WASHINGTON (7News) — June means wedding season, and like everything else with inflation, the price of a wedding has gone up.

The average price for a D.C. wedding is $42,000 to $47,000. according to the online wedding planner, The Knot.

The average price for a wedding around the country is $32,000.

Experts recommend if you are looking to save some money on your big day, start planning early and set a budget.

The big ticket items are the venue, food and drinks, entertainment and honeymoon.

“With the venue, what I would try to do if you’re a little bit flexible, I would try to have your wedding off-season, so not in June. Think about maybe having your wedding on a different day than the typical day. So have it on a Friday night and then maybe have fun activities on the Saturday, if you’re looking for a Saturday wedding or even a Sunday wedding, the price really shoots up,” Trae Bodge, consumer expert, said. “And then look at maybe some free options. Is there a park nearby that you can just get a permit for? Does someone have a nice home who loves to host and you can have the ceremony there. So look for those free options.”

Here are some other tips from Bodge:

  • “If you think about during the cocktail hour, having a table set up with munchies and bytes, instead of having that food passed, that will bring your bill down significantly. I would also say in terms of the bar, rather than having a flat-out open bar, you can do just beer and wine and one signature cocktail.”
  • ” I think a DJ is probably a more budget-friendly option versus a live band. And then the cheapest option is of course, creating your own mix for the music.”
  • “Some venues will allow this where you can bring in your own lighting or your own flowers. This, if you are creative will save you a lot.”
  • “It is really not necessary to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a wedding dress that you’re only going to wear once. And so what I would recommend is consider maybe renting a dress.”
  • “The other thing that you can do is look outside of the wedding category.
  • “As soon as you look at wedding dresses, the price goes way up. So you could look at formal wear and find a fabulous gown that’s not intended for a wedding dress that looks like a wedding dress.”
  • “If money is tight, don’t go crazy on a very lavish honeymoon.”
  • “Registering for financial gifts for a honeymoon or even a down payment for a home. That’s a really practical way to raise that money.”
  • Weddings are a good time to call in favors
  • If you have a family member or friend who’s especially good at photography, or catering, or DIY projects, have them volunteer. They often want to help out and be part of your big day.

Click here to view the original segment on WJLA.com.

Related: How to Save Money on Your Wedding