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Planning a terrific wedding on a small budget
You do not have to spend an exorbitant amount of money
to have a lovely wedding. Know in advance what you intend to spend on your
wedding and stick to it. There is no reason to go into huge debt to have a
nice wedding. Here are a few tips on cost-cutting.
The Elopement
The ultimate in simplicity. Just go get married and
forget the elaborate planning and disagreements that can occur in larger
weddings. You could simply do it locally, or consider combining it with
your honeymoon and have a destination wedding, like a tropical beach or a
cruise.
The Bride’s Attire
One way to save tons of money is to find a nice,
off-the-shelf dress in a department store. If you aren’t going for
the big white wedding, this is a reasonable alternative. Nothing says you
must have a traditional wedding. Or if you have access to one, wear an
heirloom dress of your mother or grandmother’s. With a bit of
alteration, this can be a memorable, sentimental wedding dress.
If you want the story-book, white gown, you still do
not have to spend a fortune. Start at the sale racks in a bridal shop.
Discontinued styles or overstocks can save bundles. Also consider buying a
sample dress.
Another option is to have your dress sewn for you. Be
sure you have a seamstress who you trust and has done wedding dresses
before. Check references with other brides and see if they were happy with
the work.
A great option to save money is to make your own
headpiece and veil. Look through bridal magazines and check out the bridal
store veils and then go to your local fabric store. You can buy
inexpensive, ready made bridal headpieces and lots of veil material.
When it comes to shoes, you can wear a pair of white
shoes you already have. It will probably be hidden by the dress and it will
certainly be more comfortable than trying to break in new shoes on this
important day. Or, ballet slippers are inexpensive and would look and feel
fine.
The Groom’s Attire
There is nothing wrong with simply wearing a dark suit
you already own. The same goes for the groomsmen. There is no law that says
you must rent a tux. Add a boutonniere and your outfit is complete. But if
you want to go the tux route, some tips include sticking with the standard
black rental tuxedo, which is inexpensive and classic looking.
The Bridal Party
The larger the bridal party, the greater the cost.
Consider that you will also invite the spouse or guest of each bridal party
member, so if you have five each bridesmaids and groomsmen, you are now up
to 20 people to seat and feed at your reception. This requires tables and
centerpieces and maybe extra decorations for the bridal table(s). You also
pay for bouquets and boutonnieres for each, thank you presents for 10
people, perhaps more transportation (limo) from wedding to reception site,
and maybe extra money to help cash-strapped bridesmaids pay for their
expensive clothing.
The Wedding Date
Schedule your date at least three weeks before or
after any holiday. These are the busiest times of the year for most
vendors, including churches, hotels, restaurants, florists, bands, DJs,
etc. Not only will you pay a premium, but service and quality may suffer
during holidays.
Saturdays almost always command a higher price than
other weekend days and certainly more than weekdays. Also busy wedding
months will cost you more than if you get married in an off-month. The
biggest wedding months are September/October and June/July.
The Guest List
The more people you invite to your wedding and
reception, the greater the cost. The smaller the guest list, the more you
save. The less people you have, the more you can spend on each guests.
Upgraded the food and liquor and perhaps other extras you might forgo with
lots of guests, like ice sculptures and other decorations, due to budget
constraints.
The Site
If your home or that of a friend or relative is large
enough to accommodate the number of guests you plan to invite, you can save
a ton of money. Do any home renovations and major landscaping far in
advance of the wedding. You can rent trellises, archways, gazebos, etc. if
you don’t already have them and decorate them with flowers.
If you have a small wedding, a backyard barbecue or
picnic in the park or beach is great. It is intimate and relaxed and is
easy for the bride and groom to mingle with their guests. Check out places
like Elks, American Legion and other clubs. They can be decorated
wonderfully and you can have both the ceremony and reception in one place.
Food and Drink
Simple appetizers set on a table will cost less than
passed hors d’oeuvres, because you don’t need extra people to
walk around serving them. Or, do away with the appetizers altogether and
shorten the cocktail hour to one-half hour.
One great way to cut down on food costs is to time
the wedding (like early afternoon) so that you can just serve drinks and
appetizers or cake and champagne or finger sandwiches, etc. after the
service. People will drink less and not expect a large meal. If you serve
wine, beer, and soft drinks, your bar bill will be considerably less than
including other liquors.
The Cake
First off, don’t let your caterer talk you into
serving other desserts also. The wedding cake is the dessert, so save your
money on the others. Negotiate to get rid of cake-cutting fees (get this in
writing). Consider a small decorated cake for you to cut at the reception
and then a sheet cake of the same flavor cut in the kitchen to serve the
guests. If you have a talented friend or relative who makes wedding cakes,
this would be a great wedding gift from them to you. Many home-made cakes
are better tasting and as beautifully decorated as cakes from a bakery.
The Flowers
Using in-season flowers and/or those locally grown
instead of exotic flowers will save you money.
Using a few, larger flowers even though they may be
expensive, may be an overall economical choice - like Calla lilies.
One trick you could also use is to use the bridal
bouquets as table decorations for the bridal table(s). They could be placed
in vases or simply laid on the tables. Also, if you have purchased flower
arrangements to decorate the ceremony, take those along and use them again
at the reception site. You could also use flowering plants on the tables as
centerpieces or a single flower in a bud vase.
The Transportation
If you are budget-challenged, simply skip the limo. A
nice car will do just as well. Full-size cars are desirable (to fit the
large dresses) and if you don’t have one or know someone who does,
you can inexpensively rent one or more for the wedding day.
Printed Materials
If you have less than 50 guests, skip the formal
invitations and send hand-written notes or telephone (if local). If you go
the printing route, be sure they are light enough to be sent with the least
amount of postage. Going over 1 ounce will increase your costs.
Decorations
Decorations can be simple, yet look nice. Depending on
your locations and number of guests, you can make your own, rent them, or
often they are included in reception site packages. First, ask the
reception site what decorations they can provide for free. This also goes
for the ceremony site - often Churches have candelabras and candles, etc.
that they will let you use (or rent for a small fee).
Go to your local craft store and buy ribbon in bulk to
make your own bows. Ribbon with a wire edge will hold the bow look and
stand up better. If you have a dull looking reception room, consider
renting inexpensive trees and decorating them with twinkle lights. You can
decorate with plants bought at a local nursery, garden store, outlet or
retail store. Small potted plants make nice table decorations and guests
can take them home as souvenirs/favors.
Mirrors and candles also make great table decorations.
You can use tall candles or votive. Check out local craft stores for ideas
on decorating supplies. You may also see some great ideas there for making
your own favors.
Other Cost Savers
Make your own tapes for reception music and/or use a
multi-disc CD player with your favorite CDs. A DJ will cost less than a
live band. Have a friend or relative sing a solo at your ceremony..
Skip the goodies like ice sculptures, personalized
napkins and matches, balloon hearts, chair covers, ceiling decorations,
bubble blowers and bird seed packets, etc.
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