By: Gerlad Nelson
25 Tips to a Wedding on a Budget
Elegance can be Achieved on a Budget
Weddings are expensive whether you have a stipulated budget or the sky is the limit. The more people involved and the greater the wedding theme, the harder it will be on someone’s pocket book. In order to keep the bridal couple on track, setting a budget from the very beginning of the planning stages will be important. And “budget” does not have to be a nasty word. Indeed, when people hear the word “budget”, they equate the word with “cheap” as though the two words were interchangeable in meaning.
But what we want to show here is that for most couples, the wedding cannot be planned without some sort of budget. And sticking to your budget does not mean that you must scrimp, buying inferior services and putting on a shabby event. On the contrary, keeping to your budget will help you to make practical decisions saving money rather than making decisions from the heart which are usually more expensive. Your wedding will still be beautiful regardless of how little or how large your budget.
- fresh cut flowers
- bridal bouquets
- the wedding cake
- desserts for the meal
- hors’douvres for any of the parties
- shower and wedding favors
- invitations
- decorations
Buy a second hand wedding gown. Large cities have second hand or used wedding gown boutiques. Most gowns will be in excellent condition, as the storeowner will build her reputation on lovely gowns and service. Also, if your city does not have a boutique in which to search, there is nothing wrong with checking thrift stores. The cost of the gown will be very little and you may only need to add the expenses of cleaning the gown and minor alterations.
Another idea for the wedding gown is to have a vintage wedding. The bride may recycle a gown from her mother or grandmother having it altered to fit. She could then add her own accessories and other vintage pieces to make a stunning ensemble.
Shop for services at the grocery store and dollar stores where possible. Examples of goods and services that the supermarket or discount store offers would be:
Instead of booking a hall for the engagement party and rehearsal party, hold the event in a family member’s backyard, garden or inside their home. Ask the closer members of the family if they would be able to help with the cooking and save on catering costs.
When deciding on the wedding menu, purchase foods that are in season. For example, requesting items that do not grow in the winter and thus are more expensive should probably be avoided if your wedding day falls in the winter months of the year.
Try to hold your wedding in a warmer season of the year if you live in an area that experiences winter. It will be more expensive for wedding attire in the winter, particularly for the bride and the female attendants as they will require capes, coats or shawls in addition to proper footwear, hats and gloves for the inclement weather.
When purchasing paper products, everything does not need to be engraved. The napkins, for instance will just be thrown in the trash so why spend the extra.
Downscale your guest list. It is not necessary to invite business associates, social club members and long lost relatives. Further, it is not crucial to allow single guests to bring an escort. There is an exception to this rule. If the single person is involved as a couple and the two are seen as a couple at other family gatherings, then they both should be invited to the reception.
It seems to be more common today for the wedding party to purchase their own attire. Should you feel comfortable in asking, you might ask your bridesmaids and ushers if they would pay for their dresses and tuxedos.
Pare down your attendant list. For the women in particular, less bouquets alone will save considerable expenses. Then there is the transportation from the church to the picture taking and from there to the reception. Fewer people to transport will mean less rented vehicles.
Buffets are always less expensive than sit-down meals. Most people prefer buffets, anyway, because they can pick and choose their favorites. Do not choose items that add considerably to the price per person.
Forego the midnight snack at the reception. Many couples now feel obligated to provide another small meal at midnight. It usually consists of hot beef sandwiches or the like but this again unnecessarily adds to the expenses of the day. If you feel that you must offer something later in the evening, choose crackers, cheese, pickles and raw vegetables. Buy in bulk from the grocery store and prepare platters in advance saving on caterer’s fees.
Rent a cake topper instead of purchasing something that you will never use again. If a friend or relative has been married recently and purchased a non-personalized cake topper, ask to borrow it. In fact, forget the cake topper altogether. Edible flowers or even artificial flowers can be used nicely to decorate the top of the cake.
Flower girl baskets and ring bearer pillows are actually now available in dollar stores.
Ask members of the family to help with things that they enjoy. Your may still offer a stipend for the work performed but it will be considerably cheaper than hiring a professional service such as a photographer, videographer, bartender and music maker at the reception.
Borrow as much as you can from family members instead of renting. If the wedding will be held in the backyard, use chairs and tables borrowed from others.
Limousines and fancy rented cars are not necessary. Decorate relatives’ and friends’ cars and ask for volunteers as drivers.
If anyone would like to provide their services or goods as the wedding present to the couple, gladly accept. Maybe one of the ladies in the family loves to bake and her gift to the couple would be the wedding cake.
A honeymoon is not necessary the night of the wedding. Save your money and go later when you need the vacation. Also, not planning a honeymoon right away will save money on travel, food and clothing.
Some couples are now deciding not to pay for alcoholic drinks. A bar is offered but the bride and groom may only pay for the cocktails and the wine at the meal.
Prioritize your spending budget. If having photos or a video that will last a lifetime is more important, then spend less or nothing on decorations and other services that are not required.
If you really find that you must spend more money on one area of your budget, cut out a similar amount from another area. And likewise, if you have saved money, keep it, do not be tempted to go out and spend it on more lavish items.
Do not make decisions or buy at the last moment. You will invariably spend more money than you had budgeted.
Ask about discounts for venues that have cancellations. Also think about holding your reception on a day other than Saturday as this is the most popular day of the week.
Do not worry about how much your cousin spent, what your best friend had at her wedding or how the neighbor did it. Do what is right for you, your future spouse and your budget.
