Ah, wedding season. Filled with love, with laughter and with Afterpay repayments you can’t afford, wedding season gets harder and harder to keep up with. And that’s without old Aunt Maud asking why you’re not married yet for the seventh time this year. But wedding season doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, there’s really no reason why it should be.

So if your spring schedule is fast filling up with RSVPs and acceptance cards, take note of these six tips to keep you financially afloat this wedding season. Spring is only around the corner after all.

Be picky with your RSVPs

It’s tempting to check that ‘delightfully accepts’ box without a second thought when an invite arrives on your door. Honestly, there’s virtually no other reason you get mail and often they’re so beautifully designed you wouldn’t want to tarnish it by selecting ‘regretfully declines’. We get it. However, sometimes sense needs to prevail. Your second cousin’s neighbour’s sister won’t be that upset if you say you can’t make it.

If you’re super self-conscious about saying no, send a handwritten note or even a tiny gift. If you thought attending a wedding was expensive, you should try hosting one. At the end of the day, the happy couple might be grateful to have one less head to pay for.

Consider your outfit choices

Let’s be real. Unless you’re the bride or you’ve seriously ignored the dress code, no one actually cares what you wear to a wedding. So, gasp, wear the same thing twice. Invest in your dress and every time new nuptials come around, refresh your accessories. They’re a lot cheaper to keep updating and go further than you think when it comes to revamping a look.

For those of you that really can’t bring yourself to be an outfit repeater, keep your eyes peeled on the sales. Otherwise, buy yourself two different two-piece sets. If you mix and match them enough you can make six different outfits. If you need more than six outfits, go back to step one.

Study the wedding registry

Even if you’ve followed steps one and two very carefully, you might still find yourself dipping into your savings when it comes to purchasing a wedding gift. Fortunately, with weddings, you get plenty of time to plan your expenses accordingly. Think ahead and again, keep sales front of mind. Another hack is to shop online for two different wedding gifts at the same time. You might end up with free shipping because of the amount you’ve spent or at the very least you’ll only have to pay for shipping once.

Of course, it’s lovely of you to want to invest in someone’s big day, but we guarantee they’ll care more about a well-thought gift than one with a giant price tag.

Say ‘no’ in the lead-up

Have you ever actually counted how many different events are involved in a wedding. There’s the engagement party, the bridal shower, the kitchen tea, the hen’s night, the actual ceremony and then the reception. That’s six events right there and for a few of them, you have to pay to attend. While we’re all for the bride being treated to a wild night before she get’s hitched if you can’t afford to go, don’t. In all instances, she would much prefer you to dance the night at the wedding then go broke attending everything in the lead-up. You don’t need to justify why you can’t go either. Politely decline and say you’ll be there in full swing at the wedding.

DIY your beauty routine

We all know those girls who use every occasion as an excuse to have themselves pampered a bit. Sure, it’s nice to have your hair and makeup done by the pros but unless you’re in the wedding, it’s probably unnecessary. Sit yourself down with your laptop and a glass of wine and binge watch some tutorials on YouTube. Every wedding you go you’ll be saving money on all those “redeemable” makeovers.

The same rule applies to your tan. If you’d normally do your own for a Saturday night out, the same goes for a wedding. For girls who are a little newer to tanning, give it a couple of practice rounds or maybe try a gradual tanner instead.

Tally up day-of expenses

We’re talking dry cleaning bills, taxis to and fro, drinks if there isn’t an open bar, accommodation if it’s somewhere a little far-flung. When setting your wedding season budget before September rolls around, leave a little extra cash up your sleeve. Worst case scenario you don’t use it!  You can always treat yourself with it afterwards because of all that serious budgeting you did!