac Jones
Matt took care of Hunky Dory’s Good Friday celebration so well. His playlist was a total banger! Super professional. Crowd was very happy
Aley Wong
Our experience with Only DJ was fantastic. James did a great job to my husband's surprise 60th birthday party. He is friendly, approachable, undoubtedly extremely professional and his equipments are great. He played a big role in making the event a perfect celebration. Thank you so much James, you are simply excellent. I highly recommend your services.
Andrew Kavalko
James was our DJ and MC for our wedding and we couldn't recommend him anymore. He was very professional and confident when planning our night. Helped keep the night as stress less as possible which made our night so much more enjoyable. Kept people on the dance floor all night and organised fireworks and dry ice perfectly for our first dance. Highly recommended!!!
Kathy Nguyen
James DJ our wedding as well as providing photo booth services. His professionalism and experience were evident throughout. He listened to our requests and put together a killer playlist. He cared about the subtle details and showed that he wanted to make our experience unique and matching to our theme/tone. We got SO many compliments on the music.James had the crowd, as well as myself and my husband, up and dancing the whole night, and every request was honored in a way that the music just flowed!We highly recommend James to DJ your special occasion!Kat + Pete
Amanda Mangos
James was amazing, he was willing to go above and beyond and make sure everything ran smoothly. Always checking in and communicating on the day/night and in the lead up. Nothing was ever too much! Thanks again
Mel Grose
We recently had DJ James and saxophonist Imre at our wedding. The whole night was so smooth thanks to James’ attention to detail. He went above and beyond, nothing was too much. He adapted so well when our timeline was running a little behind on the night and was full of great advice on the day. He was a calming presence and we honestly felt like he was a huge contributor in the success of our night! Also, his music was AWESOME and the dance floor was a huge hit all night. Highly recommend his saxophonist Imre aswell, who was also excellent. I would highly, highly recommend Only DJ’s
Minhtu Nguyen
We had James DJ for our school's formal. A great performance and the kids loved it.Thanks
Berlin Hiu
James was SO amazing and made my wedding day so special! working with him was so easy, he is so helpful, responsive, and definitely knows what he’s doing! thank you so much again, my night could not have been as amazing as it was without you! 🤍
Kat Nix
What an amazing night with an amazing crew. James from Only DJs and Steve Gold on bouzouki were a pleasure to work with. They catered to my every need and made my 40th birthday party, a night I’ll never forget. Thank you so much!
zozo georgiou
Can't thank you enough for your professionalism and for making my wedding day amazing x
Georgette Maria
My husband and I booked James for our son’s baptism celebration at the start of November, and we couldn’t be happier with our choice of DJ. He was excellent and met our every need, checking in with us as the night went on to make sure we were happy. Having a young baby can make it difficult to stick to a run sheet, but James was certain that he was flexible and smoothly worked with the flow of the night and the energy on the dance floor. He played a fantastic mix of music, including our request of specific Greek songs, and worked well with the Lebanese drummers to meet our varying mix of music on the night. James, thank you so so much, we couldn’t be more grateful and are super stoked we chose you for our event. You also received amazing feedback from many guests saying how kind, friendly and enthusiastic. We will definitely be using Only DJs for our future events 🙂
Michelle Wrigley
James was fabulous from my first communication with him. He provided all the information I needed straight away. The booking process was easy and our School Disco was a huge success. James was very professional to deal with and I would highly recommend him for your next event.
Ellis Kolias
James is truly a gentleman and an expert at what he does.We were lucky enough to have him as both our DJ and MC on the night of our wedding and I can not recommend him enough. He was funny, entertaining and got a room with a mixed demographic to dance to multiple styles of music. It was no easy task but the dance floor was full the entire night.His dedication to his craft, his attention to detail and his transparency are nothing short of incredible.From day 1, he was incredibly easy to communicate with and was always willing to offer some advice to my wife and I.He made our big night one to remember. He made us feel comfortable and was in control of everything that was stressing us out.I will recommend him to all my family and friends and will entrust his impeccable work again for any future events.James - you're a superstar and a Levendi! 🇬🇷I will remember you for the rest of my life. 10/10.
Polico Construction
Best wedding I’ve been to was DJ’d by james
Eliza Waldon
Made our wedding reception run smoothly and without any issues. Music was great.
monique briard
We recently had James as our wedding MC and Dj and he was amazing. He responded extremely quickly to emails and nothing was too hard for him. He was able to understand the vibe we wanted and was able to read the crowd. We had the best night dancing the night away with our friends and family. I highly recommend booking James at your next event you will not be disappointed.
Sophia Milne
I can’t begin to say exceptional James is. Not just on the wedding day but the whole lead up to it for months. I can’t talk highly enough about him. Hire him, hire him, hire him. So trustworthy for your big day.He consulted me throughout the night with any questionable song requests, informed me when any big moments were about to happen, and kept me cool and calm throughout. Thank you James!
Laura Doan
I have worked with James over the last few years and as an Events Manager it makes a world of difference when you have amazing vendors that you work with. James has prompt communication and always goes above and beyond all client expectations. Would recommend him to all my clients and looking forward to continuing our business relationship! He can accommodate to any type of event no matter how big or small. Always meets the clients briefs and makes things happen! Thank you James for making my job easier!
Simon Huynh
James from OnlyDJs was amazing to work with as a DJ and MC! He handled everything smoothly, from managing my crazy ethnic family (despite the language barriers) and keeping the party going. James read the room perfectly, played great music, organized fun games, and even offered some heartfelt advice. He kept everything on schedule and really boosted the vibe, especially hyping my dad during his speech. I highly recommend James and Only DJ's for any wedding or event - they're fantastic!
Natasha Kolivas
Cannot recommend Only DJs Melbourne enough! James was so wonderful to work with, asking lots of questions and communicating regularly to make sure he fully understood our requirements. He did a great job swapping between Greek and English music for my daughter's Christening, and really read the room well. Looking forward to working with him again 😀
Andrea Cummins
James from Only DJ's came highly recommended by our wedding venue and I can definitely understand why! He was not only an amazing DJ with a tonne of great songs, but he was also an amazing MC. He guided us through the night perfectly, and he was so considerate and thoughtful with making sure we were prepared and of course happy with everything, and also he made us laugh too which we loved! He always provided prompt and clear responses prior to the wedding which we really appreciated. James also helped us organise our pyrotechnics which looked amazing on the day!! I honestly couldn't recommend him enough!! Thank you again James for everything ☺️

The Date

Tips for weddings

Consider hosting your wedding on a Thursday, Friday, or Sunday, as Saturdays tend to be the most sought-after and busiest day of the week for weddings. Due to the limited availability of vendors, prices tend to be higher on Saturdays.

By opting for an alternative day, you can enjoy a cost savings of 10-20% compared to traditional pricing. At Only DJs Melbourne, our rates are notably more affordable on these particular days.

#Supportlocal

Use Local Suppliers

Whenever possible, consider supporting local vendors for your wedding. On average, a wedding can involve up to 14 different vendors, as reported by Wedding wire.

Opting for local businesses not only fosters community support but also helps you avoid additional expenses like a $100-200 drive-out fee, making it an effective and effortless way to save money.

Location Matters

Try Finding a Venue with All the amenities you require

Consider hosting both your ceremony and reception at the same venue. Not only does this simplify the experience for your guests, allowing them to mingle seamlessly after the ceremony, but it also eliminates the need for extended travel between locations.

By consolidating your events in one place, you can save a significant amount of money, typically ranging between $300 to $700. This cost-saving benefit arises from the avoidance of transportation expenses for more than 2-3 hours, making it a practical and budget-friendly choice.

Reception Style

Host a Cocktail Style Wedding

Traditional three-course sit-down dinners are still popular but are becoming less common, with canapés and cocktail-style weddings gaining popularity.

This shift can result in substantial per-head cost savings.

Typically, wedding receptions can cost between $200 to $250 per guest. However, by opting for alternatives like hiring a trendy food truck, you might cap your expenses at a maximum of $70 per head.

Additionally, consider hiring a catering van with RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) staff, paying only for their services while supplying your own drinks.

Look for specials or bulk purchase discounts to save an additional 10-15% on alcohol costs.

When it comes to beverages, simplicity is key. Offering one red wine, one white wine, a single spirit, and basic soft drinks can help you streamline your options and manage costs effectively.

Remember, you can’t please everyone like a jar of Nutella, so keeping it straightforward can lead to significant savings.

Have A Surprise Wedding

Surprise Wedding

Consider the idea of a surprise wedding; it’s a delightful and unique way to kick off your married life. An added benefit is that you won’t feel obligated to invite distant relatives like third cousins twice removed.

For further details on this exciting and budget-friendly option, click HERE.

Have A Winter Wonderland Wedding

Winter Weddings are More Affordable

Choosing to get married during the off-season is a fantastic strategy for saving money on your wedding. During this time, venues and vendors often provide more favorable rates and discounts, making it a budget-friendly choice.

n Victoria, the most sought-after wedding dates typically fall within the months of September, October, November, February, March, and April. These months align with the warm Australian climate, providing ideal temperatures for Australian brides to enjoy their special day.

D.I.Y IT

DIY it!

Consider going the DIY route for your wedding! The level of DIY involvement is entirely up to you, and it’s a fantastic way to create a memorable wedding experience with your close friends and family.

In 2016, we had the pleasure of performing at Sam and Jodi’s wedding. They chose a charming small farmhouse overlooking the bay in Melbourne’s South East. Sam, a chef, crafted an impressive grazing table, while a colleague handled catering. Jodi organized a celebrant, photographer, and us as the DJ. The evening was a resounding success.

For cost-effective wedding planning, explore second-hand items available on platforms like Wedding Goods Buy Swap Sell Melbourne or DIY/Budget Weddings Australia. This not only helps you save money but also gives new life to pre-owned items, adding a unique touch to your celebration.

Invitations

Use an E-invite service

Consider utilizing an E-invite service for your wedding invitations. Not only is this an environmentally friendly choice, but it also offers substantial savings on postage and printing costs.

Sending save-the-dates, invites, and RSVPs through traditional postal mail can exceed $400 for just 100 guests. E-invitations, on the other hand, come at a significantly lower cost and provide the added benefit of easily tracking responses.

However, it’s essential to be aware that some computer-challenged family members may not fully understand or receive the digital invitations, so it’s a good idea to have alternative communication methods for them.

If you have enjoyed our tips please give us a like or follow:

What You Shouldn’t Try To Save Money On

Photography

Don’t Skimp Out On Photography

Investing in photography is one of the most crucial expenditures when planning a wedding. Keep in mind that the cake will be devoured, flowers will wither, but the photographs will endure forever.

A skilled photographer is truly invaluable. They have the ability to capture fleeting moments that vanish in the blink of an eye, and these are the moments that truly matter. You wouldn’t want to miss the chance to capture a photo of your beaming grandmother, a teary-eyed father, or the groom’s heartfelt reaction upon seeing his beautiful bride.

The DJ

Avoid the Budget DJ & DJ MCs

When it comes to your wedding, don’t skimp on the DJ. Here’s why:

  1. Music Is Memorable: Among the things people remember most about your wedding, music is right up there. A great DJ can elevate your night, while a terrible one can ruin it.
  2. Streaming Services don’t cut it: While Spotify or streaming services might seem like a budget-friendly option, there are potential issues. Venue speaker systems are often meant for speeches, not music, and they might not deliver the best quality. Also, what if the stream stops? Do you have backup music on hand? A DJ will have multiple ways to play music even if somethin fails.
  3. Inhouse system don’t match up: A professional DJ will always have the highest quality equipment with some speaker arrays starting at 3500 each.
  4. Coordination Matters: Coordinating music for key moments like the first dance, cake cutting, and entrance/exit is crucial. It needs to be spot on for a wedding.
  5. Microphone Matters: You’ll need microphones for speeches and recordings. Using the venue’s equipment may not work well for your videographer, and managing your own microphones can be tricky.
  6. Time Is Precious: Planning a wedding is already hectic. Booking a professional DJ who can also serve as an MC saves you time and ensures your dance floor stays lively. We can also organise the music based on some of your requests taking that stress away.

So, the best way to save in this area is to have your DJ double as the MC. It might not seem like a lot, but it can save you more than hiring a separate professional MC.

For further information on the difference between a professional and budget by clicking HERE.

PayPal Acceptance Mark