I've been a wedding planner for 7 years. Here are 7 things couples do to save money that don't actually work.

• As a wedding planner, I've seen many couples try all kinds of ways to save money on the day.
• Shortening the ceremony or getting married in a private home might end up being more expensive.
• Opting for à-la-carte flowers and asking about elopement packages can help couples save.

Weddings are expensive, so it makes sense why people want to save money when planning theirs.

In my seven years as a wedding planner, I've seen couples try a lot of things they think will be cost-efficient but don't save them as much as they expect them to.

Handling rentals on your own can lead to a lot of extra work

It's not the rentals themselves that cost a lot of money, but the labor to deliver, set up, clean, and pick up the rentals — it can be a nasty surprise to see a $600 late-night pick-up fee.

You can get ahead of this by asking your venue questions while touring to determine what you need to rent as well as when you need to be in and out of the space. 

Although it's possible to do your own rentals for a lower cost, you and your guests would likely be required to do a lot of labor, which can take time away from enjoying the wedding. 

Getting married in a private home isn't always cheaper

Choosing a location is often the first step in planning a wedding, but it can also waste the majority of your budget. To avoid this, people sometimes opt to get married in a private home. But they forget that those venues don't include necessities like tables or tents.

Getting married in a private home isn't a bad idea, but be honest about your wants and needs. Do you have to rent the space and provide flooring for the dance floor? Is there an obstacle that will need to be worked around, like a pool? 

Take some time to write a list of your wedding priorities. That way, you can plan an event that aligns with your values and budget. I recommend getting bids for any additional services you'd need before you decide if getting married at home is cost-effective. 

Shortening your ceremony doesn't always mean you'll save money

Couples sometimes tell me they're going to have a short ceremony because they think it'll be more affordable. This is true if you have the space for a shorter time slot, but nearly all wedding venues rent for somewhere between eight and 12 hours.

I recommend dedicating about two hours to setting up and saving the last hour for cleaning, which leaves at least five hours for the actual ceremony and reception. You can split that time however you see fit. 

Buying your own alcohol isn't the most cost-effective strategy

In my experience, catering costs at least $75 a person, so some people buy their own alcohol in an attempt to save money. But this is often done before reading their contracts with venues or caterers, which can lead to extra costs.

Is there a corkage fee? Are ice and keg-tapping equipment provided? Are there any extra charges for labor?

Instead of buying all your own booze, you can also consider more effective strategies, such as opting for a minimal drink menu or setting a cap to limit how long you're responsible for paying for the open bar. 

Moving the ceremony to a different location can raise vendor fees

Some people have their ceremony at a religious organization and their reception in a different location. If that's your situation, you can skip ahead. But if think booking two secular venues for shorter time spans will save you money, I encourage you to reconsider.

There are many good reasons to have a second location for the ceremony, such as the space's value to you and your partner. But as soon as you incorporate a separate location, even just a courthouse, you're looking at higher fees from vendors.

As a wedding coordinator and consultant, I always charge a client more if they have two venues because I do two final tours and have to hire an assistant for the second location. This might not be the case with all your vendors, but it's likely to occur with photographers, transportation, music, florists, and rentals.

DIY bouquets may seem cheaper, but there are better options

Flowers can be expensive, so if they aren't a priority for you or your partner, you might assume you should resort to DIY to save money. Instead, I encourage you to look into "à la carte" packages.

This scale of service isn't the right fit if you want complex floral installations that require labor. But these are much smaller orders that allow you to buy flowers to wear, carry, and decorate with, such as loose greenery or a bucket of single-stem flowers. 

Keep in mind that à-la-carte packages often require you, a planner, or someone you know to pick the order up before the wedding. Most flowers can be successfully stored in cool, dark areas for a couple of days ahead of the event. 

Minimizing the use of vendors can cut costs, but elopement packages are often an even better deal

Many wedding vendors use the term "elopement" to market smaller scales of service, but this doesn't always mean you have to be eloping to access those benefits.

For my wedding, we hired a photographer with an elopement package (we didn't elope). It included two hours of coverage that we optimized for the ceremony and post-ceremony photos. Getting-ready photos and reception shots weren't a priority for us, so this allowed us to save money for the things we cared more about.

This option works even better if paired with a "nontraditional" wedding time — such as getting married on a weekday or in the morning — when vendors typically charge less.

Just keep note of whether each vendor requires a certain headcount for the service to qualify as an elopement.