22 Real (Smart) Tips to Save Money on Your Wedding Venue Without Sacrificing the Beauty of Your Preferred Venue

1. Opt for an Off-Season and a Weekday

In the free market world, prices vary according to supply and demand.
You would get the cheapest price on a weekday from Monday to Thursday.
(But of course, who gets married on a weekday?)

• Sunday would be your best option to save money, but it often comes with a time limitation.
  Anyway, guests usually leave earlier on Sundays.
• Friday pricing is usually still cheaper than Saturday, but higher than Sunday.

Finally, Saturday remains the most expensive day because it’s the most desired date.
Some venues also offer seasonal vs. off-season prices.

Example:

• On venues around $4,000–$8,000, the variation between peak and off-peak dates can go from $500 to $3,000.
• In premium venues, the difference can go up to $12,000. (Check here for real example)

2. Reduce the Number of Hours

The fewer hours you need vendors, the less you pay them, making everything more affordable.

• Brunch: The Perfect Combo

When do you usually brunch?
On a Sunday.
Having a Sunday brunch wedding is a great way to save:

• Fewer hours needed for your venue rental and vendors
• Cheaper day of the week

If partying all night long isn’t your priority, a wedding brunch can be a smart, economical solution.

3. Last-Minute Wedding: You Might Be able to Negotiate

I have seen brides organizing weddings two months before their date,
Negotiating significant discounts.

• If a date is still available two months before, venues are often more flexible.
• Worst-case scenario: you ask, and they say no.
• Remain respectful when negotiating. Keep in mind that the bigger package with more options you are asking for, the luckier you are to be able to negotiate something.

Note: “Gemstone venues” are usually booked far in advance.

4. Check for City-Managed or County-Managed Venues

These include historic houses, museums, and parks.
Public venues often charge very fair prices for super photogenic environments.

Note: In Rochester, we would think of the Plummer House, the Floral Hall, Aune Hall and Crawford Hall.

5. Check for the Newest Venues

Like any new business, new venues tend to lower their prices in their first year to attract customers.
When they build their reputation, prices usually rise.
Booking a brand-new venue can be a great way to save.

6. Go to Rural Locations

The further away you go from the Twin Cities, Rochester, or Duluth, the cheaper the venue price will be. A lot of couples are happy to drive one hour to save thousands of dollars.

• Rural doesn’t always mean old barns!
  Many new or remodeled barns are beautiful.
• Local hotels will also be more affordable.

7. Choose a Restaurant for a small wedding.

For small events, restaurant weddings can be convenient, photogenic, and not very expensive.

8. Pick an Alternative type of venue

Think creatively!
Explore:

• Galleries (Public Functionary)
• Museums (Minneapolis Swedish Institute, MIA)
• Wineries (Four Daughters)
• Farm (check the Squash Farm in Rochester)
• Breweries (The Forager)
• Ski stations (Welch Village)
• Historical societies (Mill City Museum, Litchfield Opera House)

Click, to learn more about alternative venues in Rochester.

9. Rethink Your Vision of a Wedding

In recent years, I’ve seen couples create events that don’t match traditional wedding visions:
Camping weddings (in campgrounds or group centers), homemade big parties with friends (like a backyard wedding), and minimalist gatherings.

Does it make the wedding less interesting for photography?
Not at all!

Weddings are about family and friends, not a fashion venue.

9. Go with Good Meals but Few Options

Choose good-quality food, but keep meal options limited.

Buffets are usually cheaper than plated dinner service.

10. Drink Smartly: best bottles of alcohol first

Alcohol can be a big budget item if you do an open bar with 200 or 300 guests.

Use fancier alcohol for the cocktail hour. Once people have already drunk one or two glasses, switch to a regular, cheaper liquor. Nobody would notice the difference.

Some couples:

• Let guests pay for their own drinks.
• Bring their own alcohol (if the venue allows.. it’s pretty rare).
• Select the type of alcohol carefully with bartenders (20-year-old fine whiskey vs. basic liquor).

Other couples: Omit alcohol completely, often for venue rules (like churches), religious reasons (e.g., Muslim weddings), or personal choice (e.g., AA members).

11. Pick a Venue That’s Already Good-Looking

Choose a venue that is beautiful by itself.
If you rent an ugly space, and then spend thousands on decorations like muslin draping and flowers,
It doesn’t make sense financially.

12. Simplify the Decorations

A bit of greenery is usually enough:
Think eucalyptus garlands, ferns, ivy, or baby’s breath.
You don’t need tons of expensive centerpieces.

Ideally, the perfect venue looks good already and doesn’t need much decoration.

13. Enhance the Dance Floor with a Fog Machine

A fog machine doesn’t cost much ($150), but it can transform a basic corporate room into a disco dancefloor from the ’80s.

Many DJs can offer it at a fair cost. Check the list of vendors.

14. Add Colored Lighting on the Walls to enhance a basic venue

An easy way to visually transform a basic room:
Set up colored lights at the base of the walls.

In photography, you won’t notice the “ugly” corporate walls, but you will feel the color and atmosphere.

Again, most of the “good” DJs would offer this option.

15. All-Inclusive Venues with Bundle Services

All-Inclusive Venues include catering, and all that you need in their package, which can be more economical than renting everything separately.
Compare the total cost versus à la carte pricing.

• Tables (for dining, gifts, cake, etc.)
• Chairs (for both the ceremony and reception)
• Linens and napkins
• Plates, silverware, and glassware
• A sound system and microphone
• A dance floor
• Pipe and drape to hide unsightly walls

16. DIY-Friendly Venues with Flexibility

Choose venues that allow you to bring your own alcohol (The BYO Bar – Bring Your Own), decorations, and vendors rather than requiring you to use their preferred (often pricier) suppliers.

Note that DIY-friendly venues often require liability insurance ($200-$500 per day). Before this discourages you, check if your homeowner’s insurance covers special events, or if your credit card offers event insurance benefits. Many vendors already carry insurance that covers your event, reducing your needs. Always ask venues about insurance requirements upfront, as some require you to name them as “additional insured,” which increases costs significantly.

17. Opt for an out-site ceremony in a public park

Some venues charge more ($1,000 to $1,500) if you host your ceremony at the venue. Opt for a cheap public park that you can rent.
You would need to rent chairs, but it might be cheaper than the venue.

Some couples also get married in private (elopement) and just hold a wedding reception, which is a convenient way to avoid the ceremony.

18. Read Each Contract Carefully, Compare and Adjust

Double-check everything in your contract. Check what’s included or not.
Pay attention to the bar setting fee, alcohol, or Food Minimums.
Look for tables, chairs, linen, silverware, and plates.

Check as well, for the taxes, and if the service is included or if there would be a 30% on top!

If there are things that you don’t need, please don’t hesitate to ask if you can take them out to save money.

19. Ask if there is any Discount

Some venues offer a discount for:

• Military discounts (typically 10% for active duty)
• First responder discounts (firefighters, police, EMTs)
• Teacher/educator discounts
• Healthcare worker discounts

20. Hunt for Exceptional Discount…

Some venues (not all) sometimes offer a special discount on specific occasions. That often implies flexibility on your end. But if you are lucky, that could benefit you. So check for:

• Bridal Show: they might have a special offer
• Anniversary promotions: venues celebrating milestones
• Late availability deals: cancelled bookings offered at reduced rates

21. Payment and Timing

Some venues offer discounts (3-5%) if you pay upfront, but keeping your money longer might be smarter since you can earn interest or avoid loans.
Negotiate payment schedules: split large payments into monthly installments or delay final payment until 30 days before your wedding instead of 90 days.

For example, pay $1,000 monthly for four months rather than $4,000 upfront. Many venues are flexible about timing, especially during slower periods. The worst they can say is no, but this strategy helps manage cash flow alongside other wedding expenses.

221. Book Years in Advance to Beat the Inflation

Except if you live on another planet, you should now be familiar with the notion of inflation. Prices increase continuously, and some years more aggressively than others.

So, book this year, for in 2 years in advance, before the venue raises their price, and you would save on the inflation rate!