Planning weddings are no easy task. There are so many things to consider and often, limited time and options. Plus, you’d want all the nice things in the world, but they all come at a cost.

Raising money for a wedding, or any personal event can make you or break you. They are usually non-profit making and it’s all just draining if you think about it. Yet the show must go on…

So what do you do then, when you have to get married but can’t afford to plan? Here are some few ways you can rack up some cash to have a befitting wedding.

Akua’s elegant wedding shoes & accessories. Photo credit: @sorce_photography 

HOW TO RAISE MONEY FOR YOUR WEDDING

According to renowned Ghanaian wedding planner, Gloria Buckman Yankson (PlanIt Ghana), a simple home wedding could cost you $10,000 on average — whereas an opulent one could go for $50,000. But cash is hard to find, so here are a few ways you can generate a decent amount to have that dream wedding:

1. Extend your engagement

By engagement, we mean the period between the proposal and the traditional wedding. Taking a little more time to plan and save is especially a good choice for couples with lavish taste who are short on cash. 

Don’t give in to pressure! Take as long as you need because in the end, you would have the freedom to spend however you want.

2. Get another hustle

If your regular job wouldn’t bring in the cash as quickly as you want it, try getting a side job. Side jobs are beneficial even beyond weddings — nothing like extra income to support a certain living standard.

You could drive an Uber on weekends, become an online tutor or start a small business using social media. As far as it’s legit, this is one of our top recommendations on this topic.

3. Donations

This can be a tricky task; especially when you don’t want people speaking behind your back about it. However, there are crafty ways to get money from friends and family without having to directly ask.

• Wedding Raffles: During your pre-wedding or family events, you can auction off some valuables at good prices.
• Cash Gifts: You can request for cash gifts in lieu of traditional wedding gifts, in order to offset some post-wedding bills or to recoup.
• Barter Trade: This works better when you have friends/family into event planning. You can donate their time or services, or perhaps a discount in exchange for some professional help you can offer later.
• Bride & Groom Competitions: You can try hosting a bride and groom competition to raise money for your wedding. It is as simple as planning out a few competitions and have your friends and family place wagers on who they think will win each one.

All these could work in your favor as long as you do them right!

4. Sponsored Weddings

Sponsored weddings are probably non-existent in Ghana, but the trend should catch on soon enough.

A sponsored wedding is one in which different elements/ services of a wedding such as the venue, cake, dress, video and photography, décor etc. are donated at no cost or at discounted rates, in exchange for advertising and promotion of the sponsors.

Advertisement can come in many ways, including acknowledging vendors as sponsors during the event or having them set up branded stands at the venue. Might not be ideal, but something’s got to give 🙁

5. Loans

This is the least recommended option but when it comes to the crunch, it could be considered.

Taking personal loans are easy and even widespread these days; mobile money loans inclusive. The best option would be to ask for a loan from a trusted friend or relative — that way you pay no interest and have a longer grace period.

However, if you do plan to borrow from an institution, be prepared to pay up as soon as it’s due to avoid embarrassment.

Ghana Wedding Market is a first-of-its-kind online wedding shopping platform. Over here, we offer merchandise, services and ideas you would need to have the wedding you’ve always wanted. What’s more is we also give free advice to both clients and vendors whenever they need it.

Our services include:

• Photography

• Videography

• Venue acquisition

• Event Decoration/Styling

• Catering

• Mixology

• Makeup/Grooming

• Online Wedding Merchandise Shop

• MC Hiring

• DJ Hiring

• Cultural/Urban Dancers Hiring

• Membership & Advertisment Packages and many more…

We often update our services list so do not be disheartened if what you need is not on this list yet.
Views, complaints, compliments and advice are always welcome.

Experience working with us and you will look no further.