When you’re planning an event, the pressure becomes real. The pressure to get everything right, the pressure to impress, the pressure to spend more, the pressure to do what everyone else is doing. Events can be expensive. These days, it is common to spend thousands of dollars when planning a special celebration; a one-year old’s birthday party for instance could look like a wedding to you if you happen to have missed the Happy Birthday signage. If you can afford to plan a lavish event, do lavish, if you can’t, what do you do?
The good news is that there are ways to plan an event, it can be absolutely beautiful, and you won’t have to break the bank.
In today’s blog post, I will round up five things to consider that will help you plan the party of your dreams even if you’re working with a tight budget.
If you’re looking for decor ideas for your home event, check out my styling and design portfolio.
Event Planning Tip #1: Think Small Space
The bigger the space, the more flowers, props, and décor you’ll need. If you’re working with a tight budget, choose a small space. A small space won’t allow for too much room to fit in a lot of decorations you might crave, which is a great way to keep your décor cravings under control. It also will save you time decorating. The smaller the space, the less guests you can accommodate, and this brings us to tip number two.
Event Planning Tip #2: Reduce the Number of Guests
Keeping the number of guests as low as possible is a must, if, you really wanted to stay on budget. The more guests, the more flowers, dinnerware, furniture, food, beverages, and everything that goes in between.
Event Planning Tip #3: Consider a Private Venue
Choosing a venue for your event would be the very first thing you do when you decide you want to have one. It is time consuming, and it will be one of your biggest expenses, if not, the biggest expense.
A private venue is a great way to cut down on the cost of having to hire a venue. Is there anyone in your family who has a nice house or pretty garden that can be converted into an event space? Do you have a nice dining room where you can entertain? If you don’t have a dining room that you feel comfortable and confident inviting guests to, I highly recommend giving your dining room an upgrade and investing in quality dining setting and a buffet, if your space allows for one. I did so two years ago, and it was worth the investment.
Event Planning Tip #4: Repurpose Items
Do you have any vases, silk flowers, votive candles, or items that you can repurpose and include in your event? If you don’t own them, would your family or friends have items you can you borrow? The more items you can repurpose or borrow, the better! One thing to note here, make sure whatever items you want to include are in good condition and fit in with the theme. The point isn’t to repurpose anything and everything, you want to be able to plan the event of your dreams without having to go over your budget. Avoid compromising on aesthetics because they matter. If you don’t have any items to repurpose, consider buying second-hand items at a lower price, but again, avoid compromising on aesthetics just to save a few dollars!
Event Planning Tip #5: Think Balloons
Balloons are a great way to fill up a space on a budget. For my niece’s first birthday, I filled the space on both sides of the buffet with balloons. It was fun and I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed carrying them over to our place! Balloons are great for birthdays and other events except for weddings, if not strategically and tastefully done they might be a poor choice that negatively impacts the wedding look. If you’re planning on integrating balloons in your wedding reception, tread with caution!
Balloons aren’t cheap, especially if you’re considering having a balloon garland, they are however a cheaper alternative to florals and tend to fill up considerable space, which means that you can achieve more impact for less. While balloon garlands are incredibly popular these days, you don’t have to have one. You can always customise the design to suit your budget and space and it will still look pretty!
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Conclusion
To plan an event can be fun, stressful, and expensive, but it can be challenging to stay within budget. Here are some things to consider that will help you keep your costs down and aims for your event high!
- Think small space
- Reduce the number of guests
- Consider having the event at home or at a private property that is nicely designed
- Repurpose items
- Opt for balloons if you want to create impact.
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