Weddings are notoriously expensive. So much so that they frequently hit lists of top expenses in life, time and time again. The average cost for the special day can cost couples around $30,000 on average. Of course, the price can adjust dramatically based on what you can afford from a financial standpoint and the success of your fundraising efforts.
The sad truth is that especially for couples who don’t have parents, or other family members, helping support their weddings, they can save and save and budget and budget. However, most still have to cut out some of the fun they have planned for their wedding, go for the cheaper dress, or skimp out on other wedding related costs.
That’s where the idea to raise money for a wedding through crowdfunding comes into play. Instead of asking friends and family for wedding gifts, why not ask them for the ultimate gift of donations of whatever they can afford towards the wedding day.
But how exactly does it crowdfunding for weddings work? Let’s find out.
How Do You Crowdfund Your Wedding?
GoFundMe, IndieGogo, and Kickstarter are all common financial campaigns most people are familiar with. Most people receive invitations from friends or family members where they access the GoFundMe page, read the stories, and decide if they want to pay any money. It’s a bit of a digital charity.
Depending on how involved a guest would like to be, they can track the GoFundMe page, provide any advice to those on the fence, and keep track of the money raised along the way.
Taking that same concept, modern couples have been reaching out to friends and family to help raise money for a wedding. This crowdfunding campaign helps to take some of the pressure off of parents and couples and provides a fun space for members to donate and ultimately help pay for the day they will be a part of.
Gone are the days of crying over what you can afford when you get married. Instead, by following proper etiquette, you can be on your way to raising money in no time. Don’t consider yourself a charity. Instead, a fundraising effort involving your family and friends all in the name of one pretty great party!
If you get lucky and raise enough money, you can have the dream wedding you’d always wished for, thanks to donations. Even better, you might even be able to afford a few fancy wedding upgrades to thank your friends, like an added photo booth, enhanced menu, and open bar.
It’s your dream day, so you shouldn’t feel like you have to cut corners to stay within budget. The alternative of asking guests to pay at the door is out of the question, but crowdfunding is a concept that shouldn’t be disregarded.
Your parents, friends, and all other guests are likely to be more than happy to receive invitations to your wedding and, therefore, not opposed to helping you raise the ceiling on your budget just a bit.
Is It Tacky to Raise Money From Friends and Family for Your Wedding?
The big debate of whether it’s tacky to ask for money instead of gifts often comes up during the wedding planning process. First and foremost, it’s essential to discuss this with your fiancé before moving forward. If one of you is feeling apprehensive, go through the pros and cons together and come to an agreement together.
It’s important to remember that you realistically won’t be receiving cash funds from strangers. Instead, you’ll be relying solely on the graciousness of your family and friends to raise the money for your wedding. Of course, that can also contribute to some of the levels of discomfort. After all, no one is usually too excited about the idea of talking about money, let alone the idea to raise money for their wedding.
The good news is that the norm is quickly moving away from the tradition and toward modern cash fund sites. Couples quickly realize that their priority lies with monetary gifts rather than physical gifts as they go through the overwhelmingly costly wedding planning process.
Your crowdfunding campaigns for your wedding won’t come off tacky as long as you follow some basic etiquette. It also helps a ton to choose a trustworthy fundraising platform, like Hitchd, to ensure everything runs smoothly.
How to Explain Your Crowdfunding to Your Friends and Family
Let us help you break the wedding ceiling and get out of your comfort zone. There’s no need to worry if you’re nervous about asking friends and family to help pay for your wedding. Here’s a great way to post your crowdfunding concept on your wedding page to help you start raising money in no time.
"Dearest Friends and Family,
Thank you for joining us in this exciting time in our life as we get married! We are truly blessed to have so many close to us eager to join us at our wedding. While a gift is entirely optional, we would like to provide you with an alternative option.
As many of you know, a wedding can be quite costly. And while we want to focus our efforts on growing our family, we also want to be able to provide you all with an unforgettable wedding. That’s why we have set up a crowdfunding campaign, giving you the opportunity to help us make this a wedding none of us will forget.
Any contribution to our fundraising efforts is greatly appreciated and will go towards creating unforgettable memories with us as a couple and you all. For those interested, you can check back to see how much has been raised and how we used the money.
Keep in mind that the site we have chosen for our campaign accepts all major credit card companies, is free for you, and will never charge any service or credit card processing fee. We’ve provided a link below for your easy reference. Feel free to check out the platform and let us know if you have any questions.
With love,
Us"
Explaining How Everyone Will Help Pay for the Wedding
If you and your significant other are going to be paying for your wedding alone, the costs of a wedding can quickly spiral out of control. Sadly, many couples are then left with a choice: “Do we postpone or cancel our honeymoon trip?” The other option is asking your guests for money to help fund your wedding wishes, rather than having them give you gifts.
So, if you decide that the best option for you is a crowdfunding campaign, here are a few tips to help you through the process.
Get Personal
Make your website and campaign as personal as possible if you decide that crowdfunding is a good option for you. To really encourage people to donate, the basics for your website should include a good love story paired with an adorable photo of the couple.
Get Specific
Rather than setting up a generic honeymoon fund, let your group know that the money is geared towards weddings. Sites like Hitchd are designed explicitly for weddings, which helps give gift-givers more ease about where to donate.
The more specific you are with what you want people to contribute, the more you will begin to create a story for your guests, who will be eager to add to the joy.
Be Thankful
Another way to make the process go smoothly is by always being very thankful to all of your contributors. Guests are never required to contribute to your big day, even with traditional gits. Any amount should be treasured.
Be Simple
Weddings are notorious for coming off pushy, so do your best not to plan anything too extravagant. The last thing you want is for your guests to donate and be upset when they see you come out riding a lion for your ceremony.
Keep Everyone Updated
Continue posting updates on your planning and progress to be extra interactive with your guests. Let people know where their money is going. In the end, be sure to post pictures of the wedding for all to be able to reflect upon.
Do’s and Don’ts of Wedding Fundraising
Now that you’ve got a better idea of how to get started let’s go through a quick list of do’s and don’ts for wedding fundraising to have you well on your way to building your budget ASAP.
Simple Do’s
For starters, here are some simple do’s to keep in mind with your campaign:
- Tell the love story of the bride and groom
- Be as descriptive as possible to evoke emotion
- Utilize rich media to portray your wedding wishes
- Always remember to thank anyone who contributes (any amount)
Simple Don’ts
And, of course, a few of the taboos you want to avoid as much as possible:
- Don’t beg gift-givers to give you money
- Don’t set unrealistic goals while wedding planning
- Don’t overwhelm your guests with your cash fund
- Don’t explain your campaign on invitations
How to Choose a Platform
The wedding of your dreams doesn’t have to be a figment of your imagination. The good news is that you do have a lot of options to choose from in terms of crowdfunding platforms. Even though you technically could go with just about any personal crowdfunding website, know that there are some sites that deal specifically with weddings and honeymoons, like Hitchd.
Ultimately, the website you choose for your wedding should depend on a few different factors, including:
- Overall cost
- Reputation
- Ease of use
- Customer service
Consider Hicthd for Your Wedding Funding
Hitchd, a new type of registry, is helping couples fund their big day and honeymoon of a lifetime. Setting it apart from traditional honeymoon registries is its focus on providing the easiest, most personal, and most beautiful experience to both couples and their guests immediately.
Simply charging the bride and groom a one-time fee, Hitchd breaks the traditional wedding registry mold of upselling couples and guests with third-party (usually unwanted) offerings. Best of all, Hitchd makes it easy for couples to add their registry directly to wedding websites.
For gift-givers, Hitchd is completely free and makes contributing honeymoon funds a breeze. Guests can avoid credit card processing fees, having to register, and make donations via all major services, including:
- Credit card
- PayPal
- Venmo
- Cash App
- Direct deposit from a bank account
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Hitchd is a new type of online honeymoon registry that helps fund your adventure of a lifetime. Think of us as your very own honeymoon crowdfund, wishing well, Kickstarter, and travel planner, all rolled into one beautiful experience.
Fund memories, not things.
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