“Things I Regret Spending Money On For My Wedding”: Woman Points Out These 8 Things People Should Save Their Money On
Often people don’t mind spending a lot of money on their weddings, because hopefully it is a once-in-a-lifetime event and they just want it to reflect the fairytale love the couple have for each other. So they may go overboard and later find out that the money they spent on decorations or certain food could have been used in a smarter way.
People who have already had a wedding like to share advice to prevent people from making the same mistakes they did. One of them is Morgan, who made a 2-part TikTok series on the things she regrets spending money on for her wedding. The videos went viral so it shows that her advice is worth looking into.
More info: TikTok Part 1| TikTok Part 2
This woman got married last year and she made some not-so-smart choices so she is sharing her regrets of spending money where she didn’t need to
Image credits: morgangcasper
Morgan Casper dedicated her TikTok account to wedding content and now has over 57k followers. She has a few series like tips and tricks in general, bachelorette tips, wedding trends, etc.
As she got married on September 3rd last year, she has the knowledge of what it takes to organize a wedding and how it actually looks compared to the plans you have and wants to share it with other future brides.
She firstly mentions matching bridesmaids’ pajamas, as the photos are not worth spending so much money, besides, there isn’t a style that would flatter every body
Image credits: Marco Verch Professional Photographer (no the actual photo)
Image credits: morgangcasper
Even though people might not mind spending huge amounts of money for weddings, nobody would turn away some insight on how to save some, as it will come in handy in the couple’s future for sure.
That’s probably why Morgan’s first video explaining what things she regrets spending money on for her wedding now has 5.4 million views and the second part was viewed by 725k people.
A surprising one was the wedding cake, as in Morgan’s experience, nobody ate it, not even her and her husband
Image credits: Ben Stephenson (no the actual photo)
Image credits: morgangcasper
The first thing Morgan mentions is matching bridesmaids’ pajamas. It’s fun for photos as they look satisfying and put together, but according to Morgan, these photos don’t have much value and someone will definitely feel uncomfortable in them because not all body types will suit the one style you choose.
Morgan’s advice is to give your bridesmaids a color palette and ask them to wear the pajamas they already have.
Morgan likes stationery so she was excited about picking and designing menus and programs, but in the end, she thought they took away from the table decor
Image credits: Philip Shannon (no the actual photo)
Image credits: morgangcasper
You would think that the wedding dress and the wedding cake are the two things that you wouldn’t want missing in the celebration, but in Morgan’s opinion, a cake is completely unnecessary. In her experience, nobody ate it, not even her or her husband.
According to Thumbtack, on average, a wedding cake in the US costs about $350, but Morgan actually spent $1,800 on hers, which is a lot of money to spend in general, but also went to waste as nobody was interested in what it tasted like.
Morgan thinks it’s a better idea to serve a late-night snack people would eat after they’re tired of dancing.
Morgan suggests putting more money towards the altar and saving on the flowers down the aisle
Image credits: jbp8343 (no the actual photo)
Image credits: morgangcasper
Some people like all aspects of the wedding party to be organized and representative, but Morgan thinks that spending money on such things as menus and programs is a waste of money. She felt that the menus took away from other decorations and she felt that she could have spent less money on such a thing that would be thrown out anyway.
Going back to the wedding ceremony itself, the TikToker didn’t think that the flowers down the aisle were that necessary and now she would rather spend that money to have an even more impressive altar. On average, people in the US spend about $1,500 on flowers for their wedding, so a significant amount could be directed towards something else you would like to be improved.
While not everyone might agree with this, Morgan thought she could have done fine without a wedding planner
Image credits: Francisco Osorio (no the actual photo)
Image credits: morgangcasper
Organizing a wedding is a hassle. The first steps may begin as early as years before the set date because you have to coordinate a lot of people so that they can be present on the same day. There will be a lot of calls, emails and decisions to make, so people like to get rid of this burden and hire a wedding planner to leave all those things to a professional who already has experience and knows what to do.
However, it is an expensive service to have. Most couples in the US spend between $1,000 and $2,500, but the prices can go up to $12,000 depending on what they want from the planner. So you should assess if you are willing to pay this money for the convenience of not having to stress about planning or not.
As for Morgan, she claims to be an organized person, so she considered hiring a wedding planner that was with her from day one a waste of money. She thinks that if you still want a wedding planner to help you out, it’s best to not choose the full service. Instead, she suggests one that covers the 30 days before the wedding day.
Another expensive thing that nobody would have missed at the wedding was lounge vignettes
Image credits: Nenad Stojkovic (no the actual photo)
Image credits: morgangcasper
The TikToker warns future brides and grooms about guests forgetting their wedding favors, so it has to be well organized
Image credits: happyskrappy (no the actual photo)
Another thing that Morgan regrets spending money on are lounge vignettes. Couples want to provide their guests with a beautiful space to take photos, but she thinks it’s not worth it, because you spend a couple of thousands of dollars on something that is used for less than an hour.
The groom and the bride like to show appreciation for their guests for coming by giving them little wedding gifts called favors. But because weddings get kind of chaotic, guests might forget to take them, so it’s best to put them where you can see them as a constant reminder.
The last thing Morgan mentions is a custom card box. It is used for guests to leave greeting cards and the TikToker had the box custom made, but because she didn’t find any other use for it, she thinks it’s not worth it.
Image credits: morgangcasper
Finally, Morgan doesn’t think that a custom card box is necessary and you should put that money elsewhere
Image credits: Steve Snodgrass (no the actual photo)
Image credits: morgangcasper
The average cost of a wedding in the US last year was $28,000 (including the ceremony and reception), as a survey conducted by The Knot revealed. The average number of guests was 105 and those couples who had less guests respectively spent less money overall. The data also revealed that weddings are cheaper in the southern regions of the US than in the north.
These are just some averages, so we need to keep in mind that there are people who spend way less or way more, but if you can save in some places, why not? Especially if it doesn’t add value to your celebration.
You will find the video with Morgan’s regrets below
@morgangcasper #greenscreen don’t spend $ on these things #weddingtiktok #bridetobe #bride ♬ original sound – Morgan C
Do you agree with Morgan’s suggestions? Some people in the comments passionately agreed with the wedding favors or certain decor, but thought that a wedding planner is worth it. So let us know what your thoughts are!
People really liked the video and asked for more parts but there were some questions concerning having a wedding planner
121Kviews
Share on Facebook
I had to google it myself. It appears to be a couple of chairs and a sofa and a coffee table. Sort of Instagram ready sitting space for the guests.
Load More Replies...
Haven't even heard of most of these things. Matching PJ's for the attendants? A special box for the cards? Lounge vignettes? Things have changed a lot since I got married 28 years ago, or last attended a wedding 6 years ago. For the cake, get a good-tasting one. More important than how it looks.
I'm getting married this year. Barely bothering with anything. Simple us and two witnesses for actual wedding and tiny reception the week after. Buffet spread (COVID allowing) cheap cakes from teashop nearby (simple sponges in the colours we're focusing on) to serve as wedding cake and that's really about it. I feel the relationship is more important than spending a fortune myself. People should do what makes THEM happy, though... so long as they're not hurting anyone else or bride/groom-zillaing their way to the altar! ❤
Yep, we went to the judge, had lunch with a few people, moved into our new apartment, got up and off to our jobs the following Monday. It wasn't much, but it's all we *needed*. :-)
Load More Replies...
Listen, Princesses, I know you think this is YOUR BIG DAY, where you get to look stunning, but it's ONE DAY, and NO ONE, except maybe your mother, gives a rat's ass just how fabulous you look, including your new husband. He already committed to marry you, you've already won him, so that's a done deal, and it's all downhill from here if you're going to make sure you look the best you ever will on that one day. It's a COMMITMENT CEREMONY, not your "QUEEN FOR A DAY" ceremony. STOP SPENDING INSANE AMOUNTS OF MONEY ON IT.
I just really hope the cake pictured wasn't what she spent $1800 for
Load More Replies...
People could just get married at a park garden or somewhere that doesn't require paying for a venue with tons of flowers already planted.
Taking over a public space for a private event is a d**k move. It's a park, it's there for the public to enjoy some time in nature, not for people to decide they want to occupy for a private event. Not to mention the mess that would probably be left behind afterwards.
Load More Replies...
I made $11,000 on my wedding. (Spent 2000, got 13,000 in cards). I don't know what TF a lounge vignette is or that people even bought matching pj's. Feels like its pretty obvious that all this s**t listed is a ridiculous waste of money. Craft some s**t and save $100k.
I need an explanation as to why they didn't eat the cake? I mean, it's good to eat for about a week if it was made to order. Why didn't eat it? Who wastes cake?
Maybe they served dessert also and by the time the cake was cut, no one could be bothered?
Load More Replies... Never heard of half of these- seriously I'd just elope and splash out in the honeymoon
right? I had a small wedding and a dream Honeymoon to Italy and England!!
Load More Replies...
I don't even know what some of these things are. And favours should always be edible, I used dollar store wood gift boxes with labels I made myself and filled them with root beer jelly beans I got from a candy wholesaler. Everyone ate the jelly beans. Did I end up finding some of the boxes in thrift stores? Sure, but they only cost me $1
If I ever get married, the only thing I won't want to compromise on is the catering. Food, cake, & refreshments. The future spouse can have their own 1 thing I get no say in, then we'll compromise on the rest.
We were married 34 years ago. The big ticket items was the license at $28. We had no money to spend on anything. We waited 8 years to afford simple rings. Still together. Ive known couples that divorced that were still paying off the horse and carriage wedding with all the extras.
I loved my wedding. It wouldn’t be considered perfect. It was the hottest day of the year, everyone was melting. I was only standing up because my wedding dress had a boned corset! Ok this is UK so 30 degrees Celsius. Still melting hot to us. At the wedding breakfast, my new husband actually managed to turn his plate into a catapult by balancing it on the very edge of the table. He then fired roasted potatoes down my cleavage. As an incredibly poised bride, I think I pulled off the “ chunky confetti “ look. Our first dance was not the most elegant or choreographed thing you’ve seen. Everyone commented about how we looked so wrapped up in in each other. We were actually whispering into each other’s ears; “Oh my god, how long is this song? I don’t remember it being three hours long when we chose it”. Thing is, it’s going to be our Ruby Anniversary next year. No one seems to have a bad memory of our wedding, just laughs and family. I couldn’t ask for better.
What on earth are lounge vignettes? And bridemaids pajamas - what? What? Most people I know did without a wedding planner and got married just fine. Brides, you are being exploited by an insane wedding industry. Just say no.
To be honest, I hadn't heard of most of these things. And, $1,800 for a wedding cake seems over the top when the average price for a wedding cake is $500. And, I'm so curious, why didn't the cake get eaten??
I knew weddings were big in the US but $ 28.000 for a wedding is crazy. Everything over 5.000 € is crazy! Why not rent the bridal dress? What's it about same looking bridesmade, a wedding planner and and and. Yes, wedding is a big day but you gonna start your marriage with a huge indebt? That's madne$$! 😲
the only thing i regret is inviting some rude ppl who dont understand it is rude to make fun of the bride and/or trying to make her angry just because they need to push their stupid ideas no one is interested in
All of the wedding reception is a waste of money unless you are the bride. You'd be better off spending the money on the honesty of a one-woman movie with all the locations and costume changes of your dreams - because, lets face it, the wedding is the bride's singular dream and it's all about attention.
You want to save money on your wedding? Here's a secret... Don't mention the word "wedding". Go get a nice flower bouquet you like from a florist. "What is it for?" "I just like flowers!"; "I'm having guests at home"; "It's for my mom's birthday". You'll pay a lot less.... Plan ahead. You want drinks? Look for discounts in stores. Store A has vodka. Go and buy a few bottles and set them aside. A week later store B has whiskey. Do the same. Last minute shopping will cost you more. Same goes for engagement ring btw. Just go pick out a nice ring and don't say it's for engagement. Note the price you're told and then send in a woman to ask for the same ring. She'll get a better price most of the time. Wedding business is a huge scam in so many ways... But you can outsmart them!
I'm an entertainer. Get hired for tons of different private events. All you need to have a great and fun event is good food, good music and booze. Cannot tell you how many lavish parties I've been to where the guests are just miserable. Some event forget the music. Everything looks great, but people are not going to remember the details. They are going to remember how they felt and if the food was good lol
The box is a great place to store the cards you get at the wedding and other small memory tickles for later trips down memory lane. Maybe bring it out on your anniversary to remember that day and then add to it. Doesn't have to be really expensive. I like the cake if it's served fairly soon after dinner. I have a several tiny hand woven baskets that were left behind at one reception. Love those baskets but agree that such favors aren't needed.
Disagree with the wedding planner. Mine has been a godsend and she knows all thr stuff I would have never thought of. Like permits!! I had no idea how many permits could be needed for just having a wedding - for music, for a drone, for alcohol. These are things that can leave you really SOL without a wedding planner
It's all about how a couple wants to have their wedding look/feel. We did ours in grandparents back yard wich was massive and on the top of a mountain overlooking the other mountains, a lake and river it was stunning. Cost for that? nothing. Our cake was massive and it was $800 everyone grabbed atleast a slice, it was totally worth it, and its also tradition. We used potted flowers down our aisle that were already in the backyard, spent a few thousand on booze and had an open bar. Brought in a caterer, we had a DJ and we all danced the night away and ate delicious food and cake. We didn't sweat the small stuff and went with the flow. The only super fancy thing we did hire was a harp player for when people were arriving and when I walked down the aisle.
I had to google it myself. It appears to be a couple of chairs and a sofa and a coffee table. Sort of Instagram ready sitting space for the guests.
Load More Replies... Haven't even heard of most of these things. Matching PJ's for the attendants? A special box for the cards? Lounge vignettes? Things have changed a lot since I got married 28 years ago, or last attended a wedding 6 years ago. For the cake, get a good-tasting one. More important than how it looks.
I'm getting married this year. Barely bothering with anything. Simple us and two witnesses for actual wedding and tiny reception the week after. Buffet spread (COVID allowing) cheap cakes from teashop nearby (simple sponges in the colours we're focusing on) to serve as wedding cake and that's really about it. I feel the relationship is more important than spending a fortune myself. People should do what makes THEM happy, though... so long as they're not hurting anyone else or bride/groom-zillaing their way to the altar! ❤
Yep, we went to the judge, had lunch with a few people, moved into our new apartment, got up and off to our jobs the following Monday. It wasn't much, but it's all we *needed*. :-)
Load More Replies... Listen, Princesses, I know you think this is YOUR BIG DAY, where you get to look stunning, but it's ONE DAY, and NO ONE, except maybe your mother, gives a rat's ass just how fabulous you look, including your new husband. He already committed to marry you, you've already won him, so that's a done deal, and it's all downhill from here if you're going to make sure you look the best you ever will on that one day. It's a COMMITMENT CEREMONY, not your "QUEEN FOR A DAY" ceremony. STOP SPENDING INSANE AMOUNTS OF MONEY ON IT.
I just really hope the cake pictured wasn't what she spent $1800 for
Load More Replies... People could just get married at a park garden or somewhere that doesn't require paying for a venue with tons of flowers already planted.
Taking over a public space for a private event is a d**k move. It's a park, it's there for the public to enjoy some time in nature, not for people to decide they want to occupy for a private event. Not to mention the mess that would probably be left behind afterwards.
Load More Replies... I made $11,000 on my wedding. (Spent 2000, got 13,000 in cards). I don't know what TF a lounge vignette is or that people even bought matching pj's. Feels like its pretty obvious that all this s**t listed is a ridiculous waste of money. Craft some s**t and save $100k.
I need an explanation as to why they didn't eat the cake? I mean, it's good to eat for about a week if it was made to order. Why didn't eat it? Who wastes cake?
Maybe they served dessert also and by the time the cake was cut, no one could be bothered?
Load More Replies... Never heard of half of these- seriously I'd just elope and splash out in the honeymoon
right? I had a small wedding and a dream Honeymoon to Italy and England!!
Load More Replies... I don't even know what some of these things are. And favours should always be edible, I used dollar store wood gift boxes with labels I made myself and filled them with root beer jelly beans I got from a candy wholesaler. Everyone ate the jelly beans. Did I end up finding some of the boxes in thrift stores? Sure, but they only cost me $1
If I ever get married, the only thing I won't want to compromise on is the catering. Food, cake, & refreshments. The future spouse can have their own 1 thing I get no say in, then we'll compromise on the rest.
We were married 34 years ago. The big ticket items was the license at $28. We had no money to spend on anything. We waited 8 years to afford simple rings. Still together. Ive known couples that divorced that were still paying off the horse and carriage wedding with all the extras.
I loved my wedding. It wouldn’t be considered perfect. It was the hottest day of the year, everyone was melting. I was only standing up because my wedding dress had a boned corset! Ok this is UK so 30 degrees Celsius. Still melting hot to us. At the wedding breakfast, my new husband actually managed to turn his plate into a catapult by balancing it on the very edge of the table. He then fired roasted potatoes down my cleavage. As an incredibly poised bride, I think I pulled off the “ chunky confetti “ look. Our first dance was not the most elegant or choreographed thing you’ve seen. Everyone commented about how we looked so wrapped up in in each other. We were actually whispering into each other’s ears; “Oh my god, how long is this song? I don’t remember it being three hours long when we chose it”. Thing is, it’s going to be our Ruby Anniversary next year. No one seems to have a bad memory of our wedding, just laughs and family. I couldn’t ask for better.
What on earth are lounge vignettes? And bridemaids pajamas - what? What? Most people I know did without a wedding planner and got married just fine. Brides, you are being exploited by an insane wedding industry. Just say no.
To be honest, I hadn't heard of most of these things. And, $1,800 for a wedding cake seems over the top when the average price for a wedding cake is $500. And, I'm so curious, why didn't the cake get eaten??
I knew weddings were big in the US but $ 28.000 for a wedding is crazy. Everything over 5.000 € is crazy! Why not rent the bridal dress? What's it about same looking bridesmade, a wedding planner and and and. Yes, wedding is a big day but you gonna start your marriage with a huge indebt? That's madne$$! 😲
the only thing i regret is inviting some rude ppl who dont understand it is rude to make fun of the bride and/or trying to make her angry just because they need to push their stupid ideas no one is interested in
All of the wedding reception is a waste of money unless you are the bride. You'd be better off spending the money on the honesty of a one-woman movie with all the locations and costume changes of your dreams - because, lets face it, the wedding is the bride's singular dream and it's all about attention.
You want to save money on your wedding? Here's a secret... Don't mention the word "wedding". Go get a nice flower bouquet you like from a florist. "What is it for?" "I just like flowers!"; "I'm having guests at home"; "It's for my mom's birthday". You'll pay a lot less.... Plan ahead. You want drinks? Look for discounts in stores. Store A has vodka. Go and buy a few bottles and set them aside. A week later store B has whiskey. Do the same. Last minute shopping will cost you more. Same goes for engagement ring btw. Just go pick out a nice ring and don't say it's for engagement. Note the price you're told and then send in a woman to ask for the same ring. She'll get a better price most of the time. Wedding business is a huge scam in so many ways... But you can outsmart them!
I'm an entertainer. Get hired for tons of different private events. All you need to have a great and fun event is good food, good music and booze. Cannot tell you how many lavish parties I've been to where the guests are just miserable. Some event forget the music. Everything looks great, but people are not going to remember the details. They are going to remember how they felt and if the food was good lol
The box is a great place to store the cards you get at the wedding and other small memory tickles for later trips down memory lane. Maybe bring it out on your anniversary to remember that day and then add to it. Doesn't have to be really expensive. I like the cake if it's served fairly soon after dinner. I have a several tiny hand woven baskets that were left behind at one reception. Love those baskets but agree that such favors aren't needed.
Disagree with the wedding planner. Mine has been a godsend and she knows all thr stuff I would have never thought of. Like permits!! I had no idea how many permits could be needed for just having a wedding - for music, for a drone, for alcohol. These are things that can leave you really SOL without a wedding planner
It's all about how a couple wants to have their wedding look/feel. We did ours in grandparents back yard wich was massive and on the top of a mountain overlooking the other mountains, a lake and river it was stunning. Cost for that? nothing. Our cake was massive and it was $800 everyone grabbed atleast a slice, it was totally worth it, and its also tradition. We used potted flowers down our aisle that were already in the backyard, spent a few thousand on booze and had an open bar. Brought in a caterer, we had a DJ and we all danced the night away and ate delicious food and cake. We didn't sweat the small stuff and went with the flow. The only super fancy thing we did hire was a harp player for when people were arriving and when I walked down the aisle.
38
52