Are you looking at your wedding budget and feeling a little strapped for cash? We don’t condone anyone spending above their means, but if there are a few extras that you would love to have on your big day and have time to make a bit of money on the side, then you could try one or more of the following options so that you’re not going over budget…

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Write a blog, start an instagram account or make videos

If you're into words, or already have a blog, then why not write about your Wedding process and the things that you're learning as you go along. If you get enough readers you may be able to approach companies for freebies for your big day or get paid to do sponsored posts.

To get started with an easy to set up Wordpress website, try Bluehost for a domain name and hosting.

If you're more of a do-er, and have some amazing crafty tips or DIY ‘how to’s’ then film everything you’re doing, edit it and put it on youtube. If you can get enough subscribers and views then you could eventually start getting pay outs.

Can you take amazing pictures and have engaging things to say about them? Try starting an instagram account just for your Wedding planning experience, and again, with enough followers, you may be able to start posting sponsored posts or receive freebies.

It’s not an overnight money maker by any means, or even a guaranteed one, but lots of people have had success with these avenues, and they could lead to something else along the line if you’re willing to give them a shot.

Buy and Hire

If you know you're going to have to buy 100 wedding chair covers, or if you're making lots of generic signs for your big day, then consider hiring them out to people after (or even before) your wedding. Obviously there is some upkeep and admin involved, and you would need to make sure everything you have is good quality, but even if you only hire them via the same venue that you’re using for your big day, it could mean a bit of extra cash for you to put towards something else.

Of course, if you don’t want the stress of hiring things out then just sell everything after the big day instead!

Check out some the best places to buy and sell decor on our blog post here

HAVE A CLEAR OUT

Go through your wardrobes and cupboards and make a pile of everything you don’t need that you think someone else may want. List everything that you don’t need on Ebay, DePop or offer it to locals on Facebook marketplace or Gumtree. You may be surprised by how much money you can accumulate from all of your unwanted stuff.

Start a side hustle

If you have a bit of time outside of your regular job or responsibilities then there are lots of ways you can make a bit of extra money on the side.

If you have a spare room or another living space you own, why not try renting it out on AirBnb. If you’re skilled in a certain area you could teach classes on an online course site like Udemy or become a tutor. Write an ebook. Or do paid surveys.

If you have a creative streak, there are a tonne of sites where you can sell your own designs. Websites like Teepublic, Redbubble and Society6 let you add your own designs and do the hard part for you. They make, sell and market a huge range of products for you, giving you a percentage of the profits as they’re using your art.

If none of those sound good to you, google Side Hustle ideas and scroll through the 100s of ideas out there and see what catches your eye!

It can take a while to gain momentum and with some ventures you’re not guaranteed to make money so do your research and only spend time working on them if you have the resources available.

Find something you're good at, and keep doing it

If everyone was super impressed with your DIY invitations, if you planned your big day like a boss and enjoyed every minute or if you designed your very own dream dress then why not keep going and make it into a career. The wedding industry is huge and couples are always interested in new things that will make their big day stand out.

That’s how our sister company Love Life Lettering started… Sarah learned calligraphy and lettering so she could do her own wedding invites and stationery and then after the purchase of a cricut machine to help with some signs, she started selling decals for weddings on Etsy and the rest is history.

If you want to make your own handmade items, open an account with Etsy and see how you do (use this link for 40 free listings!) Just make sure you have clear pictures and descriptions and are selling good quality items to your customers.

Again, it’s not always a guaranteed way to make money but it’s worth a shot if you think you have something unique to offer.

And if all else fails, charge admission? 😂

…this couple below did just that!

Would you charge admission to your wedding? If not, you could always ask friends and family to help with making cakes and food. You could request that your bridesmaids pay for some things, as long as you’re not picking things that are too expensive. Or think of some other ways to ask people to help you out without being too cheeky!

…or do just take another look at your budget!

Do you really need those expensive shoes, or that juggling jazz band 🙃? Could you have your big day on a weekday or out of season? Are there a few long lost relatives that you don’t actually need to invite? At the end of the day it is all about you and your partner so the most important thing is that you’re both happy, but not at the cost of being in debt for years to come.

Check out some of our other posts on how to save money here

Obviously any money you make on the side over a certain amount has to be declared for tax purposes. Look into the guidelines for self employed work in your country if you want to know more.

Are you planning on making extra money for your big day? Do you have any other ideas? Leave a comment below or join my free facebook group here for more cheap wedding decor ideas.

Ways to make money for your wedding