Some days are significant in someone’s life and these days include one’s birthday, one’s wedding day and the day one dies. Seeing as one has minor or no power over the first and the last days, the second day has more importance in a person’s life when it comes to planning.
Consequently, in our modern day, so much priority is placed on that day. The irony here is that, in the past, getting married was as final as death, however, it was affordable, but in our modern day, the success rate of marriages continues to decrease, while weddings get ever so expensive.
This article gives insight into the best available ways that you can explore to raise funds for your wedding.
What's in this guide?
Top ways to raise money for your wedding.
1. Wedding Committees
Wedding committee has yielded so many favourable results in the past, however, it is gradually failing because individuals have begun to abuse them. Individuals have started to include acquaintances and anybody on their contact list in the committee rather than family and friends.
A wedding committee is a proven method of fundraising for weddings. Family and close friends form a committee and the bride and groom-to-be are assisted by the committee in fundraising for the wedding. There will be a meeting of the committee members twice a month to discuss the affairs of the wedding. Promises on how much they will be able to donate towards the wedding would also be made.
Although this is an amazing method of fundraising, you should exercise discipline so as not to irritate or lose friends
2. Savings
If your wedding is in a year, you likely need to start saving up money every month. The initial action to take will be to create a bank account for the sole purpose of addressing the wedding affairs. Saving needs discipline and not everyone is gifted with this. In this case, setting up a standing order from your account to your wedding account would be an amazing idea, to achieve a favourable outcome.
Saving is among the reasonable ways of fundraising for a wedding. The fate of your big day does not have to be on your family and friends. Decide to save up a few thousand monthly for your big day. In 6 years, you would have saved around 360,000 thousand Naira (say you have been saving 5000 Naira per month). Someone once said the reasonable way to save up for your big day is to begin now, it doesn’t matter even if you are single or in your twenties. You will, nevertheless, be better off than starting to save when the wedding is just a few months away.
Also Read: How to raise funds for your business in Nigeria
3. Insurance Products
Certain insurance companies have products that aid people finance a wedding. You simply inform them about your budget and you get presented with a plan in alignment with your budget. You begin to donate dividends which will be utilized to finance the wedding.
Nonetheless, the few products seen are similar to bank savings, hence your dividends are what is utilized to finance the wedding. Different insurance companies proceed to suggest service providers to the intended couples.
The disadvantage with this is that it is hard for you to bargain with the suggested service providers since they somehow have an understanding with the insurance company and they likely charge the firm higher than what they would charge individuals.
4. Moonlighting
Perhaps you have extra skills or you are talented. You can utilize them to raise funds for the wedding. Getting an extra source of income from side gigs/hustles is what is referred to as moonlighting.
If you are an artist, set up an art carnival of sorts, and you can request your friends who are fellow artists to present their art or some part of the profit from the sales of their art to your wedding bank. Are you a singer? You can do the same.
5. Sell Custom T-Shirts or wedding fabrics
Customized T-shirts or other wedding fabrics can be used as part of wedding celebrations, you can write a toast on your customized T-shirt, a small appreciation message or could be anything.
There should be several options for the T-shirts that your visitors can select from. Selling T-shirts is a traditional fundraising idea that is proven to work.
It is usually what people will wear to the wedding. You can sell a month in advance to all friends, family and community who will be attending.
6. Write Letters
You can dispatch letters requesting general contributions, gifts-in-kind for example venue or food and so on. Always cite any former relationship in your letter and begin with the recipient’s initial name.
Your letter should be real and private. It is also an incredible method of fundraising for your big day.
Also Read: How to start a thriving business in Africa
7. Bride and Groom Competition
Schedule a few competitions and have your family and friends bet on who they think will emerge as the winner. The competition can be as classic and unique as you want.
Only ensure that the occasions are all in good fun. The competition can occur at your shower or months before the wedding.
8. A Wedding Wine Pull
Make available a few quality bottles of wine and ask guests to bring their favourite bottle of wine as well, then wrap each of the bottles using a gift wrapper and have your guest select a bottle from your collection and pay for it.
All your guests get to go home with a bottle and won’t know if they pulled a costly bottle or not until they open it, making it surprising and fun for everyone.
9. Sell Your Old Clothes
People have few clothes that are not in use in their wardrobe, so why not sell these clothes to raise funds for your wedding, it doesn’t have to be only you and your partner selling the clothes, your friends and family can give up their unused clothes and accessories to raise more money. You can sell the clothing to a cloth store or sell them online.
10. Create a Bride and Groom “Punishment” Fundraiser
This can be a fun way to raise funds for your big day. Select a “punishment” for the groom and the bride and have the individual contribute to the preferred one they would want to see at your reception.
Once the day comes, the one who raised the higher money has to execute their “punishment” at the reception. Ensure that the punishment is not too awkward or uncomfortable.
Also Read: 10 Ways to grow your eCommerce business
Conclusion
It is crucial to note that; one will utilize a variety rather than one means of financing a wedding most times. More so, a means that works for you might necessarily not work for another person and vice versa. It is of great importance that you ensure you do not begin a marriage with plenty of debts that will take you years to offset.
